Resources
New Zealand Organizations
Kai Oranga through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi - “The Kai Oranga programme (within a New Zealand context) aims to rebuild and re-insert knowledge relating to traditional and contemporary food, sustainable practices, food production and management (kaitiakitanga) back into whānau, hapū and iwi settings.”
Regenerate Now - A project of For the Love of Bees that includes an online peer-to-peer webinar
BHU at Lincoln - “The BHU organic training College was established in 2007 to deliver hands-on programmes in partnership with Lincoln University.”
The Herb Federation of New Zealand - “The Herb Federation of New Zealand is dedicated to promoting the knowledge, use and delight of herbs through educational programs, research, and sharing the experience of its members within the federation and throughout the community.”
Heritage Food Crops Trust - “The Heritage Food Crops Research Trust is a charitable trust, established to research the early prevention and treatment of disease through the medicinal properties of plant-based food and natural plant-based medicine.”
Land Access
Young Agrarians Land Access Guide (pdf) - The purpose of this guide is to support new and landless farmers to choose a path toward accessing land.
Guide to Creating an Agrarian Commons - The guide outlines bylaws, land stewardship standards, equitable lease-building, and more. From Center for Agriculture and Food Systems and The Agrarians Trust.
Using property law to expand agroecology: Scotland’s land reforms based on human rights - A paper examining ways to use conventional property law to promote and expand agroecological land use.
A Guide to Farmland Access Agreements - Prepared for the Community Farms Program by The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, Canada for use by landowners, farmers, communities and other land trusts.
Land for Good - “Since 2004 we have provided caring support and expert guidance to help farmers, landowners and communities navigate the complex challenges of land access, tenure and transfer.” Use their Toolbox to explore options in land access and lease building.
Toolbox for Leasing Farmland - A toolbox of resources for farmers and landowners who are thinking about leasing land, or who want to improve their lease arrangement. Materials are most relevant to farming and farms in New England USA, but many may apply elsewhere.
Farm Lease Builder - From the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems Build your own draft lease with a free online tool and discover other resources for access, transfer, and conservation of Farmland. Based in the USA.
Technical Resources
Rodale Institute - Rodale has been doing research about Organic and Regenerative agriculture for decades and have many articles available to learn from. They also have a YouTube channel with webinars about their research and findings.
ATTRA - “Committed to providing high-value information and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture.”
Thriving Farmer Podcast - A series from In the Field Consultants who offer training and resources to grow a farm business. They provide some free materials and offer online courses.
The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) - Their research library is full of helpful articles and they host an online community forum for knowledge sharing.
SARE - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) offers farmer-driven, grassroots grants and education programs.
Building Soils for Better Crops (pdf) - from SARE Learning Center
eOrganic - Free research-based articles & webinars from US land-grant universities
Farm Hack - A “worldwide community of farmers that build and modify our own tools and offer open source plans.”
Soil and Health Library - A listing of books (and downloadable pdfs) covering subjects including composting, cover cropping, and perennial crops.
CSAct! - “Explore all the pedagogical materials from the most comprehensive European training in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and learn how to start, manage, and consolidate a CSA group.”
Business Planning
Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses (pdf) - From SARE
Market Vegetable Gardens: Planning for Success (pdf) - WSU Extension Manual
Growing Farms: Successful Whole Farm Management Planning Book is extensive information on whole-farm management. - OSU Extension
Land Trusts
Terre de Liens (France) - “Stopping the disappearance of agricultural land in France, shortening the journey of farmers seeking to settle, and develop organic and peasant farming.”
Agrarian Trust (USA) - “Agrarian Trust is innovating in land ownership, access, tenure, and equity opportunities for transforming our relationships to the land and each other.”
FaithLands (USA) - “FaithLands is a growing national movement to connect and inspire faith communities to use their land in new ways that promote ecological and human health, support local food and farming, enact reparative justice, and strengthen communities.”
New Zealand Certifications
BioGro - New Zealand’s largest Organics certifier.
Demeter - Certification for Biodynamic production.
OFNZ - Organic certification for domestic production in New Zealand. Designed for the small-grower, this certification is meant to be “low cost, educative and supportive”.
AsureQuality - Supplies organic certification to many food production industries.
NZGAP - Certifies safe and sustainable production.
MPI Food Safety - Food Safety considerations when starting a new business in food production.
Resources for Mentors
Nurturing New Farmers: A Practical Guide to Hosting Interns and Mentoring the Next Generation of Farmers (pdf) from Ignatius Farm
The Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit (pdf) developed by the Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network
Internships in Sustainable Farming: A Handbook for Farmers (pdf), by Doug Jones.
Western SARE Farm Internship Handbook (pdf) developed by Rogue Farm Corps
Host Standards and Guideline (pdf) developed by Rogue Farm Corps
Resources for Learners
Greenhorns Guidebook for Beginning Farmers (pdf) from Greenhorns Guidebook Series
Choosing a Farm and Mentor (pdf) and Meeting Prospective Mentors (pdf) from MOFGA
Stewards of Irreplaceable Lands (SOILS) - Apprentice Resource Page
New Zealand Publications
Small Scale Food Growers in New Zealand and their role in New Zealand's sustainable food future by Alison Bentley - “This study has a dual purpose: firstly, to comprehensively understand New Zealand's small-scale food growers, their integration into the landscape, ecosystems, and communities; and secondly, to underscore the significance of these growers in addressing New Zealand's present and future challenges.”
International Beginning Farmer and Farmer Support Organizations
Greenhorns - Greenhorns works to create a welcoming and hospitable culture for new entrants in sustainable agriculture.
Young Agrarians - Young Agrarians (YA) is a farmer to farmer resource network in Canada for new and young ecological, organic and regenerative farmers. They published a Land Access Guide (pdf) to support new and landless farmers to choose a path toward accessing land with great information about aspects of farming from learning to developing a business plan and finding land.
Rogue Farm Corps - Provides real world opportunities for beginners and advanced students of agriculture. Internship and apprentice opportunities in Oregon State.
MOFGA - “The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is a broad-based community that educates about and advocates for organic agriculture, illuminating its interdependence with a healthy environment, local food production, and thriving communities.”
MESA - Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture. “Through cross-cultural horizontal exchange, experiential learning, and participatory action, MESA links farmers, and educators in the movement to rebuild resilient, equitable food systems.” They offer online courses which can be free, or pay for a certificate level course.
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project - “Working with new farmers in the US to build strong businesses, expertise in the field, and a resilient food system.”
Beginning Farmers - Resources for small scale growers in the USA.
C.R.A.F.T. - “A cooperative effort of local organic and biodynamic farms organized to enhance educational opportunities for farm apprentices.”
Quivira Coalition - “The Quivira Coalition builds soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes. We foster ecological, economic, and social health through education, innovation, and collaboration”
Seed Keeping
Organic Seed Alliance Publications - Includes downloadable info sheets for producing specific seed crops as well as a general guide to seed saving which you have to submit an email address to receive access to.
A Guide to Seed Saving, Seed Stewardship & Seed Sovereignty (pdf) by The Seed Ambassadors Project
MESA and Organic Seed Alliance’s Online Course - Self guided online course to instruct the next generation of organic seed producers.
Heritage Food Crops Research Trust - “a registered New Zealand Charitable Trust working to find natural plant-based solutions to combat disease.”
The Open Source Seed Initiative - “Inspired by the free and open source software movement that has provided alternatives to proprietary software, OSSI was created to free the seed – to make sure that the genes in at least some seed can never be locked away from use by intellectual property rights.”
Food Justice & Security
The Just Food Project - “The Just Food Project was born from a place of students wanting their education to centre issues of injustice they saw in their daily lives.”
Advocacy
La Via Campesina - “La Via Campesina is an international movement bringing together millions of peasants, small and medium size farmers, landless people, rural women and youth, indigenous people, migrants and agricultural workers from around the world. “
Land Workers Alliance - “We are a union of farmers, growers, foresters and land-based workers with a mission to improve the livelihoods of our members and create a better food and land-use system for everyone.”
Transnational Institute - “TNI’s Agrarian & Environmental Justice programme brings together research and analysis on the collective struggles of rural working people to democratise access, ownership, and control of land, water and other natural resources. It works closely in alliance with local, national and global alliances of small-scale farmers, fisherfolk and marginalised rural working people.”
Organic Growers Alliance - “a network of growers, farmers and horticulturalists. The OGA is a peer-to-peer support network run by growers for growers. As well, the OGA is a place to exchange information and learn.”
CSA Network Australia and New Zealand - “To discuss, develop, support and advocate for the Community Supported Agriculture movement in Australia. To bring together farmers, consumers and stakeholders in locally-based economic models of agriculture and food distribution.”
Access to Land - “A European network of grassroots organisations securing land for agroecological farming”
Urgenci - “connecting initiatives, formalizing CSA hands-on experiences and developing appropriate advocacy work.”
Mentor Training Resources
Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening (pdf) from UC Santa Cruz
Ag Intern Orientation & Training (pdf) from UC Cooperative Extension and SARE
ATTRA’s Curriculum and Handbook (pdf) individual curriculum topics available for viewing
SOIL’s Apprenticeship Manual (pdf) from Stewards of Irreplaceable Lands
Rogue Farm Corp Class Outlines from Rogue Farm Corp
Teaching Direct Marketing and Small Farm Viability (pdf) from the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems
The Farmer Campus - An Online Hub for Agriculture Education “From ecological and technical education to the political and social aspects of agriculture, we aim to become the next generation of education in agriculture.”
Education Resources
Sattin Hill Farm Course - Free set of Youtube videos covering the basics of starting small scale vegetable production.
An Educational Primer for New Farmers (pdf) from Ignatius Farm
SOIL’s Apprenticeship Manual (pdf) from Stewards of Irreplaceable Lands
The Farmer Campus - An Online Hub for Agriculture Education “From ecological and technical education to the political and social aspects of agriculture, we aim to become the next generation of education in agriculture.”
Do you know of any resources or organizations that are missing from this list? Please send us your suggestions.
Village Agrarians provides these resources solely for educational purposes. Village Agrarians neither favours nor endorses any of the organizations listed on this website, nor are they responsible for any incorrect information that is listed on the hyperlinked external sites. Please let us know if you discover that a link no longer works.
