It
can seem a little overwhelming when you first decide to be an organic
farmer, especially since the path to organic farming is different for
everyone. Still, below are some general ideas about how to get to the
organic farming career finish line.
Personal Commitment
One
of the most important aspects of becoming an organic farmer is to
make sure you have the drive needed to accomplish your goals. No
matter what path you choose, if you're not personally dedicated to
this career choice, there's little chance you'll succeed. Farming, in
general, is a tough career path. Organic farming, with certifications
to gain and many rules and standards to follow, can be extra
difficult.
Educational Path to Organic Farming
In
the past, most farmers learned the trade after growing up on family
farms. It isn't the case anymore. In 2010 there were 1,202,500
farming jobs out there, and most of those farmers did not grow up on
the farm. So how do many farmers learn the trade? Through education.
The
minimal education most organic farmers, ranchers, and other organic
agricultural managers have is a high-school diploma. Most successful
farmers nowadays have much more education under their belt. If you
just want to farm, hands-on experience may be all you need, but if
you want to farm organically and successfully, getting an agriculture
degree from a university is wise.
Almost
all general state university systems have some land-grant college or
school of agriculture in place, so your choices are vast and no
longer limited by where you live. At the very basic level, most
agricultural students, depending on what they'd like to grow or
raise, study issues such as growing crops, land conditions, plant
diseases and livestock
care including
the basics of veterinary
science.
There are many other topics you can study in college to prepare for a
career in organic farming. For example, you can complete a course of
study in business agriculture, farm management, dairy science, plant
science, agricultural economics and much, much more.
Today,
there are even some excellent organic-specific college programs
cropping up.
Hands-On Experience
As
a prospective organic farmer, rancher, and agricultural manager, it's
likely that you'll eventually spend some hands-on time working under
an experienced mentor, even if you also go to college for agriculture
or livestock. Book learning, while very useful, especially for the
more complex areas of farming, cannot replace hands-on time on a
farm.
Most
colleges with agricultural programs have hands-on experience in place
via a university farm or land and/or offer internships as part of
their program or can help you find a non-campus associated internship
or farming workshop. There are also volunteer opportunities on
organic and conventional farms, farm caretaking positions available,
plus government projects, such as Beginner
Farmer and Rancher Competitive Grants Programs,
that can help increase learning through internships or apprentice
programs.
It's
important to note that hands-on learning experiences are few and far
between. There are rarely enough positions to go around. That said,
although you're interested in organics, it may be wise to take a
conventional farm internship if that's all that's available. You'll
still gain valuable skills and be in the farming loop when an organic
opportunity comes along.
.
Important Considerations When Choosing an Organic Farm Internship
Certification Options
Clearly,
as an organic farmer, you'll eventually need to become certified
organic. However, that's down the road a bit if you're just starting
out. In the meantime, there are other certification programs in place
that can help round out your education as you learn to farm and help
you show that you're a competent farmer.
