More than a decade ago, Future Harvest launched its Beginner Farmer Training Program (BFTP), which has trained and graduated more than 400 new farmers across the Chesapeake region in sustainable and regenerative practices. The program has distributed thousands of dollars directly to limited-resource farmers annually in the form of needs-based, farm start-up mini-grants. We could not be more proud to contribute to the regional farming economy through this efforts of this program.
Our program redesign stems from an intention to serve a smaller cohort of farmers with an increased depth of service, and also reflects shifts in funding. The application period for 2026 has closed.
Program overview
- A year-long program running from January 2026 – December 2025
- In-depth, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, both on-farm and in classroom settings
- Trainees who graduate feeling better equipped to start their own farms or continue farming in a management role
- Mini-grants available to fund start up costs on trainees’ farming ventures
- Free attendance at our annual conference, our on farm field days, and our 10-week online classroom series, “Sustainable Farming Fundamentals”
What Trainees Receive
- Educational programming through online classes and on-farm field days
- A range of expert-led, one-on-one and peer-to-peer support
- Training in hard skills like planting and irrigation, plus soft skills like decision making
- Opportunity to apply for a farm start-up grant only available to BFTP graduates
What Training Farms Receive
- Team members who are better prepared to take on critical components of farm operations and management responsibilities
- Team members who understand the how and why of your farming operation
- A stipend to offset the additional time spent working with a Trainee
IS THE BEGINNER FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM RIGHT FOR ME?
We are looking for trainees who meet the following requirements:
- Are currently employed, have secured employment for 2026 or are a regular volunteer at a soil-based vegetable, fruit, flower or herb farm in Maryland
- Have some experience farming, and want to learn more about the “how” and “why” of sustainable agriculture. For example, how do I write a crop plan? Why does a farmer choose to use plastic mulch instead of growing on bare ground?
- Have an interest in taking on a management role on a farm and/or starting your own farm, in the next 3-5 years.
If this sounds like you, we look forward to reading your application! Stay tuned for the announcement of applications opening in very early December. If this does not sound like you, we hope you’ll still come learn with us at a field day, at our conference, or in our online classroom series. We’re gearing up to have lots more on-farm events in 2025, and we hope to see you there!
BFTP HISTORY
The BFTP was founded by organic vegetable farmers Jack and Beckie Gurley in 2009. They collaborated with Baltimore County land preservation activist Cathy Tipper (who is now a farmer herself) to bring folks who were on the cusp of starting their own farms to Jack and Beckie’s farm to learn alongside them. They partnered with University of Maryland Extension to offer an in-person classroom component to the program. The program grew beyond Baltimore County with trainees and training farmers across the state and into Virginia. Thanks to a USDA BFRDP grant, the program expanded to its current three levels in 2017, now reaching over 80 trainees per year.
Future Harvest has worked with more than 400 trainees since the BFTP was founded in 2009. 2022’s cohort of over 90 trainees spanned three states plus Washington DC. 65% of trainees identify as female and nearly 50% identify as Black. They have big dreams, ranging from increasing access to healthy produce in their neighborhoods, to revitalizing long- dormant or conventionally farmed land, to establishing a workplace accessible to people with disabilities.
Want to learn a bit more about the BFTP and how it can help you start your own farm journey? Check out these resources!