We’re growing a new crop of farmers & food entrepreneurs this summer.
Is that YOU?

The Short Version:

The Vermont Farm Immersion Program, Inc. is a 501c3 educational nonprofit organization registered in the state of Vermont whose mission is to inspire, guide, and educate the next generation of farmers and food business entrepreneurs, as well as empower individuals to grow food at home sustainably and with climate change in mind.

Are you?:

• Passionate about learning how to grow food sustainably?

• Wanting to start a farm, and/or create a food business of some kind?

• In an agriculture program or looking for a career transition?

• Have always wanted a business in agriculture?

• Looking to go “back to the land” and connect more deeply with nature and growing food?

We’ll be spending our time on several working farms (including our own certified organic farm). You’ll be connecting with the land, paying attention to weather, learning about the plants grow food sustainably, connect with other like-minded folks, and learning about the how’s and why’s of healthy food growing, preparing, shopping and eating. You might be inspired to start a food business, your own farm, or just learn how to utilize the land you have to grow your own food.

Each participant will get a private business coaching session with Amy during the program. If you aren’t starting a business, you can choose the coaching topic.

There will also be group coaching during the program and about one month after the group will get together for a check in/group coaching session (either on Zoom or in person, depending on where everyone lives.)

What’s Amy like as a coach? She’s been coaching people for about 14 years.

This one-of-a-kind, hands on, 5 day residential and experiential program intensively explores all aspects of growing certified organic vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbs as well as year round, climate protected, sustainable hydroponic (grown in water) greens, farm animal care, beekeeping, operating a farm stand and maple sugar house, agritourism events, pick your own, wholesale produce accounts, CSA's, creating farm camps for kids, food & farm tours, and an introduction to a large variety of local food businesses.  Amy is also a certified life, health, spiritual and business coach (the business part is from her experiences starting and building business-like the farm) and will help participants create a vision for what they want to do after the program.

The fee is 2,000, which includes the full program, private coaching session for each participant, group coaching during program, and one reunion coaching/check in about one month after the program, field trips, 3 organic meals per day, and dorm style housing.

(Take off $200 if you are commuting and not staying overnight. Discount not available if you are receiving scholarship money.)

We have some scholarship money for qualified individuals AND if you are a Vermonter, you can apply for a VSAC grant here: https://www.vsac.org/pay/applying-online-financial-aid/vermont-grants

Ready to apply? Go here. Please print out the form, fill it in, and send it back to us at: 216 Quarry Road, Waitsfield, VT 05673.

Here’s a list of the topics we may be covering, in no particular order:

• Organic Agriculture basics

• Hydroponic growing basics

• Starting a food business

• Organic Field Planning and Research

• Soil Testing & Structure

• Seed choices and soil amendments

• Field Prep

• Seeding and transplanting

• Organic fruit

• Organic flowers

• Organic veggies

• Heavy equipment

• Cold frames, greenhouses, and season extension

• Weather, crop protection from diseases, predators, etc.

• Farm life cycles

• Marketing

• Display and merchandising

• Farmer's Market and CSA's

• Wholesale accounts

• Events and agritourism

• Pick your own

• Culinary-cooking, baking and juicing

• Diet choices: vegan, vegetarian, paleo, conventional (standard American Diet)

• Farm to table
  
  Possible Field Trips:

1. Cheese making (goats and cows)

2. Grapes and wine

3. Hops and beer making

4. Hard cider and apples

5. Chickens and eggs

6. Making chocolate

7. Medicinal & culinary herbs

8. Medicinal & culinary mushrooms

9. Horses and Livestock (on our own farm and others)

Recreation:

Swimming in the river
Hiking
Food & Ag documentaries
Yoga class
Other

The 2023 date is:
August 7-11, 2023

Interested? Here’s the application.

What are the problems we’re trying to solve through this program?

“According to the USDA, the average age for a farmer is now 58 and has been on the rise for 30 years. There are now six times more farmers 65 and older than there are farmers 34 and under, according to one study." (NBC News, 2014.) Less than 1% of the U.S. population is growing our food. Large farms are buying up smaller farms, much like big box stores buy up smaller mom and pop businesses. Climate change is making growing outdoors even more challenging. 

Many people are learning that their food is their medicine and yet most of the food available in stores is filled with toxic synthetic chemicals and does not promote vibrant health while also damaging the planet. Few people are cooking from scratch and are instead buying processed food or take out. We also have a healthcare (sick-care) crisis in this country. People seem to be looking for a pill or quick fix to get rid of their symptoms rather than look for the cause of the problem. 

We believe that we need more people practicing sustainable and climate protected growing techniques in order to feed themselves and the population. They’ll also learn about healthy eating and food preparation, and other wellness practices. Collaborations with other local food producers will provide exposure to a wide variety of food business possibilities. We will inspire participants to become growers, or work for other farms, and/or create a food related business. What our participants will learn will give them concrete tools for a healthier more sustainable way of living, and a possible new career.

Our Solutions:

Unlike most of the agricultural education programs in the U.S., the Vermont Farm Immersion Program is not set inside of a university or school building. Our classrooms feature hands on, learn by doing, on a well known and successful commercial farm. A variety of field trips to other local farms and food businesses will round out the exposure and inspire opportunities and connections.

Over the course of 5 days, participants will become familiar with and participate in, all aspects of certified organic and hydroponic crop production (sustainable and climate protected agriculture) through harvesting; packaging and display, including: seed selection, soil and water management, soil bed preparation, planting, weeding, harvesting, crop protection and season extension, predators and pests, etc. Also, we will include: display and merchandising; pick your own; events and agritourism; retail and wholesale; running a farm stand and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture shares); produce delivery options; working with the public/customer service; local, state and federal certifications and permits; marketing; funding a farm, land acquisition; and special on farm projects. 

A variety of field trips are planned to raise awareness and provide an introduction to other agricultural and food business options, such as: honey bees and apple orchards (hard cider and honey), cheesemaking (goat and cow milk), hemp and CBD production, grape growing and wine making, hops and beer making (we are home to a large and popular brewery, Lawson’s Finest Liquids), chickens and egg production, medicinal and culinary herbs and mushrooms, horses and livestock care (we have our own horses, and will have goats this season. We pasture grass fed cows on our land.)

When you sign up, we will find out from each of you what your key areas of interest are, and tailor the program towards those interests. That means each program will be slightly different.

We believe that our food truly is our medicine. “Made from scratch” meals using our own local, organic, and hydroponic, nutrient dense whole foods will be the mainstay of our diets. We are hiring a well-trained chef to prepare our meals. We will feature family style meals. An introduction to juicing will also be shared to inspire what can be done on a home scale. Complimentary healing methods will be introduced (particularly medicinal herbs and mushrooms) via meeting with local experts as well as watching some educational documentaries. 

The leaders of the program, Amy Todisco and Dave Hartshorn, each come with over 30+ years of experience in: certified organic and sustainable hydroponic growing, running successful farm businesses and programs (farm stands, CSA’s, a fifth-generation maple sugar house, farm and wellness retreats, farm and food tours, workshops, farm camps), green living expertise, life coaching, a massage therapy & healing background, marketing and social media experience.

Funds were raised to create a scholarship program so that cost will not be an impediment for interested people. Additionally, income qualifying Vermont residents will be encouraged to seek a VSAC grant to help pay expenses. We are also seeking funding in order to create on farm lodging for students.

Please note: Dave sold his shares (as of mid-March, 2021) of the hydroponic greenhouse business featured in this video. After nearly 9 years of building a very successful business, he felt it was time to move on to new adventures. Instead we are creating a homeowner scale hydroponic setup that we can share with all of you, along with the knowledge we gained about growing hydroponic plants.

Though this program is for adults 18 and up, you can get a feel for Dave and Amy here: