In 2024-2025, Southern Illinois Farm Beginnings will offer a beginning farmer training program for the young, young-at-heart, and underrepresented farmers with the intent to teach holistic farm financial management and marketing, farming skills for specialty crops and humane animal husbandry, and navigation of land and resource access. Food Works encourages diverse applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences to apply for the program, including first generation and new generation farmers, women, BIPOC, veteran, LGBTQIA+, and low-income farmers. The program provides education, mentorship, and technical assistance to support new and beginning farmers’ dreams of a sustainable farm business using an entrepreneurial model. Throughout the program, farmers lead in-person and virtual sessions, sharing their experiences with beginning farmers. The inclusion of farming skills training reduces trial-and-error approaches, saves financial and human resources, and improves success. All farmer trainees develop and present their farm plan, participate in a farmer mentorship, and one year of access to Southern Illinois Farming Alliance events.

If you would like to mail in your application, click here for a pdf, and you can mail in your application to Food Works, PO Box 3855, Carbondale, Illinois, 62902.