BEGINNING FARMER EDUCATIONAL EVENT SERIES! (BFEES)

FARM TOURS, CLASSES, AND DISCUSSIONS

As part of Rogue Farm Corps' Farmer Training Programs we coordinate a series of educational events including farm tours, classes, and discussion groups for aspiring and beginning farmers including the Apprentices at our partner Host Farms and partner farmer training programs participants (partner programs include CAMPO, OSU Veteran Agripreneurs, RVRFF, Zenger Farm, Headwaters Incubator Program). The event series generally runs between April and October each year, lining up with a majority of our apprenticeship position start and end dates.

The Event Series is designed as an introduction to sustainable and regenerative farming production concepts and practices as well as food system and equity topics. In order to get the most out of the event series, it is recommended that participants have concurrent or somewhat recent farm/ranch experience and intend to pursue farming/ranching further. If you have questions about whether or not the event series is a good fit for you, please reach out to training@roguefarmcorps.org.

Some events are in-person and some are held virtually via Zoom. The in-person events take place mostly in our three locations in Oregon: The Portland, Rogue Valley, and Willamette Valley regions. Those in-person events are within approximately a 1.5-hour drive of Host Farm sites in each area. Events are generally in afternoons or evenings, approximately 4 per month April through October.

Because of heat and high AQI levels in the Oregon summer months exacerbated by climate change, most in-person events will be held in spring and fall. 

The full series includes:

  • 24 total events focused on sustainable/regenerative agriculture production concepts & practices as well as food system & equity topics and group discussions.

  • 6 farm tours and hands-on demonstrations which showcase practical skills and individual farmers’ stories, as well as provide insight into diverse production and marketing systems.

For those outside of Portland, Rogue Valley, and the Willamette Valley areas, we offer an Online-Only Event Series package.

RFC strives to make all educational events inclusive and welcoming to people from all backgrounds and identities. Classes, tours, and discussions are led by Rogue Farm Corps staff, agricultural professionals, and experienced farmers.

TO SEE PLANNED EVENT SCHEDULES FOR 2024 PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Event Package Options and Fees:

  • Online-Only: $320

  • In-person Portland, Rogue Valley, or Willamette Valley Package: $500

  • SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

WEEKEND INTENSIVES:

We also run weekend intensives, with 3 planned for 2024 in April, May, and June. Weekend intensives consist of in-depth workshops and farm tours exploring core agricultural principles, as well as networking, discussion, and camping at a farm site. These weekends are great opportunities for Apprentices outside of our regional chapter locations to see additional farm operations and socialize with other beginning farmers. We prioritize serving Apprentices with weekend intensives, and open these up to additional participants as space allows.

EVENT SERIES APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

If you have a program that may be interested in partnering with the Beginning Farmer Educational Event Series please email training@roguefarmcorps.org