Rogue Valley Regenerative Farming Fellowship

Application for 2025 Open Early January.

The Rogue Valley Regenerative Farming Fellowship provides an entry-level, on-farm, hands-on, part-time, 7-month training and learning experience in regenerative/sustainable, small-scale farm production with a focus on organic mixed vegetables. It includes 2 days per week of paid farm experience at a farm site in Central Point, OR and approximately 1 educational event per week. The educational events include classes, farm tours, and discussions that cover introductory agricultural production and food system topics. This program is run in partnership by Rogue Farm Corps and Family Nurturing Center.

This program is designed to be an accessible first farming experience for people who face higher barriers to entry into agriculture. Applicants who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, female, veterans, living with a disability, formerly incarcerated, and/or low-income are highly encouraged to apply.

2025 Dates & Times:

  • Start Date: Early April 2025

  • End Date: Late October 2025

  • Farm Days:  Tuesdays and Thursdays;  Hours: 8am-2:30pm (Spring & Fall); 7-1:30 (Summer)

  • Educational Events: Wednesday afternoons. For in-person events: 3-6pm. For online events: 3-5pm.

Farm Location: Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center - 569 Hanley Rd, Central Point, OR 97502 (google map link)

Compensation for On-Farm Training time: Participants will be provided with $17.15 / hour for on-farm training time (approximately 12 hours/week) and participation in educational events (approx 2 hours/week).

Language(s) Spoken: English

ON-FARM TRAINING & EXPERIENCE:

This program hosts 4-5 Fellows each year who take part in many aspects of organic mixed vegetable production on a small-scale, non-profit working farm operation. Participants will be mentored and supervised in farm tasks by Family Nurturing Center’s Farm’s co-manager and Rogue Farm Corps’ Rogue Valley Chapter Coordinator. On-farm time will also include group check-in’s, reflections, time for questions, discussions, and farm walks. Farm mentors will provide participants with an understanding of the context on why farm tasks are being done the way they are being done and how they relate to other farm processes and the larger picture. The program seeks to create an inclusive, welcoming learning and training environment that values and honors each participant’s unique life experiences, strengths, interests, and goals.

This is a hands-on farming experience that will involve being outside in all kinds of weather, stooping, bending, kneeling, reaching, using hand tools, being in contact with plants and soil, and working with a team of other beginning farmers to accomplish farm tasks on this educational farm. Demonstration and discussion of self-care and ergonomics will happen throughout the program.

Family Nurturing Center is transitioning toward more regenerative, no-till production methods, so participants will have the opportunity to see and participate in various trials and experiments with different practices.

Regenerative practices refer to agricultural practices which seek to not only maintain ecosystem health but restore and increase it. Many of what are now referred to as regenerative practices have been practiced for millenia or centuries around the world. A few examples include using cover crops, planting & weeding with minimal soil disturbance, using mulch or adding organic material to the soil surface.

Fellows will gain exposure to and learn skills in:

  • Plant propagation

  • Soil health management

  • Preparing ground for planting

  • No-till methods

  • Direct seeding

  • Transplanting

  • Irrigation

  • Managing weeds

  • Managing pests & diseases

  • Harvesting a diversity of vegetables

  • Washing and packing produce

  • Tool Use & Care including BCS Walk behind tractor

  • Composting

BEGINNING FARMER EDUCATIONAL EVENT SERIES

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. Events are held both in-person and online. Educational events will happen approximately once per week, generally on Wednesday afternoon or evening, and will also serve other aspiring/beginning farmers in the region. In-person event location varies for each event. All are within about 1 hour driving distance of Medford / Central Point in the Rogue Valley. In 2024 the educational event series will include 3 weekend intensive opportunities, optional for fellowship participants. You can read more about RFC’s Beginning Farmer Educational Event Series here.

2024 Example Event Schedule and topics

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO PARTICIPATE:

  • You want to gain a foundation in regenerative agriculture skills and practices

  • You want to try out farming and see if it’s for you

  • You want to start or join a non-profit farm or community-based food project

  • You want to produce food for your community

  • You want to have your own farm someday

GOALS OF THE PROGRAM:

  • Provide an accessible, entry-level job and training experience in the local, regenerative farming industry for people who may otherwise not have access to that experience.

  • Graduate participants with a basic conceptual understanding of small-scale sustainable agriculture / market gardening concepts and fundamentals.

  • Graduate participants with the experience / skills / networks they need to continue to pursue their agricultural goals, be that working with community food projects, working/apprenticing on farms, managing a farm, working in garden or farm education, starting their own farm, etc.

  • Graduate participants with the experience / skills / networks they need to help produce food for their community or join/start a community farm-based project.

WHY DOES THIS PROGRAM EXIST?

Rogue Farm Corps has been facilitating on-farm internships and apprenticeships with partner host farms around Oregon since 2004. It has become clear that these opportunities are not accessible to everyone who wants to try farming. RFC has been intentionally working to make this programming more accessible and inclusive, especially to folks from backgrounds that are often excluded, underrepresented, or marginalized in agriculture. This new program is an extension of that effort. RFC sees the need for part-time educational farm training experiences that provide both the actual hands-on experience and the educational framework necessary to jumpstart people’s path into agriculture, while providing an inclusive, welcoming learning environment that is also financially and logistically accessible. We hope this program will become a replicable model for similar entry level farming programming with additional partners in other parts of the state.

MORE ABOUT ROGUE FARM CORPS AND FAMILY NURTURING CENTER:

Rogue Farm Corps is an Oregon non-profit with a mission to train and equip the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Rogue Farm Corps has been helping aspiring farmers gain hands-on experience with established sustainable farm operations in Oregon since 2004.

Family Nurturing Center is a non-profit serving Southern Oregon whose mission is to strengthen families so that children can live safely and develop fully in their parents’ care. Family Nurturing Center’s Farm and Food Program welcomes families who have faced multiple challenges to participate in activities that support well-­being. The FNC farm also hosts Harvest Meal field trips in collaboration with Rogue Valley Farm to School, and provides produce and healthy staple foods to families in the Jackson County community.