About the Program
The Growing Growers Learning Network is a program for aspiring fruit and vegetable producers who desire a personalized coaching experience to learn foundational concepts and connect to the local grower community, helping them develop profitable farms and effective garden projects. It is open to participants from all backgrounds, skills, ages, and income levels.
Whether you want to start a farm business to sell produce at farmers markets, or you want to develop a garden for your organization or community, through Growing Growers you will increase your knowledge on critical farming basics, build your skills through hands-on learning experiences, and connect with other growers – both established and aspiring. Growing Growers focuses on the production of what the USDA defines as specialty crops – fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, honey, and more – as opposed to commodity crops and livestock. To learn more about specialty crops, click here.
Please note: Although we are not offering the Growing Growers program in Sedgwick County this year, you are still able to participate by taking the workshop series online. More information on the online course is provided below. We hope to be able to offer the Growing Growers program, including Apprenticeships and Farm Tours, again in Sedgwick County in 2025. If you have questions, please contact Abbey Draut (316-660-0142), Food Crops Horticulture Agent, Sedgwick County.
How to participate:
In 2024, the main workshop series will be offered as a full Online Course by Growing Growers Kansas City through K-State's Global Campus. This course builds a broad understanding of everything it takes to run a profitable farm business or effective garden project. Course modules cover all that you need to know from production planning all the way to harvest and beyond.
The online course, Growing Growers: Starting a Sustainable Vegetable Farm, was created in 2022 to compliment on-farm, hands-on agricultural learning. Throughout the course, participants will learn the necessary skills for starting and maintaining sustainable specialty crop farms within or around urban areas. The curriculum focuses on small to medium-scale sustainable vegetable farming practices typical for the central U.S.
The course is broken up into 12 modules:
- Plant propagation
- Production planning
- Soils
- Crop production
- Microclimate modification
- Postharvest handling and food safety
- Irrigation
- Equipment
- Integrated pest management
- Marketing
- Farm management
- Farm start-up
The course is self-paced (asynchronous), costs $200, and is available to registrants for 12-months beginning the day that you sign up. Currently this is a non-college credit course, however, a for-credit option is coming soon.
Information on upcoming workshops and events through Growing Growers Kansas City.
