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.
How to get involved:
- Fill out an initial contact form (click here)
(This gives us some demographic information and background about your project idea or goals. Then you’ll receive an email about the next step.)
- Complete the Introductory Module
(This has 3 parts, each containing a Google Form with a short video and some questions to help us understand your idea, and an accompanying worksheet with additional questions to further develop your idea.)
Download the accompanying worksheet
(Parts 2 and 3 of the Intro Module will be sent to you once we have received your Interest Form and/or your Intro Module Part 1.)
3. Schedule a time to meet one-on-one
Contact Kinzie Kirkland, Program Manager to discuss which of the program’s opportunities will best meet your needs and help you reach your goals. You must complete at least Part 1 of the Intro Module before your consultation.
Not sure if Growing Growers is right for you? Just fill out the super quick interest form! We’ll help you determine if our program is right for you, and if so, how best for you to get involved.
If you already know you are interested in an apprenticeship position, you can browse our list of host farms to get a glimpse of who might be the best fit for you. Apprenticeships are the biggest way to participate in Growing Growers – you’ll be paired with a host farmer to gain hands-on work experience and mentorship in addition to attending our workshops and learning activities. Learn more about apprenticeships here.
Pathways to Participate
The main components of the program will be Apprenticeships, the Online Course, and our Farm Tours. Whether you only want to attend a few farms tours, or go all-in with an apprenticeship, we can customize the right learning experience for you!
- Apprenticeships with Growing Growers ICT are for anyone in south-central Kansas wanting a deeper knowledge of how to grow fruits and vegetables as a profitable business or effective garden project. Apprenticeship fees cover access to the online course, registration fees for farm tours, books and resources, and more. In addition to hands-on experience, you’ll also get one-on-one time with your mentor to learn what happens behind-the-scenes. Get matched with a local host farm where your apprenticeship can be paid or volunteer and range from full-time to just a few hours a week. The apprenticeship will be customized just for YOU. Find out more here, or fill out our Apprentice Application if you’re ready to jump in.
- This year, the main workshop series will be offered as a full Online Course by Growing Growers Kansas City and will be offered 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 32-lecture course will be held over 16 weeks. In addition to the lecture, the course will include additional resources such as videos, guest speakers, publications, and more. Course fee may be discounted with scholarships from Growing Growers ICT. Reach out to kinziekirkland@ksu.edu if you’re interested!
- We will also be hosting a series of Farm Tours that correspond with some of the core modules in the Online Course. Come visit a local specialty crop producer to learn practical applications of fruit and vegetable production concepts like crop planning or irrigation. It’s also a great opportunity for networking with other growers and peers. Farm tour information and registration can be found on our Events page.
Learn more at our new website: ictfoodcircle.org/growinggrowers
