At Greenacres Foundation, education is rooted in the land, shaped by experience, and strengthened through community. This year marks a meaningful milestone in that work: our first cohort of apprentices has officially received State of Ohio apprenticeship certification, affirming both the depth of their training and the strength of Greenacres’ generative farming apprenticeship programs.

A Milestone for the Apprenticeship Program

Issued by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, these Certificates of Completion recognize members of this cohort as journeypersons in their respective fields. Garden apprentices earned certification as Organic Vegetable Farm Managers, while a livestock apprentice earned certification as Farm Worker, General I.

For Greenacres, this certification strengthens the foundation of our apprenticeship program. It formally recognizes that the learning happening in our fields, barns, and classrooms meets rigorous state standards, while remaining deeply rooted in generative practices, mentorship, and place-based education.

For the apprentices, it validates two years of hard work and the confidence gained through real responsibility. As one garden apprentice reflected:

“Over the course of the two-year apprenticeship, I was immersed in low-till, market garden–style production in a more comprehensive and accessible way than I ever could have learned on the job or out of a book. What was even more valuable was the confidence I built in handling crops I had never grown before, all on my own.”

Hunter, Greenacres Garden Apprentice (Cohort 2024–2025)

Learning by Doing

Greenacres’ two-year Garden and Livestock apprenticeships are designed to be immersive, challenging, and supportive. Apprentices work full-time alongside experienced staff while also participating in classroom learning, field trips, and public education events.

Across both programs, apprentices are encouraged to build not only technical skills, but also strong communication, accountability, and decision-making abilities. One livestock apprentice shared:

“With my team by my side, I gained skills I didn’t even know I needed. I learned tactical skills like confidence with heavy equipment, animal handling, and grazing knowledge, but just as importantly, I developed soft skills like organization, communication, and personal accountability.”

Bethany, Greenacres Livestock Apprentice (Cohort 2024–2025)

That combination of hands-on learning and teamwork is intentional. Apprentices are invited into the full rhythm of the farm and trusted with meaningful responsibility early on.

Resilience, Adaptability, and Joy in the Work

This cohort of garden apprentices was the first to experience Greenacres’ formal classroom curriculum, and they helped shape the culture of the program in lasting ways. Their second year was marked by collaboration, humor, and resilience, even during one of the most challenging growing seasons our farm has seen.

Excess water, crop loss, and persistent weeds turned the field into a real-time lesson in adaptability. Rather than becoming discouraged, the apprentices embraced the experience as preparation for the realities of farming beyond Greenacres.

As one apprentice put it:

“It’s an incredibly formative experience to be encouraged to follow your ‘farmer gut,’ to make decisions in your own growing space, and learn from the outcomes. That trust builds real confidence.”

Julia, Greenacres Garden Apprentice (Cohort 2024–2025)

Growing with Intention and Impact

Second-year apprentices are given the opportunity to manage their own growing spaces, applying what they’ve learned while exploring individual interests within the broader mission of Greenacres.

One apprentice dedicated an entire growing season to donation, harvesting weekly with gleaners, volunteers who collect surplus produce for community food partners, and donated more than 1,200 pounds of produce in just five months. That experience required thoughtful planning, considering not only what to grow, but where it would go and who it would serve, reinforcing the idea that farming is about relationships as much as production.

Another apprentice grew a wide range of vegetables and flowers, including new flower varieties integrated into Greenacres’ bouquet production and custom greens mixes sold in the Farm Market. Their creativity and love of collaboration brought fresh life to market offerings and strengthened the team.

Reflecting on the experience, a garden apprentice shared:

“The production systems were an incredible place to start my journey as a grower, but what made the biggest difference was feeling empowered to explore what interested me and seeing real-world practices in action.”

Hunter, Greenacres Garden Apprentice (Cohort 2024–2025)

Preparing for What Comes Next

As the apprenticeship comes to a close, Greenacres staff work closely with apprentices to prepare them for what’s next, refining resumes, practicing interviews, and identifying future opportunities in agriculture.

Graduates of this cohort are moving into roles in greenhouse management and field leadership on organic vegetable farms, carrying forward both technical skills and the confidence to step into leadership.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without this program. The passion the Greenacres team brings to its work is contagious and makes it easy to fall in love with growing food.”

Hunter, Greenacres Garden Apprentice (Cohort 2024–2025)

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

As an organization, we are incredibly proud of this first state-certified cohort. Their success affirms the care, collaboration, and intention behind the Greenacres Apprenticeship Program and strengthens its future for generations of learners to come.

This milestone expands professional opportunities for apprentices, reinforces Greenacres’ role as a leader in generative agricultural education, and honors the belief that meaningful learning happens through trust, mentorship, and shared work on the land.

We look forward to welcoming future cohorts into a program that continues to grow, rooted in community, guided by experience, and now recognized at the state level for the excellence it cultivates.

Interested in Joining a Future Cohort?

Each year, Greenacres welcomes new apprentices into our Garden and Livestock programs. Garden Apprentice applications open each December, with the two-year, full-time paid apprenticeship beginning the following spring.

Livestock Apprentice applications will open on a future date to be determined, as we continue redeveloping and strengthening the livestock curriculum to best serve future apprentices and the evolving needs of our farms.

To learn more about the programs, expectations, and application process, visit: