2017 APPLICATION GUIDE FOR CERTIFICATE IN URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS This Guide Includes: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII.
General Information (Page 2) Program Description (Page 4) How to Apply (Page 7) Course Lengths, Times, and Locations (Page 7) Course Descriptions (Page 8) Expectations of Farm School NYC Students (Page 12) Fees and Payment Plans (Page 13) Farm School NYC 114 West 47th Street, Suite C1-35 New York, NY 10036 (212) 858.9821 www.farmschoolnyc.org
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GENERAL INFORMATION Mission: Farm School NYC'S mission is to train NYC residents in urban agriculture, in order to build self-reliant communities and inspire positive local action around food access and social, economic, and racial justice issues. Through engaging, site-based education, Farm School cultivates future leaders in NYC’s food justice movement. Farm School NYC offers urban agriculture training through two certificate programs as well as select individual courses.
What makes Farm School NYC unique? ●
Committed to grassroots social justice. Farm School NYC provides students with the tools they need to become effective and empowered beginning farmers and grassroots leaders in the food justice movement. We do this by teaching effective community organizing and advocacy techniques, engaging in dialogues about larger social, economic, and racial, and justice issues, and by providing expert agricultural and farm training rooted in social justice values.
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Community-based approach. Farm School NYC was created by a vast network of urban farmers, community gardeners, and anti-hunger and food justice advocates in the city. The program is created and run by grassroots leaders who know NYC's unique communities and food issues best.
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Accessible to all NYC residents. Farm School aims to cultivate a student body representative of the incredible diversity of NYC. Our students come from a wide range of different backgrounds and life experiences and diversity is crucial to the success of our program. As part of our commitment to social justice and diversity, tuition is on a sliding scale based on income and household size. In addition, the time commitment and schedule of the program is designed to be accessible to students working full time jobs. As the school grows, we will continue to find ways to increase how can be accessible to more students.
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NYC is your classroom. In addition to being conceived by a broad base of NYC community leaders, Farm School uses a wide variety of city gardens, farms, and other unique classroom spaces in order to engage in city specific place-based education.
History + Funding: Farm School NYC began as a collective vision in 2007. The early planners realized that we have many great resources in New York City – many diverse community gardens and urban farms, a network of supportive greening organizations, and excellent educational opportunities. At the same time, we realized that we needed something else, where we could gain a comprehensive farming education. For three years, a network of individuals and groups came together to plan the school. Farm School NYC received funding from the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program in September 2010, and first opened for classes three months later, in January 2011. A second USDA grant award in 2016 enabled several new initiatives, including the launch of the Farm Intensive Certificate in Urban Agriculture, a partnership with The Youth Farm at The High School for Public Service.
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What will I learn? Students will explore a multitude of different subjects related to urban agriculture, education, and food justice. Below are some of the main topics featured in our program but please see our Course Offerings page for more details on the classes. ● ● ● ●
Urban and sustainable agriculture growing techniques Community organizing and leadership skills Food based education Business planning and marketing skills
What can I expect? We are committed to training future farmers and food justice leaders. Our programs and courses approach urban agriculture through the lens of social justice, examining food at the intersection of social, economic, and racial justice. As a result, we are constantly refining the ways we support the well-being of our programs, students, and community. Below are some of the values and expectations we have for our community:
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Care for ourselves and each other. At the beginning of each class, we usually take a moment to step out of our busy lives and "ground" ourselves. This may look like stretching, breathing, or a similar activity.
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Create safer spaces. We encourage everyone to be mindful of the language we use to discuss important topics, while recognizing that no one is perfect and we all have something to learn. Together, we are working towards greater understanding and action.
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Embrace difference and diversity. One way we do this is by sharing our preferred gender pronouns (PGPs) when introducing ourselves. By doing this, we respect the breadth of gender and the way each individual identifies.
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Take space, make space. We encourage those who find themselves speaking up more often to allow others to have a chance to engage. Likewise, we encourage those who find themselves more quiet to engage more.
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Pass on the gift. Knowledge and expertise do very little kept to yourself. We encourage everyone to continue sharing with their wider communities.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS In November 2017, Farm School NYC will be offering two certificate programs: The Citywide Certificate in Urban Agriculture and the Farm Intensive Certificate in Urban Agriculture, in partnership with The Youth Farm.
Citywide Certificate in Urban Agriculture Program Farm School NYC offers a two-year certificate program in Urban Agriculture as well as select individual courses. Our courses are taught by experts in the field and focus on a wide range of topics from social justice issues, to urban planting techniques, to grassroots community organizing. Through engaging, site-based education, Farm School classes offer comprehensive professional training in urban agriculture and cultivate future leaders in NYC's food justice movement.
Program Components Offering comprehensive professional training in all aspects of Urban Agriculture, our certificate program consists of four main parts: ● ● ● ●
Part 1: 14 core courses to provide a foundation in urban agriculture and food justice Part 2: Advanced coursework in a minimum of 4 out of 6 courses plus a student-led seminar. Part 3: 140 hour apprenticeship in a student’s chosen focus area Part 4: 40 volunteer hours with Farm School NYC
Citywide Certificate students may complete the first three parts in up to 5 years. Students must complete their volunteer hours within the first two years of the program.
Course Completion: Citywide Certificate students are required to complete the above within two-to-five years. We require that each certificate student commit to completing 11 core courses in the first year of the program. This gives continuity to each student’s experience, as the core courses are designed to occur in sequence.
Part 1: Core Courses Each of the 14 core courses is mandatory for Citywide Certificate students. Most of the core courses meet twice a week: Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm. Certificate students who have completed at least 11 of the required 14 core courses can take advanced courses and an apprenticeship.
Part 2: Advanced Courses The advanced courses will add to the depth and breadth of material covered in core courses. Citywide Certificate students that have completed the necessary core courses will take a
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minimum of 4 advanced courses (see page 3 for descriptions). Most advanced courses will be 6 weeks in length. Students will be in class for an average of 3 hours per week. The final class of each advanced course will be a capstone class, which will include group discussions, general application of course topics, and student apprenticeship report backs.
Student-Led Seminar: Following the final advanced course, all Certificate students will participate in a final student-led seminar. During the 4 week seminar (3 hours per week), Certificate students will present the results of their apprenticeship to other students, Farm School NYC faculty, and Farm School NYC Executive Board and Advisory Council members.
Part 3: Apprenticeship The apprenticeship opportunity is designed to complement the advanced courses by providing the practical application of core and advanced course material. Citywide certificate students that have completed the necessary core courses choose between a range of apprenticeships that meets their needs and interests. The 140 hour apprenticeship can occur on a part-time or full-time basis, but it must be completed within 10 months. Farm School NYC runs an application process for potential apprenticeship sites. Students are presented with a menu of apprenticeship opportunities and will make contact directly with the sites. Apprenticeship sites and students submit a signed contract to Farm School NYC. Past apprenticeship sites have included NY Botanical Garden, Brooklyn Grange and Snug Harbor.
Part 4: Volunteer Hours In order to build Farm School NYC into a strong, dynamic, community-based learning center, certificate students must complete 40 hours of volunteer work within the first two years of enrolling. This volunteer component is designed to enhance the viability of the school; tasks will be designed to strengthen the school and to fit the student’s schedule. Previous volunteer tasks have included tabling and representing Farm School NYC at events; office assistance and data entry; organizing fundraisers; website development; meeting with politicians; being a teaching assistant and more.
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Farm Intensive Certificate in Urban Agriculture Program Farm School NYC partners with the Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service on the Farm Intensive Certificate in Urban Agriculture, which launched in November 2016. Farm Intensive certificate students can complete their certificates in 12 months rather than 24 months. This expedited 660-hour, year-long training program provides highly motivated students to get foundation via key Farm School NYC core courses -- Food Justice, Botany and Training of Trainers -- and then to take their learning outdoors, spending a full growing season at The Youth Farm, to train in practical sustainable farming techniques. This intensive session meets April - November, three times a week, 22 hrs/week, for 30 weeks. This 'Intensive' component encompasses rotations in key skill sets, 20+ formal workshops, field trips, and working alongside youth for a portion of the summer to produce crops for the farm’s various markets. Farm Intensive certificate students will practice what they learn through place-based, production-paced training and continuous hands on learning at the Youth Farm.
This Farm Intensive Certificate program includes:
Part 1: Foundational Farm School NYC Courses Farm Intensive students take these initial courses along with the Citywide Certificate students in November 2017 - February 2018: Training of Trainers, Food Justice, and Botany.
Part 2: Hands-on Production Farm Training at The Youth Farm Farm Intensive students learn sustainable farming skills first-hand from April - November 2018: ● Weekly formal workshops and farm walks ● Training Rotations in Propagation, Irrigation, Flowers, CSA / Market, Composting, and Farm Management ● Urban and Rural Field Trips ● Ergonomics & Self-Care for Farmers ● Discussion of food systems and food justice ● Dream Farm Planning: 3-part workshop series designed to support students in visioning a future farm-based educational program, civic project or business, combining crop planning, budget writing, and creating financial projections ● End-of-Season Graduate Round Table / Career Q&A
Part 3: Seminar Students rejoin graduating Citywide Certificate students for a final four week course designed as a capstone class to share their experience, vision and goals honed throughout the program.
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HOW TO APPLY There is one online application for both the Citywide and Farm Intensive Certificates in Urban Farming program. To apply for either program, click here: Application
2017 Application Timeline: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
August 1: Applications open August 14: Info Session, 6-8pm @Neighborhood Preservation Center, 2 32 E11th St, NY, NY August 23: Open Class, 6-8pm September 6: Youth Farm Open House, 8:30-10:30am and 2:30-4:30pm @ 600 Kingston Ave, Brooklyn, NY September 12: Info Session 2, 6-8pm @61 Local, 6 1 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY September 16: Open Class, 10am-2pm September 30: Application Deadline October 16-27: Interviews October 30: Notification of Acceptance November 6: Confirmation of Acceptance- deposit and registration forms due November 18-19: New Student Orientation November 29: Class Begins!
Attendees must RSVP for info sessions and open classes at farmschoolnyc.org/apply.
COURSE LENGTHS, TIMES, AND LOCATIONS Where and when do Farm School NYC classes happen? Because each of Farm School's courses require unique sites and time commitments, the length and meeting time and place of courses varies with the curriculum. Below are some general program logistics, all of which may vary with different courses.
Core Courses Lengths and times: Core courses range from one week to six weeks. Most class weeks consist of seven hours – a three-hour Wednesday night class and a four-hour weekend class. Locations: Courses will take place in a variety of locations across the city, including community gardens, urban farms, NYC botanical gardens, and indoor classrooms in various locations. Most course locations are to be announced (TBA).
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Advanced Courses Lengths and times: Farm School NYC advanced courses are each six weeks long. Each class week consists of three hours on a weeknight. Locations: Courses will take place at indoor classrooms to be determined.
What is the size of Farm School NYC classes? Courses are capped at twenty-five students in order to foster personal engagement between students and teachers and to be sure that each student's individual needs may be met by Farm School. Some classes will be smaller.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Core Courses, 2017-18: Exact dates and lengths of some courses for 2017-18 are still to be determined.
Winter Season Training of Trainers (3 weeks: November 29 -December 13): This dynamic course explores popular education methods, emphasizing the concepts of learner-centered teaching, and hands-on, participatory learning. Students will explore various styles of learning, and practice planning, designing and leading an effective workshop. Food Justice (5 weeks: December 2017 - January 2018): With NYC as the stage, this course will provide an overview of food politics, food justice issues and approaches. This course will look at economic, political and social disparities, and the innovative people and projects working to overcome them. This course will include an intensive weekend Undoing Racism training, giving students a food justice foundation to build on in their food movement work. Botany (4 weeks: February 2018): Study the plant body and the main component parts of the plants we eat: roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. This course will better prepare students for Propagation, Growing Soil, Pest/Disease ID and Management and Crop Planning.
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Spring Season Propagation (3 weeks: March - April 2018): This course will cover the basic aspects of plant propagation and best practices for raising healthy seedlings from seed to transplant, including: Plant reproduction, the use and management of propagation tools such as greenhouses and hoop houses (managing microclimates, pests and diseases, and record keeping), creating and using propagation media such as soil mixes and common containers, and proper watering techniques for different types of seedlings and stages of growth. Growing Soil (5 weeks: April - May 2018): Essential to growing healthy plants is growing healthy soil. This course will cover everything from basic soil science, soil remediation and the current state of NYC soils to soil fertility, proper irrigation and cultivation, and compost (biology and system construction). Carpentry and Building Intro (2 weeks: May 2018): Learn carpentry basics: reading and drawing building designs relevant to urban agriculture (raised beds, compost bins, chicken coops, cold frames, greenhouses and hoop houses, rainwater harvest systems). Outdoor classes will cover tool safety and maintenance as well as provide hands-on building experience. NYC as an Ecosystem (2 weeks: June 2018): This course will provide an overview of the forces which shape our ecosystem, both natural and human made. We will discuss geology, hydrology, vegetation patterns, wildlife, Native American history, and disturbance. Students will leave the course with an understanding of how to apply these concepts in an agricultural setting.
Summer Season Irrigation (2 weeks: June 2018): Within the context of NYC’s watershed, we’ll cover the role of irrigation in farm systems, types of irrigation, how to set up these systems and where to source equipment. Crop Management (4 weeks: July 2018): This course will explore the best crops for NYC’s climate, weed management, succession planning and planting, inter-planting, harvesting and post-harvest handling techniques, review of common crop plant families and their specific needs. Plant Health (2 weeks: August 2018): An introduction to common NYC pests and diseases, organic pest control prevention and treatments.
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Fall Season Season Extension (2 weeks: August 2018): Learn about the best crops for late-season production. Students will also learn about common season-extension tools: row covers, sun boxes, cold frames, greenhouses and hoop houses. We will cover the benefits and challenges of using these materials, and sources for them. Preparing for Winter (3 weeks: September 2018): This course will cover seed saving, garlic planting and varieties, garden clean-up and tool storage, cover-cropping basics (varieties, sowing methods and planting calendar) as well as food preservation techniques. Small Farm Planning and Design (5 weeks: October - November 2018): This course will review the value of and types of record keeping for your community garden, urban farm, or food-related business. Learn practical elements of community garden, school garden and urban farm design, business planning 101, beginner marketing concepts and program planning. Learn about the theory and practice of asset-based community mapping. Transformational Leadership (1 weekend: December) This course will explore ways of connecting our values to our goals and tools for reaching them. We will practice holding spaces to examine the power of storytelling in our communities. We will practice deep listening and dialogue as a means of cultivating leadership skills that will transform and cultivate practical learning experiences.
Advanced Courses, 2018: Exact dates and lengths of some courses for 2018 are still to be determined. The purpose of the Advanced Courses is to provide depth and breadth to material covered in core courses. Once Certificate students have completed at least 11 of the required 14 core courses, they will take Advanced Courses. Students will take a minimum of 4 Advanced Courses.
Crop Production: (January - February) Advanced crop planning for vegetable, fruit, flower, and herb production. Students will gain a deeper understanding of specific plant families, including crop science and growing needs. Students will develop crop plans. Prerequisites: Botany; Crop Management; Strongly recommended: Small Farm Planning Advocacy: (February - March) Students will walk away with an understanding of NYC, state, and federal policies and how they affect food access and food production in an urban setting. Students will develop skills in campaign building, community organizing and effective writing for and streamlining messaging around these issues. Prerequisites: Food Justice; working knowledge of local government
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Animal Husbandry: (April - May) In this course, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of animal husbandry in NYC, including care and legality of keeping livestock in the city. Specifically, students will focus on raising chickens, bees, and fish. Strongly recommended: Carpentry and Building; Small Farm Planning and Design *Students may spend time visiting sites independently. Teaching: (May - July) Through practical application and classroom time, students will gain skills in lesson and curriculum planning for a wide range of children and youth. Participants will learn about existing garden and food justice education curriculae and how they can be integrated with public education state standards. This course is for teachers who want to learn about garden curriculae and for gardeners who want to learn how to teach children and youth. Prerequisites: Food Justice, Training of Trainers; Strongly recommended: prior experience gardening *Pre-course readings will be assigned. Community Food Arts: (July - August) In this advanced course, students will learn about processing food through canning, pickling, drying, fermenting, and freezing. Students will learn about food science, NYS health and food safety standards, and relevant licensing. Students will develop their own market-ready value added products. Prerequisites: Basic cooking skills Enterprise: (August - October 3) This course will build on the core course Small Farm Planning and Design. Students will learn and demonstrate the fundamentals of business planning, development and management of enterprises in a local food system. Students will be prepared to identify opportunities and develop and implement sustainable models for local food production, processing and/or distribution for economic and/or social benefit. Students will gain skills in development of CSA, farmers markets, farm to school and farm to restaurant models and the regulations that accompany such trade. Prerequisites: Small Farm Planning and Design Certificate Student Seminar: (October - November) Following the final advanced course, Certificate students will participate in a final student-led seminar. During the 4 week seminar, Certificate students will present the results of their apprenticeship to other students, Farm School NYC faculty, and Farm School NYC Executive Board. Prerequisites: Participation and completion (or near completion) of Farm School NYC apprenticeship; Completion of core courses; Completion of a minimum of 4 advanced courses.
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EXPECTATIONS OF FARM SCHOOL NYC STUDENTS Attendance policy: Student participation is integral to the learning process. Due to the intensive nature of the Farm School NYC programs, absences jeopardize a student’s ability to successfully complete his or her studies. We track attendance and lateness, and ask that applicants note the following policies.
● Course Attendance Policy: Student participation is integral to the learning process. Students may not miss more than 30% of total class hours in order to complete any given course. ● Course Lateness Policy: If a student is more than 30 minutes late, they will be marked late. If a student is late two times, the student will be considered absent for the day. ● Farm Intensive Policy: Each Farm Intensive student will be granted a total of 8 absences (or 64 program hours) at the Youth Farm throughout the course of the program, barring extreme circumstances. Weather: Unless a class is cancelled due to lightning or severe weather, students will be expected to attend rain or shine. Students are expected to dress appropriately for the weather. Farming goes on, rain or shine! Physical work: There will be physical work involved in some courses, and we encourage all students who are able to engage in this work. Applicants are encouraged to contact us with questions about the physical work involved in each course. Student Measurement: In order to complete each course, students will be required to fulfill requirements defined by the course teacher. As we are not yet an accredited institution, students will receive a “complete” for each course, rather than “credit.” Indicators may include participation in the form of physical activities, discussion, questions, positive engagement with the classroom site, etc. Student Conduct: Farm School NYC strives to develop and maintain a pleasant, efficient, and fair learning environment that fosters cooperation and understanding. Students and faculty must also respect and obey the rules of conduct in our partner host sites. Actively participate: Being part of Farm School NYC means being part of building a community and being respectful and considerate of others and encourage others’ participation. We expect students to actively participate in their courses and be open to a variety of learning methods and techniques—some of which may be beyond personal comfort zones or interests.
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FEES AND PAYMENTS PLANS, 2017-18 Farm Intensive Certificate in Urban Agriculture All Farm Intensive Certificate Program students have the option to make one complete payment at the time of registration. Farm Intensive students who choose to make one complete payment will receive a 5% discount on the $1,525 tuition. Their first and only payment would be $1,448.75, due 11/13/2017. Farm Intensive students can also make four payments as follows:
1st Payment $381.25 11/13/2017
2nd Payment $381.25 2/15/18
3rd Payment $381.25 5/15/18
4th Payment $381.25 8/15/18
Citywide Certificate in Urban Agriculture Tuition for Farm School NYC’s standard Certificate Program is offered on a sliding scale to increase equity and accessibility in order to create a diverse and dynamic cohort. Our scale is based on the 2016 Federal Poverty Level Chart. We rely on your honesty when determining your payment level. Your tuition helps to cover the costs of the school and allows us to continue offering sliding scale tuition subsidies. We are working together to build a just and sustainable food system – thank you for your integrity in helping to move our efforts forward. Our sliding scale is as follows: Tuition Payment Level
Tuition Rate
Total Cost for Certificate
Full Tuition: Level 4
$14.00 per course hour
$5,600
Subsidized Tuition: Level 3
$9.50 per course hour
$3,800
Subsidized Tuition: Level 2
$4.00 per course hour
$1,600
Subsidized Tuition: Level 1
$1.80 per course hour
$720
All Citywide Certificate program students also have the option to make one complete payment at the time of registration and receive a 5% discount:
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Tuition Payment Level
Single Payment, 5% Discount
Quarterly Payments
Level 4
$5,320
$933
Level 3
$3,610
$633
Level 2
$1,520
$267
Level 1
$684
$120
TUITION PAYMENT LEVELS & SUBSIDIES To determine your tuition level, choose your household size and annual income on the Farm School NYC Certificate in Urban Agriculture 2017 – 2018 Payment Level Chart. Our class prices are based on having a diverse balance of student income levels. We understand that there are circumstances beyond income, but please know our funding is very limited, and we are committed to making our courses available to the entire community. When determining your payment level, please keep the following in mind: ●
Reflect on privilege: Consider the privilege you may have that others earning the same amount may not. Your education, generational wealth, parental and community support, partnership status and other circumstances may offer you a safety net that allows more resilience when financial setbacks occur, or more confidence in accepting a financial commitment like Farm School NYC.
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Realize our limitations: Farm School NYC raises funds and collects donations to cover the subsidized tuition costs that students at Levels 1 and 2 pay to attend. As a result, we have a limited number of spaces available at these scholarship levels, based on what we raise. Please keep that in mind as you apply, and please only choose these levels if you are eligible.
Please note that if you are accepted into classes, we may ask for proof of income. If you find that the payment level is still beyond your means, please call us to discuss your situation. We do not want to turn students away based on inability to pay.
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CITYWIDE CERTIFICATE PAYMENT LEVEL CHART, 2017-18 Household Size How many people are in your household, including children / dependents?
Annual Income What is the combined income of all members of the household?
Tuition Payment Level This is your payment level. Level 4 is Full Tuition. 1 - 3 are subsidized on a sliding scale.
1 Person Household
$83,400 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$56,500 - $83,499
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$29,500 - $56,499
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$29,499 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$102,000 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$72,900-$101,999
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$39,800-$72,899
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$39,799 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$137,300 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$91,600-$137,299
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$50,200-$91,599
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$50,199 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$165,400 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$110,300-$165,399
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$60,600 -$110,299
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$60,599 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$193,400 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$129,000-$193,399
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$71,000 -$128,999
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$70,999 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$221,500 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$147,700-$221,499
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$81,500 -$147,699
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$81,499 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
$249,500 or more
Level 4 Full Tuition
$166,400-$249,499
Level 3 Subsidized Tuition
$91,800 -$166,399
Level 2 Subsidized Tuition
$91,799 or less
Level 1 Subsidized Tuition
2 Person Household
3 Person Household
4 Person Household
5 Person Household
6 Person Household
7 Person Household
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