Students for Farm Training Program (7462)

Get paid to learn how to farm!

The Great Lakes Incubator Farm (GLIF) is seeking applicants for the 7-month experiential Farm Training Program.

The Great Lakes Incubator Farm training program is designed for individuals ready to explore farming as a career. Admission is competitive, with five students accepted each year. Participants commit to the seven-month program, starting in April, where they gain hands-on experience in every aspect of running a farm—from soil preparation and planting to harvesting, marketing, and problem-solving.

Students work closely with the Farm Manager, collaborating on a fully operational farm while participating in classroom instruction, field demonstrations, and daily farm work. The program concludes with each participant developing and presenting their own farm business plan.

The Great Lakes Incubator Farm (GLIF), a project of the Grand Traverse Conservation District, is dedicated to training the next generation of farmers through a local farming model rooted in regenerative agriculture. Our goal is to build resilience within local food systems while fostering a lasting culture of health and wellness.

GLIF trains new farmers through hands-on experience, provides land access and shared resources to support their growth, and fosters community engagement with regenerative agriculture and conservation.

All aspects of running a small-scale production farm: Seeding, Weeding, Harvesting, Washing and packing.

Be able to commit to the program for the 7-month growing season from April to October.

No experience necessary, just a willingness to work hard and learn.

None

None

Being open to work hard and learn in a classroom setting.

FREE on-farm Housing

$1,000 monthly stipend