Released: January 26, 2006

Growing Growers Program Taking Apprentice Applications

OLATHE, Kan. – Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables just keeps growing.

And, an idea seems to be keeping pace, according to Ted Carey. It’s to make money or even a living by growing and selling fresh produce and other farm products locally.

“Of course, gardening doesn’t prepare you for being a successful market farmer any more than knitting prepares you for opening a craft store,” said Carey, a Kansas State University Research and Extension horticulturist at the Olathe Research Center. “And, wheat farming doesn’t prepare you to grow flawless, labor-intensive tomatoes.

“The best way to learn about market farming is to get hands-on experience, working with an established grower – to benefit from the grower’s experience. That way you can avoid re-inventing the wheel when you start your own operation.”

Carey also is coordinator of the 3-year-old Growing Growers training program. It provides that kind of apprenticeship for would-be market farmers in the Kansas City “food shed” (within easy shipping distance of the metropolitan area – about 200 miles into Kansas or Missouri).

The program now is accepting apprentice applications for the 2006 growing season.

Growing Growers offers two approaches to on-the job training at an area host farm:

* Work at least 20 hours a week for regular wages – which sometimes can include room and board.

* Work a minimum four hours a week as a volunteer.

The Growing Growers Web site (http://www.growinggrowers.org/apprentice.htm) already lists 20 Kansas City area farmers willing to host at least one apprentice this year. Their farms may produce anything from pick-your-own berries to pumpkins, Christmas trees or organic beef. Many of the operations are or are working to be certified organic farms.

“Not every apprentice is going to immediately become a successful grower, although you’d be surprised how much of a start you can make with a big back yard and a niche garden – say, growing a particular kind of pepper for the ethnic food market,” Carey said. “But one of last year’s graduates opened a Lawrence restaurant – A Local Burger. Others have gone on to start their own farms or to work for other farmers or in a local food industry.”

Apprentices get one-on-one training from their host farmer, said Growing Growers manager Katherine Kelly. The program also provides access to resource materials recommended and used by area market farmers.

And, apprentices get free admission to Growing Growers’ training sessions and tours offered monthly from March through October at sites on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri border.

“We expect apprentices to attend at least eight of the 10 training sessions and tours. The study topics range from understanding soils to post-harvest handling and marketing,” Kelly said. “The workshops are open, so each one is a good mix of apprentices, would-be local growers, and established growers who are wanting to develop a particular aspect of their operation.

“We also sponsor special events such as the conference on “Selling Local in Kansas City,” which drew more than 200 producers and marketers in December 2004. We’ll be repeating that again this year.”

Program staff meet personally with each apprentice applicant, she said, and direct that applicant to possible host farms. Then each host decides which applicant(s) he or she wants. Finally, the Growing Growers advisory board reviews and makes the final decision on the possible combinations.

“We want everyone to come out of the growing season feeling successful,” Kelley said. “So, we work hard to find sincere applicants and match them successfully with growers who can teach.

“Our efforts seem to be paying off. We have host farmers who are looking forward to their third year of working with apprentices, and we have annual crops of apprentices who develop new skills, knowledge and a network of growers they can draw upon.”

In the three years of its existence, the program has exceeded its ever-increasing goals for both host and apprentice numbers, Carey said.

More information and the apprentice application form for 2006 already are available on the program’s Web site or from Kelly at 913-488-1270 (e-mail: growers@ksu.edu).

The Growing Growers program is a cooperative effort of Kansas State University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, the Kansas Rural Center and the Kansas City Food Circle (a community organization).

Its stated mission is to improve the quantity and quality of produce grown locally in the Kansas City area.

-30-

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News