Foundation Farm school was born of a need: not enough food is grown locally.  Farmers around us are getting older and are not being replaced. Over the last 50 years, there has been an increasing loss of interest in small-scale farming, especially in America.  This decay of family farming has many, well documented roots, one being the competition from "industrial agriculture" which pushes food prices (and quality standards) down and monopolizes retail channels.  The disappearance of family farming explains in part why food travels thousands of miles to reach us.

But we can fight back and turn the tide.  There are ways and reasons to return to small-scale farming and our farm school is as much a place to learn as it is a chance to rediscover the joys of farming.  Here are some, but not all, reasons to choose our way of farming for a living:

We are convinced that once aware of its possibilities, some people will choose farming over other, more obvious, career choices. 

If you are contemplating applying to the school, we recommend that you take a look at the rest of the site, especially at the virtual tour and the farm philosophy pages. 

We are looking for 4 or 5 trainees/students interested in establishing their own farm in the near future.  The school curriculum will reflect this objective by teaching the tools necessary to start a successful farm from ground zero.  Classes cover the cultivation, marketing and financial aspects of running a farm based of our accumulated experience with Foundation Farm and previous farms. 

If you are interested, please submit your application to us.

School Term:

The 2008 school year will start on Monday, March 31st and will extend to Friday, October 31st for a total of 6 months.  Students are expected to join for the full term in order to cover the curriculum and 3 growing seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall).  There will be a formal checkpoint between the school and the students 4 weeks after joining.

School Facilities/Format:

Classes take place at the farm shed.  Do not expect a formal classroom, but expect a formal lecture involving notes-taking.  Classes happen usually on Mondays, following lunch, and last about one hour.

Field instruction takes place at the farm in a real professional context.  Patrice Gros, owner/teacher, will be present throughout the seasons to direct fieldwork.  Other teachers/professional workers will be present to supervise trainee work.

Progressive Scheduling & Stipend:

The school does not charge a tuition. A progressive stipend will be paid weekly to offset some of the trainees' personal expenses:

February/March: Monday & Wednesday, 10 am to 1pm (allowance $20/week)
April/May: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9am to 1pm (allowance $36/week)
June/July: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 7am to 12pm (allowance $60/week)
August through October: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 7am to 12pm (allowance $90/week)

School "Normal" Weekly Schedule, starting in April:

Monday: In class instruction: 1 to 1 1/2 hour; field work: 4 to 5 hours (variable start-times according to season. Field work is always monitored and the object of in-the-field discussions between teacher(s) and students.

Wednesday/Friday: Supervised field work: 4 to 5 hours (variable start-times according to season).

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday (Optional): 4 hour participation to farmers' market activity.

The school is designed as a part time activity allowing other life activities such a work or other studies. The farm is only 15 minutes from Eureka Springs and 1 hour from Bentonville. 

Lodging:

2 free rooms are available at the farm in a simple cabin with cold & warm potable water, and electricity.  Otherwise, affordable lodging or camping can be found in nearby Holiday Island (4 miles) or Eureka Springs (10 miles).

Food:

On workdays (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), we have lunch at the shed. Workers and students chip in to prep food.  We often offer a stir-fry or salad with the seasonal food which comes out of the field. 

Outside Work:

Seasonal work is available in Eureka Springs (a busy tourist destination), if you wish or must earn an income during  the school term.  Work hours cannot interfere however with the school schedule.

Little Portion Monastery Extension (Optional):

Our friends and neighbors (6 miles from us) at Little Portion have created an harmonious sustainable and spiritual community, as they weave times of work and worship throughout their days.  The Monastery brothers and sisters and their guests all contribute to a rich lifestyle which includes several homesteading activities: gardening, green-housing, building, animal husbandry (goats, free-range chickens), baking, and all the upkeep that a community calls for.  For a better picture visit their site www.littleportion.org or call 479-253 7710 ext. 116.

As part of an agreement with Foundation Farm, Little Portion will give room and board for 2 to 3 interns.  This is in exchange for work at least two full days per week (excluding Monday, Wednesday, Friday which are spent at the farm).  The work will be varied and depend on current needs.  Interns are welcome to attend services if they wish and are treated like all other community members.  There is no transportation provided and drinking or smoking is not allowed.

last modified on: Tuesday January 29, 2008 04:23 PM -0600