Military veterans have a chance to swap out their tactical gear and tanks for Carhartt pants and tractors this summer at Sterling College for a free, week-long training to learn about sustainable, small-scale farming practices. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications for Armed to Farm, held June 10-14, 2019.
The training allows veterans and their farming partner to explore agriculture as a viable career. Armed to Farm’s engaging blend of farm tours, hands-on experience, and interactive classroom instruction gives participants a strong foundation in the basic principles of operating a sustainable farm. Topics include business planning, budgeting, recordkeeping, marketing, livestock production, fruit and vegetable production and more. NCAT Sustainable Agriculture specialists will teach the training sessions. Additional contributors will include staff from Sterling College and USDA.
Applications are available at https://www.ncat.org/atf_VT/ and are due by May 3. Selection priority will be given to residents of the Northeast region, and participants will be notified by May 10. Financial support for the Vermont Armed to Farm comes from NCAT’s ATTRA Program and the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. agencies, plus experienced crop and livestock producers in the Craftsbury region. NCAT has been offering Armed to Farm all over the U.S. since 2013, and this is the first time in Vermont.
ABOUT STERLING COLLEGE
Founded in 1958 in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, Sterling College is the leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship and rural place-based education. The College was among the first in the United States to focus on the human relationship in the natural world through majors in Ecology, Environmental Humanities, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, and Outdoor Education. Enrolling 125 undergraduate and 200 continuing education students, Sterling is home to the School of the New American Farmstead, the Wendell Berry Farming Program, is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and is one of only nine federally recognized Work Colleges in the nation.
