Overview of Ellsworth Acres Training Farm:
The Briermost Foundation is committed to helping our residents in recovery learn how they can: heal their self-worth, be productive members of society and give back as people who feel good about themselves naturally do. We believe developing purpose-filled lives is an imperative aspect of the recovery process, in combination with working a program of recovery. Our training program aims to foster residents with tangible skills that are transferable to a multitude of employment opportunities in the greater community. The residents will have the opportunity to learn from various speakers who are successful in their career. Over the course of a year, a resident will be taken through the program listed below. A resident can expect to work directly with the produce from the infant stages all the way to the marketplace. Additionally, we can offer exposure to chickens, living in coops, and bees in the apiaries. The residents will obtain budgeting, planning, scientific, maintenance, record-keeping, bookkeeping, research and customer-service skills. We encourage all residents to find their passion in life and pursue their dreams!
- Introduction
- History of Farming
- The Big Picture- Where we are as a society and how to prepare for the future
- Getting Started
- How much money can you make
- Full-time verse Part-time
- Finding your farm hand
- Design your Farm
- Step-by-step of how to design your farm
- A garden planner
- The Garden Calendar
- The Soil
- Soil make-up and the importance
- How to correct the soil
- How to maintain for continued growth
- The Crops
- How to decide what to grow, small verse large farm
- Vegetables, Herbs, Seedlings, and Plants
- Flowers- edible and cut
- Equipment and Tools
- Tillage
- Seeders and sprayers
- Hoop houses and coolers
- Planning and Production
- Writing crop plan and predicting yields
- Record keeping
- Research your Market
- Planting and Tending to your crops
- Seedlings- How and when to start
- Hardening off- preparing beds
- Weed control and drip irrigation
- From Field to Market
- Safe food Handling and how to package
- Pricing your product
- Presentation and Marketing
- Managing your Business
- Taxes and Assets
- Hiring, Training and Keeping Employees
- Payroll and Insurance
- Adding Animals
- How to Implement holistic management
- Backyard Chickens
- Beekeeping
- Job readiness
- Resume writing
- Basic Computer Skills
- Effective Interview Skills