The Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, in partnership with Island Natural Growers (ING), the Salt Spring chapter of Canadian Organic Growers (COG), has come together to create the Neighbourhood Farmer Training (NFT) program, an immersive, hands-on farmer training program that explores a new model of agriculture with community at its centre. This community-centred approach serves to model the regional sustainable food system that the ISFS continues to advocate for.
Neighbourhood Farmer Training
2026 will be the initial year of program operation, and we are looking forward to welcoming our first cohort of farmers.
The Neighbourhood Farmer Training is a two-phase 18-month program. The first phase is a season-long intensive, running full-time (5 days/week) from April 1 to September 30, 2026, and taking place at Chorus Frog Organic Gardens, a 2-acre Organic farm located on Salt Spring Island. The second phase, from October 1, 2026, to October 1, 2027, is an incubator-style land and community matching process. By the end of the first phase, participants will be matched with land on Salt Spring through our established partnerships with local landholders. Each participant will also be matched with the neighborhood surrounding their site to serve as a built-in market and support system. In the second phase, participants have access to mentors and program resources as they transition to operate and manage their own Neighbourhood Farm in cooperation with their neighbours and landholders.
The ISFS has been involved since the inception of the program and has provided support in the development of the vision and curriculum based on our previous and ongoing work with our Farm School programs. The ISFS will continue to provide curriculum support, as well as support in hands-on training throughout the program.
Registration is open
An application page can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOkbQoMn_0tz-jKgkPn0UMlkbNGmL54Kmw_0AZWMygFyEU6w/viewform
For more information or an FAQ, please access the NFT website
https://www.ssiagalliance.org/farmertrainingregistration
