A transformative learning experience on regenerative farms

A movement is building to transform the way we grow food. Climate farm school is designed to help you find your role.

What to expect from our courses

  • Before beginning the on-farm week, you will explore our 8 online learning modules. These modules will expand your understanding of the food-climate connection, principles and practices of regenerative agriculture, and avenues for systems change.

    You will complete two assignments during the course to help you envision a transformed food system and develop an action plan for your own life.

    Three live sessions will introduce the instructor team, cohort participants, and provide the opportunity for sharing and support.

  • For 5+ days, you will live in community on a leading ecological farm immersed in food systems learning. You will also visit other farmers and projects in the area working toward equitable and climate resilient food systems transformation.

    You will spend your days working side-by-side in the field and learning from regenerative farmers, soil scientists, ecologists and food systems experts. Several afternoons will be spent in generative facilitated discussion, exploring ideas and concepts as a group.

    In the evening, participants are led by farm-to-table chefs in meal preparation that will tie together concepts from the course before gathering for a daily debrief.

  • A key feature of Climate Farm School is our incredible alumni and educator network. Graduates join an impressive, genuine, diverse, and caring community committed to building a better food system.

    Participants continue to support each other long after the course week ends, starting businesses, helping one another begin new careers, and coming together over food around the world.

  • Understand the core principles of regenerative agriculture.

    Explore opportunities and challenges for advancing regenerative food production from a systems perspective.

    Build connections with fellow accomplished and aspiring changemakers and join a supportive community.

    Understand intersections of equity, climate justice, and social wellbeing in regenerating food systems.

    Discover the need for all skillsets in transforming food systems.

    Be empowered to contribute to the transformation of our food system & ecological regeneration.

  • Our core, 4-week program with 1 week on-farm costs between $3,000 - $3,600. In addition to the course content, this includes food + lodging on the farm. Prices vary based on farm site and accommodations.

    We offer a limited amount of financial aid, up to 50% of the course cost.

Climate Farm School was honestly a life changing experience. This program is for anyone- someone like me in career transition or someone just looking to learn more about where their food comes from. Both the online and in-person educational content were top notch. The on-farm experience was a particularly special experience. The conversations we had as a group and with key stakeholders in our food systems were paradigm shifting. While I was excited to connect with others interested in the same topics, I wasn’t expecting to leave the week with new friends. This program is such a great way to build community and prioritize joy and connection while learning how to address some of the biggest social and environmental problems of our time. I couldn't recommend it more!

-Lindsey Johnson, Program Coordinator, Soil & Climate Alliance

My original hope in attending Climate Farm School was to accelerate my knowledge of food systems and how regenerative farming methods play a role in improving their resiliency. What I gained was so much more. Through Climate Farm School, I learned that regenerative agriculture was not only a tool to rebuild vulnerable food systems, but it was also a tool to restore entire ecosystems. During my on-farm visit at Paicines Ranch, I witnessed the return of native biodiversity through these practices, and better understood how domesticated livestock can mimic previous patterns of nature to bring back its natural rhythm. Being on nature's clock that week also allowed me to find my own restoration and rhythm with nature, which deepened my connection to the land and this program. Highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking a path to reconnect with food, nature, and themselves!

-Asha Agrawal, Managing Director at Tin Shed Ventures & Head of Corporate Development at Patagonia

Climate Farm school exceeded anything I could have dreamed of! The week I spent living on Midnights farm showed me what true connection and intention look like in practice. With a combination of hands on learning in garden bed transitions, composting, rotational grazing practices and farm management, I also got the academic side of regenerative agriculture with daily talks from Soil Scientists and local experts. There is no way to put into words everything I was able to take away from this program. I highly recommend anyone who is curious about climate work to make time to experience Climate Farm School. You won't regret it.

-Keyana Buckner, Program Manager at King County Department of Natural Resources

FAQs

  • This program is designed for current and aspiring food system professionals of various backgrounds, from farmers to chefs to entrepreneurs, policymakers, marketers, nutritionists, educators and artists. It is for those seeking to contribute to climate solutions via food and agriculture systems and seeking to build a community while doing so. The hands-in-the-soil work component makes it also valuable for those seeking to develop personal sustainable livelihood skills like home-scale food production and composting. See the course description and syllabus for more details.


  • The most important factors that we recommend considering are the timing and location of the course. If there is a farm that is relatively local to you, that is a positive thing to consider as you are more likely to be able to engage in follow up visits or collaboration with the farm if it’s within your regional food system. However, depending on your goals and motivation, learning from a farm that is a bit further away, or international, can provide a great experience as well. One last factor to consider is the farm’s relative areas of expertise. All of our host farms deliver a common ‘core curriculum’ for participants, but each farm has various areas of expertise that they bring on top of that core foundation. Explore the farm-specific pages, which reflect areas of specific expertise for that host farmer.

  • To ensure that our farm partners do not suffer losses due to last-minute cancellations, we have the following policy:

    • If you cancel 2 months ahead of the online course start date, you will receive a 100% refund.

    • If you cancel less than 2 months ahead of the online course start date, you will receive a 90% refund

    • If you cancel in less than a month but more than two weeks ahead of the online course start date, you get a 50% refund.

    • If you cancel within two weeks of the online course start date, we will not be able to offer you a refund.

  • As long as you’re able to take at least 1 week off from your job for the farm stay, you will be able to participate in the full program. There is limited WiFi available at the farms and the in-person schedule is designed to be flexible so that if you do have to check in on work or take an important meeting, you can do so while living, learning, and working on the farm. If you can’t take time off, there is an all-online version of the course content coming soon. Get in touch with our Terra.do team if you are interested in this option.

  • The host farm sites have comfortable, rustic farmhouse bedrooms with shared bathrooms. There will be clean sheets and towels available, and basic bathroom products but please bring any personal items you need to be comfortable. There are indoor and outdoor showers, and indoor bathrooms as well as composting toilets on many farms. Camping on the farm is available for a lower per-night rate at some host farms.

  • Pricing ranges from $2600 - $3600 based on the host site and accommodation type. Private and shared rooms on the farm range from $3000 - $3600, and camping or offsite range from $2600 - $3000. We strive to make the course as accessible as possible and offer a limited amount of financial aid. We encourage you to apply even if you cannot afford the full course cost and we can explore if financial aid is available.

  • We want this program to work for learners of all stripes, regardless of individual or organizational ability to pay. Please apply—we will make every effort to accommodate the circumstances of qualified students with scholarship funds, within the limitations of ensuring that hard costs of running the program and making payment to farmers are met.

  • Many organizations have learning or professional development budgets for their employees. We encourage you to enquire about and utilize this budget to attend the course, as a number program alumni have done in the past. Climate Farm School can help you get reimbursed for the course by providing an invoice, a certificate, and any other documentation you need. If you have approval from your company, we can also arrange for your company to pay directly.

    Past participants have also received scholarships from their graduate or undergraduate programs, and we encourage applicants to pursue this option.

  • You will receive a suggested packing list upon payment/confirmation of your spot in the course. Comfortable clothes for working outdoors, suitable footwear, and sun protection are key items to bring.