At the Old Fort, various programs and enterprises serve the community, provide education and support for beginning farmers and ranchers, and produce meat and veggies for the local food system.
In 2024, over 50 beginning farmers and community members participated in classes, workshops, and field trips, which totaled over 100 hours of high-elevation farming education. Seventeen Farmers In Training participated in the FIT Program, 4 incubator farmers gained access to land at the Old Fort, and 2 ranching apprentices learned core farming and ranching skills. Over 250 people participated in events, including the Blue Corn Harvest, the Farmer Training Convergence, Country Store Mural painting, and Indigenous cultural workshops or presentations that engaged participants in planting, harvesting, and Indigenous knowledge systems.
This is what graduates are saying about the Farmer Training Program:
- The incorporation of indigenous growing practices and teachings…[is] what made the program so unique and rewarding.
- I loved being part of this experience. Doing the FIT program has put me on a path that I’ve been trying to get to for a long time.
- [The program had a] positive impact…on my emotional/mental wellbeing. This has been empowering to me and makes me believe I can succeed in agriculture.
Old Fort Growth Fund
Your gift builds the Old Fort’s capacity to train beginning farmers, practice ecologically sound farming, and meet needs for new infrastructure, staffing, equipment, and more. Any amount is welcome and directly impacts our programs!
