Big River Farms Programs

Growing Farmers. Growing Food.

Big River Farms helps participants learn to cultivate crops for organic production and develop the basics for launching a farming business or community program. The Grower Training Program is three years of growing farm and business skills. The Incubator Program offers growers an opportunity to access land, resources, and transition their farm business to the next phase. Big River Farms is intentionally designed to support immigrant, limited resource, and historically underserved individuals.

NOW ENROLLING FOR 2025

ENROLLMENT CLOSES NOVEMBER 8TH, 2024

Grower Training Program

The program operates year-round, with classroom learning in the winter and land-based training and in-field workshops during the growing season. Winter classes are held in the Twin Cities to learn and plan for the growing season ahead. Starting in March, the training program transitions to Big River Farms, located 30 miles from the Twin Cities in Marine on St. Croix, where trainees can put what they’ve learned in class into practice at the farm. Throughout the season, skill sessions, in-field classes, and field trips to other farms are key in demonstrating practical vegetable production. After completing the year-long Grower Training Program, trainees receive a Big River Farms Grower Training Certificate and can apply for a plot at Big River Farms for the following season. This program is designed to serve immigrant, limited-resource, and historically underserved individuals. 

Have additional questions? Contact us at [email protected] or call the farm office at 651-529-1409.

Farm Incubator Program 

The Big River Farms Incubator Program supports emerging farmers by providing affordable land access, farm infrastructure, business development and training resources. To participate in the Incubator program participants will either need to complete the Big River Farms Grower Training Program or have equivalent farming experience working on other farms or farming on their own for 2-4 years in Minnesota or a similar growing climate. It is designed to serve immigrant, limited resource, and historically underserved individuals.

To get started, contact Big River Farms Programs: [email protected] or
call the farm office at 651-529-1409 to inquire about joining the Incubator program.