Farmer Training Program 2026
Attendee Registration
Although it is too late to join the 2026 Cohort, you are cordially invited to attend any, or all, of the upcoming online workshops.
The Attendee option is ideal for folks that want to grow their skills in one particular topic, and/or learn more about Louisiana specialty crop production, increase their understanding of the needs of specialty crop producers, or folks who can’t commit to the Cohort option due to work/life constraints.
Attendees will be in view/listen only mode for the online workshops but may connect with technical assistance whenever possible through the Louisiana Small Scale Agriculture Coalition.
To Register, select the ‘Register’ button on each of the Sessions you’re interested in attending.
Please reach out if you encounter any issues in registering!
Sessions
All times at 6:00 - 8:00 PM CST.
Introduction to sustainable & organic farming
6/25
With Speakers: Nelson Gaude, Angelina Harrison, Terence Jackson, Chris Richmond, Lisa Gray
Rematriating Landbased Wisdom: Everything is Indigenous and Sustainable Agriculture is Rematriation
7/9
With Speaker: Angie Comeaux
Recording your farm’s lore
7/23
With Speakers: Bahia Nightengale, LJ Jones
your farm profit as local policy
8/6
With Speaker: Margee Green
Mutual Aid Food Systems
8/20
With Speakers: Mina Seck, Angie Comeaux, Lauren “LJ” Jones
The Plastic-Free Farm and Garden
With Speaker: Ben Hartman
8/26
6-7:30 pm
Networking, Collective Action, Community Building for Resilience
9/3
With Speakers: Maggie Kaiser, Jennie Lallande
Success is more food grown and accessed
9/17
With Speakers: Margee Green, Iriel Edwards, Lauren “LJ” Jones
Tying it all together
10/15
With Speaker: Anita Adalja
Register as an attendee above!
Interested in being a cohort member next year?
Read below for full program details in anticipation of 2027 Farmer Training Cohort!
growing food and communities
A farm builder course for where we are now
A hybrid online and in-person program designed to help increase the number of people growing fruits and vegetables for distribution (sale and/or mutual aid models) in communities across the state of Louisiana.
This program is open to farmers, gardeners, mutual aid groups, community organizations, complete beginners, and experienced growers.
This program is not suitable for people who are growing food solely for themselves or their household/family only. We are happy to recommend programs through the LSU and Southern AgCenters that are widely available for folks that grow food but don’t distribute it.
Options for participation
Neither option is suitable for people who are growing food solely for themselves or their households/family only.
Option one: Apply for the Cohort
Apply to join the statewide Louisiana Farmer Training Program Cohort in one of the three available regions of Lafayette, Alexandria, or Shreveport.
Classroom workshops will be online via Zoom, with potential for some regional in-person meetups for networking opportunities (coffee chats, etc.). There will also be volunteer opportunities throughout the program to foster greater connectivity both regionally and statewide.
Cohort members are required to attend ALL online workshops, and a minimum of one field day (in person at locations around the state), plus complete some homework (primarily reading and some writing).
Seats in the cohort are extremely competitive, will require some travel, and full participation in order to meet the graduation requirements.
Cohort members who meet the graduation requirements will earn a Certificate of Completion and may be connected to more opportunities to sell/distribute their fruits and vegetables.
option two: Register as an attendee
A limited number of seats to most of the online workshops will be available. This option is ideal for folks that want to grow their skills in one particular topic, and/or learn more about Louisiana specialty crop production, increase their understanding of the needs of specialty crop producers, or folks who can’t commit to the Cohort option due to work/life constraints.
Attendees will be in view/listen only mode for the online workshops but may connect with technical assistance whenever possible through the Louisiana Small Scale Agriculture Coalition.
Registration sign up will be posted closer to the dates named below.
General Program Information
When is this program?
Thursdays, from June 11th through October 18th. (See full Program Dates below!)
2 hour online Zoom workshops from 6pm to 8 pm Central Time.
Where is this program?
This is ONE statewide cohort with THREE regional groups (in person meetups to be determined at multiple locations in these communities.)
Alexandria, LA
Shreveport, LA
Lafayette, LA
How do I apply?
Applications are closed!
Applications Open: May 18, 2026
Applications Close: June 4, 2026
Volunteer Opportunities for the Cohort at LSSAC Organizations, Markets, and Gardens
Fightingville Fresh Market - Lafayette
Shreveport Green - Shreveport
Alexandria Green - Alexandria
Community Product Table - Alexandria Farmers Market - Every Tuesday 3-6 pm. Volunteer opportunity to get face to face interaction with customers, learn about retail packaging and pricing at markets, engage with other small scale producers.
Contact: Email Iriel (iedwards@shreveportgreen.org) to schedule a week to volunteer
Sprout - New Orleans
Volunteer 4 Veggies (V4V) - Folks are welcome to drop by during the hours below to help out at our community garden. Staff will be there and we are happy to share information about the garden, Sprout, or anything else we know! If you are a larger group, or just want to give a heads up - email Nelson (nelson@sproutnola.org). Also, keep an eye on Instagram regarding potential cancellations! Sometimes the weather keeps us inside!
M 3:30-5pm
W 10-12pm
TH 4-6:30pm
Speak Easy Farm - New Orleans
Learning opportunities on farm, volunteer times, workshops, and informal events available.
Dates and times to be determined for September 2026-January 2027.
Program Dates 2026
All required for Cohort
June 11th: Welcome, Introductions, and Logistics
With: Bahia Nightengale, Nicole Ryane Johnson, Lauren “LJ” Jones
June 25th: Introduction to Sustainable & Organic Farming
With: Nelson Gaude, Angelina Harrison, Terence Jackson, Chris Richmond, Lisa Gray
July 9th: Rematriating Landbased Wisdom: Everything is Indigenous and Sustainable Agriculture is Rematriation
With: Angie Comeaux
July 23rd: Recording Your Farm’s Lore
With: Bahia Nightengale, Lauren “LJ” Jones
August 6th: Your Farm Profit as Local Policy
With: Margee Green
August 20th: Mutual Aid Food Systems
With: Mina Seck, Angie Comeaux, Lauren “LJ” Jones
September 3rd: Networking, Collective Action, Community Building for Resilience
With: Maggie Kaiser, Jennie Lallande
September 17th:Success is More Food Grown AND Accessed
With: Margee Green, Iriel Edwards, Lauren “LJ” Jones
October 14th - 18th: Tying it All Together within a Culture of Caring
With: Anita Adalja
Field Days
1 required at a minimum, all strongly encouraged. Dates will run between September and December.
Graduation
A graduation ceremony will be held for all Cohort members upon completion of the program.
On Farm Implementation and One-on-One Technical Assistance
Available for Cohort Graduates upon completion of the program.
This project is supported in part through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).