PERMACULTURE, homesteading + Regenerative design Apprenticeship Training Program

FULL, apply for 2025
Please read this entire page to learn more and instructions on how to apply.
Letters of interest accepted year round for the following year.
Cost: $125 one time training fee
When: April, 2025 dates TBD
Housing: Provided at deeply subsidized rate, $45/night private rooms, huge kitchen and farmhouse.

Apprenticeship Training Program

As Ben practices his way into the third decade of this life approach he shares what he wished he had been exposed to at the outset of his journey or even a decade into it. Participants invest their time and energy into learning from him and these sites rather than solely relying on their own costly mistakes. The Spring Internship is a horticultural, landscape regeneration, and permaculture management-focused immersion. Apprentices practice alongside Ben Falk developing and managing a regenerative human ecology composed of silvopasture, vegetable, orchard, forestry, water farming and other systems. Projects usually include:

• Plant propagation and tree planting, potable water spring development, medicine-making, vegetable systems, forestry systems, earthworks, gravity-fed water systems, surveying, fertility enhancement, and much more.

• Accompanying Ben to client consults (online and on site).

• Experience at the original WSD research farm with managing and enhancing established systems. This practice at an established site will go along with practice at the larger new site to form a whole picture of permaculture land use from year 0 to year 21.

• Planting practice and plant care practice at the newer site, laying out, pruning, and grafting (top working) farm plantings.

• Myriad demo’s and practice with Ben in sharpening, welding, wood working, tool use, grafting, etc. etc.

Topics Covered

FAQ’s

Housing?
We provide shared and private rooms for a deeply subsidized rate. Common space in large home included, huge kitchen, etc.
Can I continue some professional commitments while there?
Yes to some extent, fiber optic internet, some work space, and breaks in evenings especially allow 30-60 mins a day quite easily without missing much or anything depending on timing. Many people are on leave from their job to do this.
Food?
We share some of last year’s harvest but are not a commercial farm and given it’s the end of winter, do not provide food for the group. A local food coop run is made early on and people come with some food as needed too. Apprentices usually self organize and get together for dinner and do breakfast and lunch’s independently. Some with particular diets do their own thing the whole time. We generally eat together. It’s informal.
Transportation?
We do not provide, but not everyone needs a vehicle - many drive here and coordinate carpools such that those coming from far away via plane or bus/train can still get to the site and back home again quite reasonably. You do not need a vehicle while here.

How to Apply  

We are always looking to connect with talented, energetic people with an interest in regeneration. If you are an energetic, social and engaged person wanting to learn more about our work and process, get hands-on skills at the research farms, or otherwise collaborate please apply for our apprenticeship.

Please email us a letter describing your interest in the program and two phone references. Apprenticeship is filled on a rolling basis.