This year we received grant funds to expand The GoFarm Incubator program and help beginning farmers learn all the farming and business skills necessary to run their own farm. We brought on two apprentices in the fall of 2018 who are going through this two-year apprenticeship program where they will receive classroom education, attend farming workshops, manage their own farm plot and gain mentorship from other local farmers. The apprentices will also work with incubator interns to help them operate their farm plot during the growing season. We are so excited to be working with two amazing farmer apprentices this year, Zoe Wedel and Shelby Johnson!
Zoe Wedel
Zoe studied Environmental Studies and Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz where she became passionate for environmental and food-based education. After teaching biodynamic, sustainable, and regenerative agricultural principles on a farm in Northern Illinois, Zoe wanted to experience the production side of farming. Since moving to Colorado three years ago, she has worked and volunteered on several farms in Boulder County and is excited to pursue her dream of growing delicious food, cultivating relationships, and fostering community. She interned with GoFarm in the Summer of 2018, helping operate our Local Food Share and Community Access markets. Zoe is passionate, hard-working, and forward thinking in her view on farming. We can’t wait to see her run her own farm plot and be a supplier for GoFarm this Summer!
Shelby Johnson
Shelby Johnson is an active forager and farmer with a preference for specialty mushroom cultivation. She began her farming career as farm manager for a non-profit permaculture farm, which gave her an eye for systems design and closed loop food production. These two aspects of farming continue to be major interests for her. As a GoFarm Incubator apprentice, Shelby plans to continue helping increase access to locally produced food in the Denver metro area, as well as focusing on generating lasting bonds in the community that are based on food justice and cooperative economic strategies. It's been a blast working with Shelby so far, and we can't wait to gobble up her delicious mushrooms that she'll be growing for our Local Food Share!
