The LSTP is designed as an immersive introduction: the program digs deep into the concepts and practices of regional ecological stewardship while remaining accessible for all experience levels. Some participants arrive with prior knowledge and experience such as teaching, volunteering, advocacy, agriculture, or academic work, while others are entering the world of environmental stewardship for the first time. Past participants have included: 

• Homeowners and volunteers exploring yard, field, and woodland restoration.
• Career first-timers, pivoters, part-timers, and gap year students seeking a transformative immersion and/or applicable experience for entering the environmental workforce.
• Non-traditional learners and environmental advocates interested in naturalism and deepening their sense of place in nature.
• Parents and environmental educators studying land-based skills and knowledge to practice and share with future generations.

The LSTP is a good fit for anyone seeking to learn about how they can make a positive impact in the natural environment. No prior knowledge or experience is needed! 

Every employer is different in terms of their flexibility and willingness to accommodate, but many past LSTP trainees have participated successfully while maintaining a full-time job. Past solutions have included flexing or reducing hours, using paid days off, and/or communicating the merits of program participation to an employer. For those currently employed in environmental organizations–land conservancies, public parks/rec, extension services, academics, etc.–there is precedent in our program for trainees being permitted to claim employee development hours.

Of course, we acknowledge that employer accommodation for a commitment like this is not universal. We are happy to provide employers with enrollment verification and program credentials if necessary.

Work sessions in the LSTP can be physically demanding, requiring a decent measure of health and endurance. However, all work sessions take place in a team setting, with plenty of space for support and hand-off. Trainees will not be asked to do any task that is above their skill-set or comfortability. If a trainee is feeling unsafe, unsure, or unprepared at any point, communication is key and always encouraged. Following the first four-weeks of the Ecological Core Curriculum, which is held in a classroom setting, most training days consist of both sit-down learning and hands-on work sessions.

Generally speaking, all trainees should be able and prepared to do the following throughout the LSTP:

• Walk on uneven and/or sloping terrain for long durations.
• Independently lift up to 50lbs.
• Perform moderate- to high-intensity exertions including digging, raking, sawing, and lifting heavy natural objects like logs and rocks, both individually and in groups.
• Use manual tools (proper techniques and safety will be thoroughly covered and revisited). Tools include hand pruners, loppers, handsaws, mattocks, hoes, axes, sledgehammers, and broadforks.

As a way to address these physical demands, the LSTP includes built-in functional movement sessions for warm-up/down, injury prevention, and acclimating the body to new stresses and loads. Regenerative land stewardship requires physical resilience, so we take care to provide these regenerative movement sessions to counteract the pressures of field work.

Instructor hours, program supplies, trainee t-shirts, and take-home tool kits are all covered under the program cost. Broken down, the LSTP costs $89 per week (~$83/week E-B pricing) for 16 weeks of classroom and field education at a 1:12 instructor-to-student ratio.

Payment begins when you submit a nonrefundable $200 deposit to enroll in the program. You will receive a link to make this payment and confirm enrollment after completing an informal get-to-know-you meeting with the instructors. We also accept cash or checks if preferred.

After enrolling, there are two options for payment:

1. Payment in full.
2. Installment payments through our recommended payment plan, which consists of three installments in January, March, and May. This comes out to ~$408.33 per installment (or $375 for early-bird registrants) if not receiving a scholarship. We also offer customized payment plans if needed

A link to submit these payments will be shared with participants after their enrollment.

Any checks should be made payable to “Horn Farm Center Training Programs” while listing relevant details (LSTP deposit, first installment, etc.) in the memo.

Thanks to the Peterman Family Foundation, scholarship funds are available for participants who may benefit from a reduced program cost. To be considered for a scholarship, please fill out the “scholarship” section of your program application. Funds will be distributed based on justification of need, existing barriers, and investment in the program. Note that, per the Horn Farm Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ applications will be prioritized.

If the program cost is prohibitive to your participation and a scholarship is the only way you’d be able to enroll, please let us know in your scholarship application, including, if possible, an estimate of how much financial coverage would enable you to pay for the program. 

Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, so apply as soon as you can for the highest chance of receiving support. At this time, no scholarship award will exceed 25% of the program cost, except in unique circumstances.

Apply to join the 2024 Land Steward Training Program by completing this form.

After you complete and submit your application, you will receive an email from the program instructor to schedule an informal get-to-know-you meeting where you’ll discuss your interests, goals, and needs.

Following your meeting with the instructor, you will receive an email from our program coordinator including a welcome message and a link to submit a nonrefundable $200 deposit. The deposit is required in order to officially enroll.

Applications must be received by 5PM on Thursday, November 30th, 2023 in order to take advantage of early-bird pricing. The application window to join the 2024 Land Steward Training Program CLOSES at 5PM on Sunday, December 31st, 2023.

Welcome to our landscape! A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the mission of the Horn Farm Center is to foster learning through ecological land stewardship, experiential education, and community partnership. Many LSTP trainees come to us from having prior experience taking a weekend class, volunteering, or joining an annual event like our Plant Sale or Pawpaw Festival. Some are just connecting with the Horn Farm Center for the first time. Wherever you may fall in our ecosystem, the best way to digest the full scope of our mission, history, philosophy, and restorative land impact is by exploring our virtual tour.