Farmer Mentor Program
The Cultivating Success™ Farmer Mentor Program encourages beginning farmers/ranchers to work one-on-one with an experienced farmer mentor. Participants receive in-the-field, hands-on experience in production and marketing.
Watch this webinar for an introduction on how to turn your years of successful farming into valuable education experiences for beginning or existing farmers:
Cultivating the Success™ of New Farmers: Hosting Interns & Mentoring Beginning Farmers
Become a Farmer-Mentor and help grow a farmer!
Certified Farmer Mentors and Instructors
Janie Burns
Janie resides in the Treasure Valley where she raises grass-fed lamb and pastured poultry at Meadowlark Farm. She is a local food leader in the Treasure Valley and one of the founders of the Boise Farmers Market. Janie has served as an advisor for several Cultivating Success™ programs, and is one of our Farmer Educators for courses offered across Idaho.
Melissa Lines
Melissa owns SkyLines Farm, a 65-acre sustainable livestock farm. Since 1992 she has rasied grass-fed sheep, beef and pastured pigs. She directly markets her farm products regionally and nationally online. She has worked with the Cultivating Success™ team for 11 years to educate small farmers on sustainable farm development and management.
Greg Friedstadt & Marci Miller
Greg and Marci operate Deep Roots Farm in Moscow, Idaho and sell their fresh produce direct to customers at local farmers markets, CSA shares, and through restaurants and retail locations.
They were both Cultivating Success™ students in the early 2000's and have offered workshops, mentored new farmers, and served as Farmer Educators since 2014. Marci is also a past Executive Director of Rural Roots, Inc. Greg and Marci are both passionate about mentoring and supporting the next generation of farmers in Idaho.
Jessica McAleese
Jessica has beeen a successful small acreage farmer since 2009. She is a passionate advocate for diversified and sustainable food production systems, community food security, and creative, lasting solutions for land access for new and begining farmers and ranchers. She has worked with the Cultivating Success™ team since 2007, and offers programming in Salmon, ID.
Diane Green
Diane has been operating Greentree Naturals Farm for over 25 years. The farm hosts apprencticeship opportunities, tours, organic gardening workshops, and on-farm research. She has been involved with Cultivating Success™ since it began and has been a crucial team member for development and delivery of the Farmer Mentor program.
