Sustainable Agriculture

Program: UBC Farm Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture
Type: six-month experiential learning program / tuition fee
University / Program: UBC Farm
Location: UBC Farm, UBC, Vancouver BC

You do not need to be a UBC student to enroll! This is a program for beginners, and all ages and backgrounds are welcome.

The UBC Farm Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture is an experiential learning program that runs three-four days a week, April-October (or April-August for summer students) that provides an introduction to small-scale organic mixed vegetable farming for sale through direct markets. The program takes place on-site at the UBC Farm. It is designed for aspiring farmers and community food growers, as well as those seeking to deepen their understanding of the food system, agroecology, and the pursuit of food sovereignty.

Students bring a diversity of backgrounds and life experience to the practicum. The program is open to all; you do not have to be a UBC student (see details below for minimum qualifications). The program is for beginners - those who are new to vegetable production.

Students in this program learn through collectively managing a 1/2 acre of land, as well as through engaging with the staff and production on the wider UBC Farm (roughly 8 acres in production).

Students get to see their fields through from seed to sale (at their Practicum stand at the UBC Farm Market on Saturdays), give much of their produce to our community partners, and take loads of food home through the season. A majority of program time is spent learning in the fields; however, the program also includes field trips to other farms, bi-weekly reading discussions, assignments, and classroom sessions.

Application

Join the next generation of agrarians! Applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis. Apply early as spots and bursaries are limited.

To apply, and to find out more about the program, go to https://ubcfarm.ubc.ca/learn/practicum/

For the 2026 program, we have two application pools:

• Full Program, April 16 – October 24, 2026. UBC students completing the full program are eligible to receive 9 academic credits via APBI 365 and APBI 465.
• Summer Option, April 16 – August 22, 2026. This is intended to accommodate the scheduling limitations of students currently enrolled at UBC or other institutions. There are limited summer program spaces. Only apply for this option if your schedule truly prohibits you from attending the full program. UBC students completing the Summer Option are eligible to receive 6 academic credits via APBI 365 (additional action is required). Priority is given to applicants intending to complete the full program.

Please contact Practicum Lead, Katherine Aske, at katherine.aske@ubc.ca if you have any questions.

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.