For Prospective Mentors

Help train the next generation of regenerative land managers and food producers. We are actively seeking ranches and farms to join our New Agrarian Program as mentors for the next generation of regenerative agriculture practitioners.

NAP mentors are dedicated stewards of the land; they practice intentional, regenerative methods of food production, provide excellent animal care, and are skilled and enthusiastic teachers. Quivira partners with mentors who are full-time, established ranchers or farmers with a minimum of five years’ experience and who are passionate teachers actively seeking to train young people in their field.

Quivira provides training and technical support to mentors in: finding apprentices who are qualified and a good fit; understanding the legalities and logistics related to having an on-ranch or on-farm employee; communicating with apprentices and evaluating their work and learning.

We currently partner with mentor ranches and farms in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana; our focus is on operations in the arid to semi-arid west.

If you have questions, or are interested in mentorship, please contact newagrarian@quiviracoalition.org.

Mentor Qualifications

New Agrarian Program mentors are full-time ranchers and farmers on regenerative agricultural operations located in the western United States. These operations provide products to local/regional markets and/or specialize in soil regeneration.

Qualifications

Are located in (or closely bordering) New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, or Montana
Have five years in operation and previous experience directly supervising ranch/farm staff or trainees
Prioritize healthy soil, food, communities, and ecosystems
Maintain a culture, rhythm, and agricultural practice that provides a high quality of life for both people and animals
Want to be an apprentice’s full-time employer and teacher
Have time and capacity to instruct an apprentice and give him or her meaningful feedback
Have a payroll systems compliant with the requirements of the IRS and state taxation division
Be financially able to pay an apprentice according to state minimum wage requirements as a W-2 employee, and provide workers’ compensation
Have adequate, safe apprentice housing, independent of mentor housing

Mentor Obligations

An apprenticeship provides a good balance of active instruction, hands-on skill development and labor in support of the daily operation of a ranch or farm. Mentors commit to providing their apprentices with education and employment experience within their means. In order to ensure a successful apprenticeship and the effective integration of work and instruction, mentors in our program can expect to do the following.

For apprentices

Provide full-time employment (approx. 170-180 days over eight months) and daily mentoring in a safe working environment compliant with state and federal requirements
Pay the apprentice as a W-2 employee with access to workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance compliant with labor laws
Provide safe housing for the apprentice on-ranch or nearby
Balance work-intensive days or weeks due to seasonal fluctuation with adequate rest and time off- meaning at least 1 consistent day off per week
Conduct weekly planning meetings with apprentice to outline workload expectations and to answer questions
Spend several hours per day with apprentice in a work-learn environment
Conduct four formal evaluations using a skills checklist with the apprentice

For Quivira

Have monthly check-in phone calls with regional coordinator
Perform skills checklist evaluations with apprentice three times per year, and submit checklist to coordinator
Sign an annual memorandum of understanding outlining the elements of the program
Attend mentor orientation and periodic conference calls throughout the season
(Optional) Attend the REGENERATE conference and participate in program-related events. Mentors receive two free registration tickets per site and potential support to offset travel/lodging.
Occasionally host other NAP apprentices for ranch/farm overnight work visits
Host an annual site visit with a staff member including overnight accommodation if distance requires it

Program Support and Benefits

The New Agrarian Program provides mentors with training (see Mentor Training Series below), but mentors are given plenty of room to customize apprenticeships.

What we provide

Individual webpages featuring each mentor operation and apprenticeship
Outreach and promotion, including advertising online, in print, and in communities local to each apprenticeship
Assistance with application and selection process, including a standard application, application processing, and collaborative review
Guidance for structuring thorough two-phase interview process
Annual site visits
One-on-one support as needed
Annual mentor training
A network of other mentors for peer-to-peer support
Support for travel expenses associated with apprenticeships
Opportunities for financial support
Registration at the annual REGENERATE Conference for both mentors and apprentices

How you benefit

Access to highly motivated young people with experience and a commitment to careers in agriculture
170 – 180 days of apprentice labor
Logistical, administrative, and limited financial support from the Quivira Coalition
Training in mentorship
A supportive network of New Agrarian Program mentors to share experiences, compare notes, and seek input from
Free access to supplemental education webinars designed as part of apprentice education

If you are interested in becoming a mentor or have questions, please email newagrarian@quiviracoalition.org.

2024/2025 Mentor Training Series

Each fall/winter, NAP offers a series of free mentor training calls that go in-depth into important topics related to mentoring in agriculture. The calls are hosted via Zoom and are led by Julie Sullivan, NAP’s founding mentor and mentor training specialist.

Calls are on specific Tuesdays at 12 p.m. OR Thursdays at 7 a.m., All times are Mountain Time.

Attendance is required for new mentors confirmed to be joining the program, but returning mentors are welcome to attend. These calls are open to the general public.

Each call focuses on a specific aspect of balancing mentorship and managing your operation.

Call #1: September 24, 12 p.m. | Sept. 26, 7 a.m.
You and Your Operation As a Mentor

Mentoring differs from being an employer in key ways. How do you know if it’s right for you? What are you excited to teach? The answers to these and other questions will help you write an apprenticeship description that is both appealing and realistic about the ups and downs of regenerative agriculture on your site. We’ll discuss ways to describe work schedules, location, isolation, and other factors to be sure your description will appeal to the applicants you most want to attract.

See the recording of this year’s call here.

Call #2: November 11, 12 p.m. | Nov 14, 7 a.m.
Evaluating Written Applications

A strong evaluation process begins before you read a single application. Creating your review process in advance ensures you’ll read for relevant experience as well as for potential in less-experienced applicants. We will share strategies for tackling the pile of applications, evaluation templates, and sample email responses to applicants who you would like to interview and those you will decline.