The Farm School

We are still accepting applications for our 2024 Farm School. Apply now to reserve a place.

The School of Adaptive Agriculture’s mission is to “promote and support sustainable farming and ranching and local food systems through education and support services.” Our programs touch on all aspects of small-scale farm production — from vegetable, tree and grain crops to livestock, from herbal medicine-making to value-added production, from natural building to land stewardship. We offer workshops, classes and events to young and old eager to acquire the skills necessary for small-scale farming, ranching, homesteading, and practical living.

Our flagship program is the residential Farm School (formerly the Practicum Program), offered at Ridgewood Ranch once or twice each year for those who want an immersive introduction to farming and rural life. The Farm School’s 14-week program features two days a week of immersive learning at working farms, two days of classroom learning, and one day of field trips to a diversity of farms, ranches, and related operations in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Lake counties. The Farm School is unique in offering exposure to all aspects of small-scale farming, from intensive market gardening to livestock raising, from the economics of the farm enterprise to industrial arts vital to any farm.

This year’s session starts May 27th and runs thru August 30th.

For more detailed information about the program, and to apply, go to The Farm School Program page.

What will you find at the Farm School at Ridgewood Ranch?

A working ranch with multiple market gardens and livestock operations, a therapeutic riding program, a charter school, and miles of trails through oak savannah, redwoods, and mixed conifer forest.
A vibrant community devoted to maintaining and restoring this beautiful land. The Ranch community’s Dining Hall doubles as an important conference site for farm-related gatherings.
A “community within the community” of fellow learners.
A committed group of farmers and educators who bring to bear real life experience on the questions you raise about farming, land stewardship, and rural life skills.

About Ridgewood Ranch

The School is located on the 5,000-acre Ridgewood Ranch, 6 miles south of Willits, CA. The valley and hills that now comprise the Ranch have been home to a variety of inhabitants over the years, including Northern Pomo people, sheep and cattle ranchers, racing horse moguls, and loggers. It was famously the home of the racehorse Seabiscuit. Since the 1960’s it has been owned and operated by Christ’s Church of the Golden Rule, who host a number of non-profit organizations as well as the School, and a small, thriving community of Church members and others. The valley that contains Ridgewood Ranch is full of natural beauty and peace.

The Farm School Campus

The Farm School is unique in all that it has to offer. The School campus includes a 1920s house that currently serves for staff housing and occasional meetings; an outdoor kitchen and bathhouse; a gazebo that serves as both outdoor dining area and classroom; a small office and reading room; and a workshop. Farm School student housing and classroom spaces are situated in a rustic, outdoor setting, with all the challenges and joys that living close to nature brings. The School of Adaptive Agriculture’s farm, orchard and our “incubator farms“, as well as two other market gardens and livestock operations, are located close by.

Visit the School

We welcome visitors, particularly those who are planning to apply to the Practicum or Farm Incubator Programs. Contact us to schedule a tour!