Programs

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.

The Farm School

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 13-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.

Whether you hope to homestead or farm for market some day, crave a rural lifestyle or look to urban farming, or just want to know more about how our food might be produced more sustainably, justly, and with reverence for the land, the 13-week Farm School program has something to offer you. Farm School is dedicated to providing you with the tools you need, both intellectual and practical, to better respond to the economic, social and environmental future we are facing today. To learn more go to https://schoolofadaptiveagriculture.org/programs/practicum-program/

The Farm Incubator Program

SAA’s Farm Incubator Program provides aspiring farmers the chance to develop their farming skills and build a farming business without the sizeable investment and uncertainty such a move ordinarily brings.  For instance, affordable land access is often a barrier to entry for farmers across the country, but especially in California with its historically high land prices.  SAA’s farm provides space for new farming ventures on flat, fenced arable land with access to ag water for irrigating crops, cold storage, processing shed with potable water, and a tool library with some necessary items. Our Farm Incubator Program also provides mentorship, support with business planning, and the opportunity to farm in a community setting with other farmers and ranchers.  And with the SAA Farm Incubator program, land access is not limited to people interested in pursuing the well-known “market farm” model.  SAA encourages applicants with diverse farming goals and encourages people of all backgrounds with some experience of farming to apply for the program.

For more information and to apply, go to:  https://schoolofadaptiveagriculture.org/programs/farm-incubator-program/

Other Programs

From its beginnings in 2013, SAA has been committed to supporting local farmers and our local food system.  We have done that through a variety of programs, from technical assistance to herbal workshops.  In 2025 we launched an Artist-in-Residence program to encourage artists working with nature and natural materials to take advantage of the unique perspective of Ridgewood Ranch, with its diverse ecosystem and farming enterprises.  We have played an increasingly larger role in the annual Farmers Convergence, which brings together farmers, ranchers, buyers, and the agricultural support community for one to two days of workshops, talks and networking.  This year we have assumed financial responsibility for the event, with support from several other community organizations.  For information on this year’s Convergence, go to:  https://schoolofadaptiveagriculture.org/convergence/