Antioch College EcoFarm & Food Foresting Program
SAVE THE DATES – SUMMER 2026!
Weekend 1 – July 11 & 12, 2026:
- Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Weekend 2 – July 18 & 19, 2026:
- Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Weekend 3 – July 25 & 26, 2026:
- Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
PLEASE COMPLETE OUR INTEREST FORM TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE
ECOFARM AND FOOD FORESTING PROGRAM
The Antioch College EcoFarm & Food Foresting Initiative is designed to meet real needs. Communities across southwestern Ohio face the complex challenges of rural decline and environmental degradation brought about by our globalized agricultural economy. As small farms have been supplanted by large-scale industrial systems, the viability of rural livelihoods have diminished, leaving behind economic uncertainty, depopulation, and the erosion of community identity. The loss of diversified, place-based farming practices has also accelerated soil depletion, habitat loss, and the breakdown of ecological resilience. Exposure to smallholder solutions from a variety of traditions—permaculture, agroforestry, native propagation traditions, and regenerative soil management—can help young entrepreneurs develop new, locally adapted product lines that demonstrate how sustainable agriculture can restore both ecosystems and address food insecurity in rural economies.
To accomplish this, we are building a new model of reciprocal engagement with communities throughout southwestern Ohio. Antioch College’s EcoFarm and Food Foresting offers opportunities for participation in a series of focused institutes. The program will showcase emerging cultivation practices that are proven to restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and foster economic independence, while emphasizing social responsibility and community wellbeing. Participants may also enroll in a 12-credit Co-op Apprenticeship, consisting of 300 hours of focused work either on campus or with a partnering farm. Our goal is to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to design sustainable enterprises that combine agricultural innovation with ecological stewardship. Participants will not merely learn about ethical farming practices; they will co-create sound regenerative systems both on our campus and within their communities.
Ultimately, our goal is to help prepare the next generation of farmers to design and sustain small-scale, climate-resilient agrarian systems that harmonize food production with Ohio’s natural ecological cycles. The effort is designed to resonate with the lived experiences of our students—many of whom come from rural and migrant backgrounds that have much to offer. It is also intended to amplify the vibrant learning ecosystem of rural southwestern Ohio, where participants will encounter bountiful opportunities to gain technical skills, practical experience, mentorship, and confidence as they experiment with ecologically grounded farming methods.
