Liz Susman Karp at The Modern Farmer reports on the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund (ASLF), a unique month-long immersive Farm Apprenticeship Program that provides Farm Internships and Apprentice opportunities to students and career changers.  The ASLF was founded in 2022 by the family and friends of pioneering Cheese-Monger Anne Saxelby after her sudden passing. Saxelby, a beloved figure in the Cheese World, championed American Farmstead Cheese, leading to its rise in prominence. Working on farms was life changing for her and instilled a desire to support small producers and change our industrial food system.  Nearly 100 Apprentices are working in 60 farms across the country.  Placements include produce, animal, hemp and dairy farms, and cheese-making and salumi operations in locations aligned with its mission and values of quality sustainable agriculture.  The program has doubled in size each year - 500 applications were received in 2024.  However, no farm experience is required, just the ability to handle the physical work and to take initiative.  Apprentices are paid an hourly wage of $20 for a 40-hour work-week and an expense stipend.  The ASLF covers transportation and housing costs, removing barriers for prospective applicants and for farms to receive much-needed help.  “We need to educate this next generation of farmers” in order to bring about systemic change, ASLF Executive Director Susie Cover said.

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