Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the program cost?

• KY Farm Launch is free! Participants will receive some tools to help them with their farming journey throughout the course with their ongoing participation. Although the program does not cost money, we do ask for your commitment of your time you’re your passion to farm!

How long is the program?

• The program runs 9 months, from March to November.

How will the program be taught?  In-person or online?

• The program is in-person. We will meet once per week for the duration of the program, on Mondays from 9 am – 4 pm. We will be at UK farms, on farms of supporting mentor farmers, and have some field trips, all in the greater Lexington area. 

What will I learn to grow and raise?

• The program has two tracks: a Diversified Livestock Production Track and a Diversified Vegetable and Small Fruit Production Track. We do ask that participants choose one of these for their primary focus, as each track will have different weekly workshops. The Livestock Track will give you hands on skills in raising on beef cattle, sheep and goats, and small flocks of poultry. The Vegetable Production Track is focused on year-round production of many varieties of vegetables and berries at commercial scale.

What if I want to raise a little bit of everything?

• We get it! A diversified small farm or commercial homestead is a great goal and we support our participants in making these dreams come to life for their farms. However, since we do have limited time and this program is designed to give you a depth of knowledge in your first commercial farming enterprises, we ask for you to focus on production of livestock or vegetables/fruits for the in-person portion of the program which meets on Mondays. The program also includes an individually-tailored mentoring plan to give you resources, “homework”, and/or additional experience outside of class to help round out your training.

Will I be required to do anything outside of the weekly, in-person sessions?

• In short, yes, but this is flexible based on your life situation and what you want to focus your program on to be successful in your first few years of farming. During our in-person time, we will develop a mentoring plan for each participant based on their life situation. This might include working/interning on other farms if you have the time and interest, or may be focused on online and/or at-home learning on production and business topics. The mentoring plan may also be our opportunity to help you with additional resources for learning about topics that are outside of your “track” or might not be covered in the program.

Will I learn about starting up and managing my farm business?

• Yes! Our partners, including the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, will guide you in the creation of business, management, and marketing plans. The farm business aspects are integrated throughout the program, and we will talk about farm finances alongside of production aspects. ​​​​​​​

How do I apply and when will I know if I am accepted?

• Applications are currently open for our 2025 class and will close in late February 2025. We will notify you after reviewing your application and set up a time to talk with you about the program to make sure it is the right fit for your farming goals. You will receive an invitation to apply with a deadline to accept by early February. We will accept applications on a rolling basis. In the event the class fills, we will have a waitlist and will also defer anyone accepted to the program that we do not have room for into the 2026 class.