Alex,
In Canada we have an organization called SOIL (Stewards of Irreplaceable Land), which matches organic farmers with people interested in apprenticing with them. Their website has a link to this page in the USA. Maybe you'll find something there.

Here is a link that might be useful: apprenticeships

thanks so much! i'm going to check that out right now!

If by girlfriend you mean partner I would recommend that you avoid the south. Lots of farming, soy beans and the like, but not the friendliest environment out in farm country. New york, Pensylvania, Washington, Oregon, California, all very friendly and more tolerant places, I would highly suggest that you lean in that direction,plus people food is grown there more often.

If I misread your post I apologize, hopefully you can tell that no insult was meant (well perhaps I do Mean to insult the south, I am a damn yankee after all).

Brendan, Brendan, Brendan (shaking my head side to side) - not all us redneck southerners are prejudice against people who are in a same sex relationship.....

just like we don't hate all damn yankee's - although it is most of them....

Ramona

p.s., you're grinning, huh?

Here is a link that might be useful: The Japanese Redneck

Do you think that the majority of the populace shares your rational level headed tolerance? Do you think that the states to the north or the south have more tolerance? If you disagree with me hear my conclusion is in contention, if you agree with e then I think that it is not.

Maybe a visit to your proctologist can get your brains in working order Mr. B.--but then maybe not...

wow guys! i didn't mean to start another civil war and definitely didn't mean to start a human rights rally. the ONLY reason that i mentioned sexual orientation at all is so that there wouldn't be any surprises in case someone was interested in hiring us. we've definitely had some of those lately, and tiff lost her nanny job because the hypocritical mother who drinks her life away every night decided to get a facebook account and track her down. we live in georgia. it's no surprise that people are a bit more close-minded down here in the south. that's life, right? so there... my soap box rant for 2009. :) happy farming, guys! wish i was there!

Hey brendan I live in what is known as the "Redneck Riviera". Northwest Florida aka L. A. (Lower Alabama). I'm what ignorant people would call a "Redneck" which they are confusing with white trash. I horseback ride a couple times a month with a group of friends that include several gay girls. Great girls that seem to get along with and are accepted by a bunch of "Rednecks" just fine. Maybe you have a prejudice against the South because of a bad experience or out of ignorance? Southerners are more tolerant of different lifestyles than they are of rudeness which you seem to have an abundance. These girls don't have to go to the South to find ignorance and prejudice they can go to brendans neighborhood and find it. Girls I wish you luck and happiness. Just the thoughts of an ole Redneck chilling on the Riviera.......

As if I hadn't lead to enough derailment already, sorry stillkt1980 ...

But ... I never used the term redneck once, I simply said that the OP would be more likely to find an accepting place that growsthe types of crops she wants to grow in the north. Incidentally, while I called my self a yankee that was tongue and cheek, I come from the state that currently has the highest percentage of secessionists in the union. My father lives 12 miles out side of Birmingham and has for the last 15 years, and I currently live 3°26"29' below the Mason Dixon line, but I'm in the west so it doesn't really count.

Anyways, if you disagree with my simple premise you should e-mail me. If you feel like just insulting me with out explaination you should email it to me. If you come up with anything else for me that's not on subject you should email me.

Its Bwhite and the domain in fortlewis (d0t) edu

I used the term Redneck. Never said you did. But then that is half your problem. I try not to associate with people who are rude, arrogant, ignorant or prejudice. I don't care for your rude, arrogant, ignorant and or prejudice postings so why would I send you a personal e-mail? Are you looking for friends? Do you do these things for attention? Is this the only way you can get someone to notice you? Bless your heart.

1st off - stillkt1980 - Alex, I appologize if my "pickin" got your thread off topic and got a "ruckus" started

Brendan - reread her original post - she does not specify what she wants to grow. She is asking about finding a job or apprenticeship. They want to try living on land before buying some.

Also Brendan - I called myself a "redneck", I hunt, fish, garden, ride horses and work hard on our land. I don't consider myself "country". In my minds eye "country" says farm your land and raise chickens, or a cow and barter for your food or needs.

Seramas - thumbs up to U

Hey IslandmanMitch - I love the "Bless your Heart", we southerners know the true meaning of that phrase. Amen, about the rudeness.

She talked about homesteading, that implies people food generally.

I suggested you send an email because that would facilitate getting the topic back on track.

Tongue in cheek means joking, I'm not really a yankee, I don;t really have anything against the south, you need to relax and have some fun with life, you will never get out alive.

Ganging up on someone and telling them they have their head up their ass doesn't make them rude, it makes you rude. Obviously it was a joke, he never even said "redneck" and you still chastise him for it, and call him rude while you do it. Obviously he wants to get back on subject, and obviously you folks need to get a sense of humor.

StillKT- I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but I found a link to an educational program in WA and ID where people intern on farms or at least that's what it looks like.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.cultivatingsuccess.org/courses.htm

so.... how about that farming?? thanks to all to have provided information towards attaining an apprenticeship! like i said before, the thing that's holding us back is the pets. i love them like children, so there's no way possible i'd give them up to go live on a farm. if i have to wait a couple of years and just buy some land and start off small and see how it goes, i will. i was just hoping that someone out there had some info on a possibility that might exist in the present. land is pretty reasonable right now. just hope it stays that way until i have the loot to invest. i'm still open to suggestions. even a possible renting of a small piece of land to garden myself. we live in a duplex so it isn't feasible here and now. like i said, i'm open to all opportunities. and thanks again for all the information!

There are many listings and most require different levels of agi related education-some don't. Be careful and check the background of those you'll be getting involved with. Good Luck.

The following 2 listings have domestic US listings that you may have to dig for in their website

http://www.jobsabroad.com/CollegeRecruiter/cr-listingsp3.cfm/listing/55148

http://www.jobsabroad.com/listingsp3.cfm/listing/55148

http://www.attrainternships.ncat.org/

http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/contentpub/GreenDigest/Academic_Institutions.pdf

www.agriseek.com/job-career/p/Apprentice-Agricultural-Technician.htm

www.cityfarmer.org/jobs.html

www.backdoorjobs.com/farming.html

www.thefoodproject.org/blast/internal1.asp?ID=376

www.agcareers.com/apprenticeship/

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml;jsessionid=EP4ZRQSFMIYHVLAQBQ4CGXD5AAAACI2F?id=239300002

We're not picking on Mr.B--He does a great job all by himself.

It is very difficult for one person to gang up an anything.

It was a joke, relax.

Here's another organization. Member farms offer a wide variety of experiences, mostly a few days or weeklong stays, but a few offer apprenticeships with stipends. Many places do not expect you to have any experience. Some offer accommodations suitable for people with kids and pets. You have to pay to become a member but it's a good cause.

We are Wwoof hosts ourselves, in Nova Scotia. A couple of years ago we had kind of a funny experience, where a gay couple came to help out, expecting my wife and myself to be another gay couple - my wife has a unisex name. These guys were planning to wwoof only at gay farms. They ended up staying a few weeks (great workers!) and a good time was had by all.

Brendan, save me a minute of searching - is AK Alaska or Arkansas or what?

Here is a link that might be useful: wwoof usa

Alaska, Arkansas is AR.

Okay. How lazy of me was that?
It's -8C here. Can imagine it's a mite colder in AK.

Alex, you may want to check out Washington Tilth. They have some internships available at times. Tom

hi i'm not usually on this forum, but its winter and the name caught me. so this may sound totally wacked, but i recently read wendy johnson's Gardening at the Dragon's Mouth. which is sort of "my life and the zen of gardening"
that takes place in CA-- i'm not sure where (north would be my guess) and spending some time in a community doing gardening work might be worth checking out as well. The book is still good. just thought of it as a way to extend your search.

good luck

diggerb