Experiential learning is essential to developing hard and soft skills in any field. In the FMT program, hands-on training is offered through lab components in class and through a series of internships that vary in length. Students begin with two one-week long internships (鈥渟tages鈥�) during the first year. These short-term work experiences are followed by a 13-week summer stage course between the first and second year, and a second summer-long stage between year two and three.
Students who are not originally from a farming background have much to gain from these courses. For someone who is passionate about agriculture but grew up in an urban centre, the opportunity to acquire hands-on work experience is often non-existent before coming to FMT. Limited exposure to agriculture creates an additional barrier to full comprehension of course material, definitions, and best practices when they start the program.
Gr茅gory Dupont 鈥� Les Jardins d鈥橝rlington
Gr茅gory Dupont is a 23-year-old student who hails from Saint-Alexandre. While he did not grow up on a farm, Gr茅gory developed his interest in agriculture by working on a friend鈥檚 dairy farm and spending a summer on a market garden farm. He is interested in starting up his own mixed organic enterprise in future, selling his products directly to the consumer.
Les Jardins d鈥橝rlington, owned by Nasser Boumenna in Stanbridge East, QC was Gr茅gory Dupont鈥檚 summer stage location. The business grows 35 different vegetables and berries. Les Jardins d鈥橝rlington supplies over 360 CSA baskets and sells at the Atwater Market. It employs four local students and four Mexicans for the season.
This stage has allowed Gr茅gory to improve his knowledge about organic farming. 鈥淚 think that the diversity of all the products can be a good aspect to work with.... I have learned a lot about different kinds of veggies and the way they grow; some need lots of water, others don鈥檛. Some veggies, like all the cucurbitaceous family, do not like being handled by their roots and others don鈥檛 really mind it.鈥�
Stages also expose students to different management styles and allows them to reflect on the way they would like to manage their farms. Gr茅gory observed, 鈥淸The owner] is an extreme perfectionist, but I understand that this is why his farm works so well.... [The stage] is, of course, rewarding. It is putting me in the hands of a boss that created his own start-up just like I want to do, so I feel like there are only positive aspects to learn from him.鈥�
Communication is also key to a successful business, whether it is handling customers or working with staff. Gr茅gory noted that 鈥渋t is important to ask the proper questions before you head up to do the job,鈥� to avoid making mistakes for spacing plants while seeding. 鈥淚 have good leadership for my team.... My teammates are super nice and we get along well.鈥�
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This article was originally published in the July-August 2018 issue of the QFA Advocate on the Macdonald Reports page.