Participate/Training Program
Compost and Farm Apprenticeship Programs (Ages 18 to ∞)
Program Description
This course is designed to engage participants in hands-on practical skills to learn how to make “Gold Standard” compost with the goal of utilizing best management practices for the improvement of soil and plant health. Trainees will learn how to grow plants on a small scale urban farm. Apprentices will develop skills using appropriate technology, tools and devices that can be employed in a variety of urban environments (e.g. community gardens, urban agriculture enterprises, multi-unit apartment buildings).
There are two distinct applications and cohorts – please note the program criteria before applying:
GreenThumb Community Garden cohort
- Open to all GreenThumb Community Garden members 18 years and above
- 11 Friday sessions
- March 6 – May 15, 2026 from 9am-4:30 pm
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This programming is provided free of charge to accepted candidates, paid for by Earth Matter and NYC Parks GreenThumb
Seed to Seed cohort
- Open to people 18 years and above
- 20 Saturday sessions
- April 4- August 15, 2026 from 9am-4:30pm
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This programming is provided free of charge to accepted candidates, paid for by Earth Matter and NYC Community Composting Network, which is generously funded by The NYC Council
We also have other opportunities to participate with Earth Matter NY.
2026 GreenThumb applications closed
2026 Seed to Seed applications closed
Program Objectives
Participants will develop skills in the following program areas:
Compost & Organics Processing
- Learn the basics on how to compost
- Create balanced compost recipes
- Maximize productivity using a variety of scalable composting devices
- Collect and analyze compost data and lab reports
- Perform DIY soil and compost field tests
- Make compost teas and other soil amendments
Small-scale Urban Farm Management
- Plant propagation and season extension
- Design and install irrigation systems
- Crop planning and bed preparation
- Explore experimental growing methods with comparative studies
- Care for chickens and worms
- Assist in maintaining a perennial Lavender field
- Carpentry for building farm and compost infrastructure
- Develop and create value-added products
Environmental Education
- Design and lead farm related projects, activities and compost workshops with visitors and groups
- Seed to Seed cohort may support public Saturday Open Hours
Program Benefits
Upon completion of the program, Participants will gain:
- An Urban Farm Apprenticeship Certificate (120 hours)
- Skills in Urban Agriculture
- Connections to a network of individuals and organizations involved in the New York City urban agriculture, greening and composting movements
- Advanced knowledge about environmental issues and concerns in New York City
- Opportunities to develop leadership skills in Ecological Management and Environmental Education
Who we’re looking for
Are you a budding composter or farmer (age 18+) interested in taking your skills to the next level? This apprenticeship program is for those looking to develop skills in composting, agriculture, horticulture, and environmental education. If you are a team player who is ready and eager to get your hands dirty, while sharing tactics and strategies for making compost, and farming in New York City and beyond please apply!
Our Apprentices’ Legacies
- NYC Solid Waste Advisory Boards members in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens
- Co-founder of composting facility in Nashville, Tennessee
- NYC Compost Project staff
- Lavender Field Manager at Earth Matter
- Vermicompost Educator
- Grownyc Food Box Coordinator and Compost Coordinator
- Founder of CLC in Connecticut with local food scrap collection
- Fulbright Research Fellowship recipient investigating the resiliency of composting systems in Spain
- Farm School Instructor
- Leader of community composting and food scrap drop off at community sites
- Reclaimed Organics staff
- Community Compost Grants recipient
- College Eco Club Leader
- Canadian Zero Waste store staff
- Hydroponic System Installation Technician
- Preschool Sustainability Coordinator
- Gotham Greens Manager
- Sunworks Educator
- Gowanus Canal Conservancy staff
2026
NYC Parks GreenThumb Spring 2026
Marisa DeDominicis
2026 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2026 Soil Start Farm Co-Manager & Educator
noa woodley
2026 Farmer & Educator
Akele Coffey
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Alex Selby
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Cash Lawrence
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Charrise Cutright
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Christian Gray
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Dana Monroe
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Elisa Medina
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Kaitlyn Mahoney
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Kwolanne Felix
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Laura Nova
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Maciej Buko
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Maggie Cely
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Marian Martin
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Naomi Bajah Cann
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Natsuko Isono
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Nora Tjossem
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Ray Russell
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
S. Kimberly Wright
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Stella Cooper
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Tiffany Morgan-Rienzi McNeish
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
Alycia Rockey
2026 GreenThumb Apprentice
2025
Seed to Seed Apprentices 2025
Marisa DeDominicis
2025 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2025 Soil Start Farm Co-Manager & Educator
Abigail Gordon
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Aiyo Cheboi
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Alex Selby
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Alexa Degioannini
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Deepak Dhasarathy
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Denelis Acosta
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Finn Clarke
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Geeta Fleck
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Jade Cruz
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Kaitlyn Quach
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Martha Rosas
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
Pamela Santos
2025 Earth Matter Apprentice
NYC Parks GreenThumb Fall 2025
Maria Alta Peña
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Roman Santos
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Jojo Attal
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Cate Desler
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Pia Marie Santos
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
NYC Parks GreenThumb Spring 2025
Angel Pleasant
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Asia Pittman
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Carmin Sherlock
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Chelsea Parise
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Diana Paula Paredes
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Dior St. Hillaire
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Indigo Griffith
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Piper Werle
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Sam Davis
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
Sasha Schaafe
2025 GreenThumb Apprentice
2024
Marisa DeDominicis
2024 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2024 Soil Start Farm Assistant & Educator
Audrey di Mola
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Bianca Garcia
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Dan Yafet
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Earl Taylor
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Erika Marte
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
J.P. Halling
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Jean-Phillip Philogene
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Lauren Wansker
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Leah Mercado
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Marcelle Georges
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
Shayna Rich
2024 Earth Matter Apprentice
2023
Marisa DeDominicis
2023 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2023 Soil Start Farm Co-Manager & Educator
Jenny Chen
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
William Romney
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Brother King
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Emily Ventura
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Israt Adedin
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Rasheda Mitchell
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Sara Ruiz
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Becky Bacheller
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Brian Buckley
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Nancy Ye
2023 Earth Matter Apprentice
Vanessa Butler
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ameera Khawaja
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Charlotte Bell
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Kasey Watkins
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Bryen Pittner
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Kingsley Taylor
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Christian DeFilippo
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Rodrigo Salazar
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Brenda Gaytan
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Valery Zorrilla
2023 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ludmila Fedorova
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Annie Yang
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Isis Gonzalez
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Carlos Oquendo
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Benay Chisholm
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ana Torres
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Sammy Do
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jess Rivera
2023 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
2022
Marisa DeDominicis
2022 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2022 Soil Start Farm Assistant & Educator
Athena Wyatt
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Brenda Paredes
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Daniel McGee
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Leah Asha Allen
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Luke Eddins
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Maggie Fitzpatrick
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Michael Ryan Wood
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Moe Magali
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Neishja Ransom
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Shalevia Quiles
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Alina Butnaru
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Briana Collier
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ebony Boone
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jenny Nelson
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Nadege Alexis
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Rainer Keller
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Sandra Watanabe
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Sophia-Yemisi Adeyemo-Ross
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Sylver Pondolfino
2022 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Neenah Payne
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ni Cai
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Donata Dawson
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Caitlin Yee
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Andrea Fisher
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jonathan Diaz
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Michael Pate
2022 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
2022 Compost Journey 2 Pilot
Chelten Leggett
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
Natalia Sucre
2022 Earth Matter Apprentice
2021
Marisa DeDominicis
2021 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Elena D’Amanda
2021 Soil Start Farm Assistant & Educator
Angie Urrea
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Chelsea Kelley
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Chelten Leggett
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Chloe Benitez
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Shane Bastien
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Emma Kilroy
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Esmeralda Herrera
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Jonathan Saint-Hilaire
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Sarah Chien
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Tori Ciardiello
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Taisiya Nasretdinova
2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Leigh Howard
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Camille Motta
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Douglas Purviance
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jasmine McPherson
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jennifer Seda
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Maria Riffo
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Shawn Garcia
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Sofija Kas
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Suzi Sadler
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Nora McCauley
2021 Spring NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Chelsea Yamada
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Dian Hawkins
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Edo Mohammed
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Enmy Uribe
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Fran Sanhueza
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Noemi Moreno
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ora Goodwin
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Pat Mohr
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Rebecca Blythe Pryor
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Shawn Powell
2021 Fall NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
2020
Marisa DeDominicis
2020 Soil Start Farm Manager / ED
Jenny Blair
2020 Soil Start Farm Assistant
Andrew Tyrrell
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
“I really enjoyed meeting other like minded people during the apprenticeship. Earth Matter has had a positive impact on my community & myself. Highly recommend Earth Matter’s Program.”
Kellen Insfran
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
“My experience at Earth matter has been filled with gratitude. Learning something new each visit, given the opportunity to figure things out intuitively. Being around amazing individuals. It has been a humbling experience.”
Natalia Sucre
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
“I got a solid foundation in methods for producing gold standard compost in backyard and hot composting devices and a critical awareness of the many variables involved and the many questions I have to explore. Also hope: seeing so many different people connect and take action against climate change and the systems that drive it gave me hope.”
Michael Qihui Jin
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
“Making compost is like boosting the digestive system of the earth, which is the foundation of any form of life. Living in a well-managed environment is the key for all of us to achieve optimal health.”
Kimberly M. Brown
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
Stella Wong
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
“i just opened a can of worms for myself…so much to continue to explore, experiment and execute.”
David Niles
2020 – 2021 Earth Matter Apprentice
Em Ruby
2020 Earth Matter Apprentice
Pedro Rivera
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Liz Royzman
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Jared Elbert
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Karla Cabrera Carrera
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Javier Cabrera
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Ursula Hershey
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Miriam Summerford
2020 NYC Parks GreenThumb Apprentice
Vanessa Hays
2020 US Compost Council Compost Mentee
“My goal for this mentorship was to achieve a more professional understanding of managing my compost facility and implementing better management to produce great compost. I believe this mentorship has provided all that and more”
2019
Seth Adelsberg
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Charles Casela
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Hilary Guilliams
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Alex Ng
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Jo Mispel
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Cornelius Schmid
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
Anna Cheung
2019 Earth Matter Apprentice
2018
Ilsa Enomoto
2018 Fellow
Tisha Magsino
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
AJ Feldman
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Gabriella Piedmonte
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Jenni Robinson
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Elena Damanda
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Harvey Ng
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Casey Harron
2018 Earth Matter Apprentice
Our Apprentices
Follow our Flickr page to see all of our apprentice activity!
