Community leaders and existing business owners in the Omaha area are seeing increased need for agricultural education opportunities which target aspiring entrepreneurs who are starting their own urban ag enterprises. To meet that demand for knowledge and hands-on learning in local food production, three partnering entities recently unveiled a new program against the backdrop of the Omaha Home for Boys Cooper Memorial Farm.
There, aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs and urban participants can become successful in careers of local food production through the Urban Agricultural Education program established by the Omaha Home for Boys, University of Nebraska Extension, and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA). Formal and informal educational activities began with academic courses starting Jan. 3 at the Douglas-Sarpy County Extension Office, and Jan. 17 at the Omaha Home for Boys woodshop at OHB’s main campus, Inspiration Hill.
Courses will be delivered by Nebraska Extension and NCTA to participants ranging from high school ages to adults. Spring courses can be coupled with summer sessions or fall semester courses as well. The courses will meet on Saturdays for four months. Classes can be taken as non-credit or for three college credits. Financial assistance will be available for tuition. For course schedules and registration, see Urban Agriculture in Omaha at http://ncta.unl.edu or call 1-800-3CURTIS.
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PHOTO: Omaha area beginning and transitioning ag entrepreneurs and local food producers heard details Thursday (Dec. 18) of the new Urban Ag Education effort from program partners (from left) Jeff Moran, CEO and president of the Omaha Home for Boys; Mark Wilke, farm loan chief with Nebraska Farm Service Agency; Ron Rosati, dean of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture; and Chuck Hibberd, dean and director of University of Nebraska Extension. (Mike Watkins photo)