While some students are basking at the beach this summer, others, such as University of Nevada, Reno student Wyatt Diaz, are choosing to toil in the soil. Diaz is working at the University’s Desert Farming Initiative as part of the student summer farm crew.

“I wanted to spend my summer working at the farm because it’s giving me a real hands-on experience in the kind of work I want to do in my career, and I am able to apply my education to the real world,” said Diaz, an agricultural science student. “My goal is to one day own and operate a farm.” 

Diaz and the rest of the student crew will be harvesting crops, managing irrigation systems and gaining hands-on experience in Northern Nevada agriculture. The program, part of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources’ Experiment Station unit, is expanding applied training in organic fruit and vegetable production as Nevada’s agricultural industry faces workforce shortages.

Besides the student summer farm crew, the Initiative has hosted more than 25 student interns since 2019 through academic internships providing immersive, work-based learning in diversified organic production systems. Students in these internships, as well as those in the paid farm crew positions, gain experience alongside staff on hoop house production, field crops, orchard management and plant propagation.

“I applied for the farm crew position this spring because I am interested in going into agriculture in the future, and working here has already shown me how rewarding the work can be,” said Brielle Janas, an environmental science student who will be continuing with the program through the fall semester as an academic intern. “It has been cool seeing crops go from planting to harvest and knowing I helped with that.” 

Beyond student internships, the Initiative’s Nevada Farm Apprenticeship Program, launched in 2023, provides structured training for individuals seeking to establish their own farm operations. To date, three apprentices have completed the year-long program, with graduates now working across Nevada’s food system, including as farm operators.

“The apprenticeship gave me the foundation to start thinking like a farm operator,” said Matt Catalano, one of the first apprentices, who is now the hoop house manager at the Initiative and co-operates Rooted, an urban farm in Reno, alongside his wife, Sarah. “I learned not just production skills, but how to plan and manage a farm as a business.”

Former apprentice Monica Mori is now leasing and operating farm space at Lattin Family Farm in Fallon, where she plans on growing multiple varieties of pumpkins to use for her edible fall porch-decorating business, Pumped Up Porches. Another apprentice, Jax Hart, is currently a farmhand at Holley Family Farms in Dayton.

The apprenticeship program combines hands-on production training with farm business development, including crop planning, irrigation management, seasonal production systems and marketing strategies. Participants also receive support through broad partnerships, including private farms. Academic faculty, such as Associate Professor Felipe Barrios Masias and Kelli Kelly, agriculture and food systems business advisor with the Nevada Small Business Development Center, provide guidance on agronomy, and on budgeting, financial planning and business development, respectively.

Building on its apprenticeship model, the Initiative is currently piloting an incubator farm program designed to support producers as they transition into independent farm operations or expand current operations. The pilot has supported three local producers to date, with plans to formally launch the program in fall 2026. Farm incubators provide access to land, infrastructure and mentorship, reducing common barriers to entry such as startup costs.

The Initiative also supports Nevada’s agricultural community through its work with the Nevada Farm Network and Grow Organic Nevada programs. The Nevada Farm Network focuses on connecting farmers, ranchers and agricultural professionals with technical resources, peer learning opportunities and industry connections. Grow Organic Nevada provides one-on-one mentorship and technical assistance to farmers pursuing organic certification and supports partnerships with experienced certified organic producers. Together, the programs expand access to resources and strengthen Nevada’s agricultural economy and capacity to meet the growing demand for organic products.

“Our goal is to create a clear pathway from student learning and vocational training to agricultural careers and farm ownership,” said Jill Moe, director of the Initiative. “Everything we do is built around hands-on experience in production agriculture. We provide training from seed to market, so participants understand how a farm functions as a whole system.”

Through integrated student training, farmer development programs and statewide agricultural partnerships, the Desert Farming Initiative continues to expand opportunities across Nevada’s food system. The program’s combined approach to education, mentorship and applied production is helping grow a resilient agricultural workforce prepared to provide Nevadans with healthy, homegrown food and contribute to a healthy state economy.