On Monday, February 5th, Glynwood welcomed our 2018 livestock apprentices to the farm: Johanna Boltja Bartz and Kama Doucoure. Over the next ten months, Jo and Kama will be an integral part of the farm, learning the ins-and-outs of our livestock operation and participating in a comprehensive curriculum to learn the best practices in animal husbandry and regenerative agriculture. We are thrilled to be welcoming them to Glynwood, and next time you see them on the farm, please say hello:

Johanna Boltja Bartz

Q: How did you get interested in farming?
A: With 20 years of experience working in animal care related fields, including several years working at small animal veterinary practices, it wasn’t until working for a few years at a “farm to table” restaurant in Pittsburgh, which sourced over 95% of the food from local farms, that I became more interested in sustainable agriculture and local food systems.

Q:What part of the apprenticeship are you most excited about?
A: I appreciate the variety of challenges one is faced with on the daily basis while working on a farm. The diversity of knowledge and skills required to be efficient is refreshing and makes each day an adventure. Really looking forward to learning more about livestock health and wellness, to become confident in basic maintenance\repair and operation of large machinery and equipment, and in general, building a foundation for a solid education in Integrated farming.

Q: How did you hear about Glynwood and the apprenticeship opportunity?
I was a Summer Vegetable Apprentice in 2017 and returned to Glynwood in 2018 to take part in the Livestock Apprenticeship Program in hopes of becoming adept and well-versed in more aspects of farming.

Q:Fun fact about you?
A: I recently completed a welding certification program in Pittsburgh and am now an AWS Certified Welder.

Kama Doucoure

Q: How did you get interested in farming?
A: I grew up on a farm in Mali in West Africa. Since I was six years old, I worked on the farm, helping my parents raise livestock. With the knowledge I gained growing up, I started my own farm in Mali, where we currently raise cattle and sheep.

Q: What part of the apprenticeship are you most excited about?
A: I am excited to learn a lot, and hope to come away knowing everything there is to know about livestock farming. I’m especially interested in learning about the feeding systems and water systems for animals here.

Q: How did you hear about Glynwood and the apprenticeship opportunity?
A: I learned about Glynwood and the apprentice program while participating in a GrowNYC program last summer.

Q:What are your long-term career goals?
A: I hope to buy a farm in the Hudson Valley area someday, and also continue to own and operate my farm in Mali. I hope to pass down my skills and interest in farming to my two children so that they can keep farming the land and carry on the family tradition.