Horticulture certificate

Hi I'm changing my degree from construction to Hort, because I don't want to be a part of such a highly consuming industry. And my heart is in food and plants! What do y'all think my plan should be with my cert.? I really just want to start buying land and building a yurt and market gardening to sustain and organify! How do y'all feel about it?

How long until you have your "cert"?  Do you plan to use the horticultural training to get a job in the field?  How will you buy the land?  Would the cert give you better information than you could get from working at a market garden for two years?

Construction doesn't have to be highly consuming.  If someone wanted to specialize in building wofatis or other environmentally friendly buildings, they'd sure be helping the world.  I'm aiming this comment more at other folks who may still be pondering their future, not necessarily you Franak

I totally agree about not all construction being the devil just mainly the stuff my community college is teaching is the highly consuMing construction going on in northwest Arkansas. Id love to be a part of some cob building or something but my dream is definitely to market garden/farm and contribute to this potentially beautiful world that way. I know what your saying about weighing those options. I would buy the land with an agricultural grant/loan hopefully once I learn the ins and outs of growing food ill be able to write a grant/loan that will look and sound good enough for a shot at it, hopefully! Is really love to just start working at gardens/farms asap but I'm not sure how to find these kind in my area that are looking for help! Thank you for your reply, it means so much to me!

Sounds like you're chasing the right dream now :)   I'd suggest looking at WWOOFing for organic farms in need of helpers.  They put you to work, you learn the business.  It's not school but it may teach you more and it might cost less.  And after doing that for 6 months or a year, you'd know what you really want to do and how to do it.  

Getting a grant/loan sounds like a big first step if you haven't worked in the business a bit first.

I just checked a WWOOF site (I've seen three now and I'm not sure which is the official site...) and there are two market farms currently looking for workers in Arkansas.  One in Little Rock and one a bit NW of there.

Right on man! What is that site called? Thats a great idea though I really appreciate it!

Mike Jay has given you excellent advice and some possible leads.
Gaining experience, making contacts, establishing a track record, and paying your dues is the way to start.
You sound young, as I once was.
I have rented my 1/10 acre farm since 1994. It is not necessary to own land or borrow money or take public funds to have a successful farm business.
Surely there is a landowner in NW AR who is willing to let you use a small piece of vacant ground in exchange for the upkeep and a percentage of your gross income from their land.
If you are motivated you could do this while enrolled in the Horticulture Program and working at least part time.
Find your niche, become the expert at growing and marketing your crop.
It will not be easy-it will be hard.
If you have the "fire in the belly" you will stay focused and do what it takes.
Anything else is just talk.

Franak Ostapowicz wrote:Right on man! What is that site called? Thats a great idea though I really appreciate it!

Here's the one I tried https://wwoofusa.org/.  I did run across several sites so I'm not sure if this is the one people talk about when they say they're "wwoofing"...

Right on Mike! That's the main one I think bro! Its 25 or 50 bucks to be able to communicate with the farms which isn't too bad really. I've got cats and can't imagine giving em up. So my plan is to build out a school bus and take them with me and hope that the farms I visit will allow me to have them and park a bus on there property. Really I just want to be on a farm learning about plants and nature. Money isn't a matter and owning property isn't major, but at some point id like to be stable starting a family and living at one with nature contributing to the sustainability movement! I'm really glad to be on this site and have like minded people to talk to. Thank you all!

And Steve your insights are fantastic! I'd love to find someone who is willing to let me give it a go on their land. I'm gonna start manifesting it asap. And organizing and making connections for buyers and the types of produce they need.