Description

About the Program: This veteran apprenticeship is funded through the OTEF/AZAdvances Program in partnership with Ndée Bíkíyaa Farm, the White Mountain Apache Tribe's food sovereignty initiative. The program promotes health, wellness, and cultural preservation through sustainable agriculture and traditional Apache farming practices, integrating ancestral knowledge with modern agricultural innovation to strengthen community food security and cultural identity.

Position Overview: This apprenticeship offers veterans a unique opportunity to participate in therapeutic agriculture while learning sustainable farming practices rooted in traditional Apache land-based healing. The position provides hands-on training in all aspects of farm operations, nutrition education, and cultural preservation, to build workforce capacity in tribal food systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Participate in daily farm operations, including greenhouse management, planting, transplanting, cultivation, and harvesting
• Assist with irrigation systems, soil preparation, and crop maintenance
• Support produce distribution programs, including farm-to-veteran household deliveries
• Engage in nutrition and wellness workshops focusing on traditional foods and healthy eating
• Document farm activities through photographs and written reports for grant compliance
• Learn and practice traditional Apache agricultural methods and ethnobotanical knowledge
• Participate in community education events and cultural ceremonies related to farming and food sovereignty
• Maintain accurate time records and submit required documentation

Learning Objectives:

• Develop practical skills in sustainable agriculture and organic farming methods
• Gain knowledge of nutrition, food preparation, and wellness practices
• Strengthen cultural identity through connection to Apache traditional ecological knowledge
• Build transferable skills applicable to careers in tribal food systems, natural resources, and economic development
• Experience therapeutic benefits of land-based healing practices

Contacts:

• Larold Pinal, Director, Ndée Bíkíyaa Farm, White Mountain Apache Tribe, LaroldPinal@wmat.us
• Dylan Peay, PhD, OTEF/AZAdvances, Phoenix, Arizona. Dylan@AZAdvances.org

This program is offered thanks to support from a grant from the Arizona Treasurers Office and a FY26 appropriation from the State of Arizona.

Requirements

Eligibility Requirement: Must be a U.S. Military Veteran

Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. Military Veteran (any branch, any era)
• Preference given to White Mountain Apache Tribal members
• Physical ability to perform farm work, including lifting to 50 pounds, standing for extended periods, and working outdoors in various weather conditions
• Willingness to learn and respect traditional Apache cultural practices
• Reliable transportation to the farm location in Whiteriver, AZ
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Basic computer skills for time tracking and documentation
• Commitment to a complete 12-month apprenticeship program

What We Offer:

• Culturally grounded therapeutic agricultural experience
• Training in sustainable farming and traditional Apache land management
• Access to fresh, nutritious produce
• Connection to veteran community and cultural support network
• Potential pathway to full-time employment as Farm Technician
• Meaningful contribution to tribal food sovereignty and community health

Schedule: 20 hours per week (flexible scheduling available within farm operational hours)

Duty Station: Ndée Bíkíyaa Farm, Whiteriver, Arizona