About White Oaks School Farm
White Oaks School Farm is a non-profit educational farm in the St. Croix River Valley
that will open with workshops and small events in 2027. Designed to honor and continue Minnesota's rich history of independent farming, White Oaks School Farm is the newest addition to White Oaks Farms, a modern agrihood that includes a 115-acre working organic farm and White Oaks Savanna, an architecture-driven community with 30 unique homes nestled into 200 acres of restored prairie.
Certified by Market Gardener Institute
White Oaks School Farm will provide hands-on training for people who want to own or work in today's most important farming enterprises, including micro farming, organic regenerative farming, bio-Intensive farming, cold climate growing, urban farming, flower farming and market gardening. White Oaks School Farm is certified by the internationally-renowned Market Gardener Institute (MGI) in Quebec, Canada. Founded
by Jean-Martin “JM” Fortier, an expert in small-scale, bio-intensive growing techniques, MGI provides knowledge and training for independent farmers to promote human-scale, organic regenerative agriculture to create sustainable and resilient food systems. JM has been instrumental in the development of White Oaks School Farm, which will be the first MGI School Farm in the U.S.
Help us barn-raise White Oaks School Farm
We have the land and a gift of $250,000, but we need $2 million to build training facilities for our students. If you share our belief in independent farming and passion for regenerative agriculture, we welcome your tax-deductible contributions, donations of in-kind goods and services, and ideas for innovative partnerships.
Future-proofing Minnesota's independent farmers
We’re building White Oaks School Farm because we believe that independent farming is part of the solution to one of Minnesota's most critical issues—the loss of farms and farmland. According to the early 2026 USDA report, Minnesota lost 1,300 farms and 100,000 acres of farmland between 2024 and 2025 due to global trade volatility, low commodity prices, increased operating costs and other issues. Today, we have only 64,000 farms in Minnesota, which is why we’re dedicated to growing a new generation of independent farmers. By training adults of all ages in regenerative organic farming, bio-intensive farming, cold weather farming and other sustainable practices, we can help turn their passions into profitable businesses and create an exciting new chapter in Minnesota’s farming history.
interested in learning more about White Oaks SCHOOL FARM?
We welcome serious inquiries from prospective students, donors and partners. Please send us a note and we’ll respond within 24-48 hours.