Admissions FAQ
How many other students are in the program?
We will accommodate up to seven students for the 2027 program. The curriculum and the training is highly tailored for a select cadre of students who are passionate about creating their own homesteading endeavors.
If I can’t reside on the property for the Homesteading Apprenticeship Program, can I come for the classes at a reduced tuition price?
What makes HAP very unique is the immersion approach to learning as well as our approach to community building. These two components are key to the amount of learning and growing we can achieve in actually a relatively short amount of time. No other program takes this sustained, experiential, first-hand approach to the extent we do. After 26 years of teaching classes, workshops, seminars of various lengths, we know this sustained relationship with others and the land is the best way to learn as much as one does by living in, not just participating part-time, in this program. This distinguishes us from other learning contexts.
What if I enroll and it just doesn’t work out for me? What is my recourse? What kind of social or financial contract will I be breaking if I choose to leave the program earlier?
Life is very fluid for everyone on this planet right now. Change is constant. The dance between commitment and revision is also a challenge. Given that reality and our commitment to provide realistic preparation for your life as a new homesteader, we build in a period of time we call the Adjustment Period. If after two weeks, you do not feel you have the right fit for the next months ahead in HAP, we will refund all but the reservation fee and the first month’s tuition. We are reasonably sure that the orientation will provide solid and realistic information on which to base your decision. Another candidate on the waiting list will be accepted in your place. If circumstances are appropriate, you can re-apply for the program the following year.
We highly encourage you to attend the 4-day Earth Tribes Retreat May 21-25, 2026 at Lodestar where you will have a first-hand look at the farm, the opportunity to ask questions, and talk to other homesteaders.
Will you offer scholarships or tuition support to serious HAP candidates?
At this time, we are open to assisting students who seek grants, loans, or online support by describing the Program, fielding questions, or providing certain information to inquiring agencies or organizations that the candidate has engaged. Our goal is to offer scholarships and tuition support in the future as HAP gains traction in the upcoming years
The word ‘apprentice’ is in the program title. Does this mean that a student is paid for their participation, or do students pay for their training?
We use the term ‘apprentice’ with the traditional definition in mind: a person who is being trained by a master teacher. Your tuition includes housing and food, as well education.
That said, The 3 Tiers of HAP offer students greater and greater incentive and ownership in the Lodestar homesteading life the longer they participate.
- Year One: Lodestar High Desert Homesteading Certificate (proficiency in all 8 aspects of homesteading)
- Year Two: Invitation to become a HAP Student Homesteading Mentor and live on property free with a greatly reduced tuition.
- Year Three: Option to become a Lodestar Land Manager living on the property free. By the third year in HAP, you are eligible to become a member of the Lodestar Gardens instructional team.