Farmer Incubation Program
This program is currently being examined by our programmatic advancement committee to ensure it meets the needs of our community, as well as our current and future participants.
Due to this evaluation, we are pausing applicant enrollment for the current 2026 season.
We encourage you to stay tuned with other farm offerings - VOLUNTEER SATURDAYS ARE POSTED ON OUR GET INVOLVED PAGE
Farmer Incubation Program, The Vision
The Farmer Incubation Program (FIP) at Hilltop Urban Farm is a 3 year workforce development program for new small-scale organic urban farm enterprises. For an annual Program Participation Fee, participants are provided access to rehabilitated urban farming acres, storage, solar electric, hoop houses, mobile coolers and a shared tool library. Through their experience, participants will learn farm business management skills and food growing techniques. Program participants will gain exposure to the local and regional food systems by participating in educational programs and networking events. The FIP graduates will develop a business plan, customer base, and have a 3 year-old business to assist with acquiring capital for business expansion. The FIP graduates will be prequalified to rent preserved farmland with nonprofit partners and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittsburgh vacant urban land through the Farm-A-Lot program. Once under full production, FIP farmers at Hilltop Urban Farm will quadruple the amount of produce grown within the City of Pittsburgh.
2019 Pilot program
In 2019, the Farmer Incubation Program began piloting a three-year opportunity for experienced urban farmers to utilize the rehabilitated urban farming acres at Hilltop Urban Farm. In the 2019 Pilot year, participants had access to site amenities in exchange for a subsidized Program Participation Fee. Throughout 2019, additional infrastructure investments were made at Hilltop Urban Farm to complete the vision of the Farmer Incubation Program.
Click HERE to see an example of a previous application.
Get to Know the Farmers
Bee Boy Honey, Randall Hall (honey production)
“Honeybees live collectively in colonies inside beehives. I place beehives around the city in our neighborhoods. I tend the bees to keep them healthy. Bees make honey from plant nectar, and sometimes they produce surplus honey. I harvest the surplus honey, and then I sell it to you.”
Contact Randall at honey@beeboypgh.com.
Find summer honey (July) and fall honey (September) from Bee Boy Honey at the following local Pittsburgh businesses:
Spring Hill Brewing, 1958 Varley Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Espresso a Mano, 3623 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
4121 Main, 4121 Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15224