I had such a great experience with MESA in 2014.
I was in the farm in Washington. The owner was 84 years old grandfather(That's how I call him), they treats me as a one of their family member, and taught me a lot, not only farming but also wisdom of life and positive mind.
It was one of my school program to have a field experience for 10 months, and MESA helped me a lot to match host farm.
They're really taking care of their stewards. I had many good educational opportunities thanks to MESA and encouraged me to participate SPRIG (Sustainable Projects Recognizing Innovative Growers program. Also, MESA helped me to take growing power's aquaponics workshop too.
I think sustainability is the most important thing as a student who studies agriculture and aquaculture, MESA helped me to be more assure of it.
I would recommend MESA to students in my school or anyone. You won't regret it!

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Over the past five years I've hosted four MESA stewards on my small farm for varying amounts of time. These bright, young people are excited to learn about sustainable agriculture and apply new knowledge when they return to their home countries. Besides the exchange of farming knowledge, the cultural experience of hosting each of these stewards is powerful!
After having several experiences as a farm host, I was happy to accept a position on the MESA board. Knowledge is power and MESA does incredible work, promoting and enabling sustainable farmers on several continents. It is amazing that MESA impacts so many lives with an absolute minimum of paid staff!
Later today I will meet yet another MESA steward who will be spending several months on my farm. I'm looking forward to yet another rewarding experience as a host farmer.

Three MESA stewards have been on my farm in the past three years. They have been some of the most cooperative people I've ever met. They all have had a very serious interest in sustainable food production and in learning more by practical application (WORK!). They have been a benefit to my farm and I believe we all learned valuable lessons together.
They also spent a lot of time with our extended family and will be considered friends for life.

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This little-known non-profit in sustainable agriculture is transforming communities around the world by pairing U.S. farms and research centers with small farmers from countries around the globe. The impact of the resulting sustainabilty projects insmall communities, from food-poor regions of the Andes to the U.S. midwest, has been profound. This little powerhouse is securing the future of food for you and me. With its community focus and global outreach, MESA offers the best bang for your philanthropic buck. Bar none.

Joining MESA program in 2006, definitely changed my life! I had the opportunity to share sustainable agricultural methods, learn about different kinds of markets and meet the most amazing people in Maine and other trainees from all over the world. That experience has been an important support to have better professional opportunities since then. The MESA staff is very kind and supportive and they make sure everybody has what they need in terms of learning and hands on experience. I definitely recommend MESA program, it exceeded my expectations!

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I have had the opportunity to consult as an advisor for the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture since its founding in 1992. A true grassroots organization founded to spread the growth of ecologically responsible farming by bringing small farms from different parts of the world together, MESA has been on the cutting edge of local, sustainable agriculture since before these terms have become bywords among non-profits and consumers throughout the U.S. Through the years, I have seen this program change lives, turn farmers into eco activists and entrepreneurs and bring diverse corners of the world together. This tiny organization has always been about local communities on a world-wide scale. I will continue to support it.

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I first met MESA through Full Circle Fund, an engaged philanthropy organization in the SF Bay Area. MESA was one of our grantees in 2012 and I assisted with a project that helped them track and report on their impact as well as explore new funding models such as crowdsourcing and corporate partnership. I so enjoyed working with Leah and Lauren that I jumped at the opportunity to join their board in 2013. MESA does amazing agriculture and sustainability work with incredible global reach - and all with a very small team. I was impressed with their quality of programming, which provides hands-on learning and knowledge exchange for visiting stewards and hosting farmers. And I was further impressed with the reach of their network. I look forward to helping MESA refine their formal curriculum as the organization continues to grow both here in the states and abroad.

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I came to America to join MESA as a steward from Thailand in 2013. I didn't know what to expect ,many views about americans and the food industries situation. MESA helped me prepare to settle in the new territory with useful orientation in SF (lots of organic wine and beers!) calm me down a whole lot. My workplace is also amazing and offered broad kinds of experience. MESA is a very supportive, inclusive,understanding and well programmed. Facilitate and equip new future agrarian with more global view and weave the network of earth stewardship. This is the future! People come together - back to the land, work & play together ,learn and inspire each other. It was the healthiest and most balanced year of my life.

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I'm a MESA alum from 2004. I had the opportunity to experience two completely different organic operations, one in California's prime production areas - Northern San Joaquin Valley - and the other in upstate NY state - on the rolling foothills of the Catskills. These experiences allowed me to better understand American agricultural production, not only the organic/natural production systems but also to observe the neighboring conventional farms, which enhanced my view of the impact that industrial scale farming has on a global scale.
Needless to say I nurtured from the cultural exchange and my English skills increased significantly.

Overall it was a fantastic experience and opportunity for anyone that is in the Ag field.

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We , Earth Net Foundation, have been the Thai global partner for the MESA programme for a number of years, sending young Thai farmers and aspiring farmers on the program to live and learn and share their own knowledge on organic farms in America. We have also organized one hosting program here in Thailand last year. Most everyone we have sent has come back enriched. Many have taken experience and ideas to apply here, and are now playing leading roles in the organic movement of Thailand. Being a legal J 1 visa program, it can provide access to those from developing countries to an American farming experience. As the stewards, both learn from and contribute much in labor and skills to the host farms, the net cost is very low, making the program viable for young farmers from developing countries to join.

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Para mi la experiencia con MESA ha sido una de las mas lindas de mi vida, ya tenia previamente un trabajo sobre agroecología y soberanía alimentaria, pero el año que pase en California fortaleció esta idea o no solo como algo que quiero hacer en mi vida sino como la forma en que quiero vivir la vida, aprendía a cultivar alimentos en poco espacio y a ver formas alternativas de vivir, hice maravillosos amigos para toda la vida.

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