Labor4Learning Trainers 2021
Are you looking to get paid, on-the-job training with experienced farmers in Iowa? The Labor4Learning program is designed for beginning farmers seeking employment and additional training in farm management and production skills. Practical Farmers of Iowa “trainer” farmers will be hiring in the early part of the new year for the upcoming growing season. Browse the list below for training opportunities near you.
To apply, send current resume and three work-related references directly to the trainer. Direct any questions about job details to the trainer as well. For all other questions about the program or Practical Farmers of Iowa, please contact Celize Christy at celize@practicalfarmers.org or call our office at (515) 232-5661.
Labor4Learning Trainer Farms 2021
| Name | Farm Name | Town | Job Title | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hannah Breckbill | Humble Hands Harvest | Decorah | Seasonal Worker | Filled |
| James Frantzen | Frantzen Farm | Elma | Farm Operator | Filled |
| Natasha Hegman & Pete Kerns | Turkey River Farm | Elkport | Production Assistant | Available |
| Marcus and Emma Johnson | Buffalo Ridge Orchard | Central City | Farm Crew Member | Available |
| Barb Kraus | Canoe Creek Produce | Decorah | Seasonal Worker | Available |
| Will Lorentzen, Adrian White | Jupiter Ridge Farm | Garber | Farm Hand | Available |
| Dennis Lundy | Lundy Farms Inc. | Fontanelle | Farm Equipment Operator | Available |
| Martha McFarland | Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch | Fredericksburg | Ranch Intern | Available |
| Jenny Quiner | Dogpatch Urban Gardens | Des Moines | Farm Hand | Filled |
| Dale and Marcie Raasch | Bridgewater Farm | Bridgewater | Team Member | Available |
| Ronald Rachut | Fertile Valley Gardens | Fertile | Farm Trainee | Available |
| Derek Roller & Molly Schintler | Echollective Farm | Mechanicsville | Field Crew Member | Available |
| Mike Salama | Salama Greenhouse Inc | Boone | Assistant Grower | Available |
| Jordan Scheibel | Middle Way Farm | Grinnell | Seasonal Farm Labor | Filled |
| Bob & Marianne Sullivan | Sullivan Farm | Woodbine | Farm Manager Assistant | Available |
| Tom Wahl and Kathy Dice | Red Fern Farm | Wapello | Farm Worker | Available |
| Donna Warhover | Morning Glory LLC | Mt. Vernon | Farm Assistant | Filled |
Hannah Breckbill – Filled
Humble Hands Harvest, Decorah
Experience: 7 years
About the farm: We raise certified organic vegetables, rotationally graze sheep and are adding perennial crops and pastured pork. Our produce is sold through our CSA, the farmers market in Decorah and through aggregators and distributors in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota.
Job title: Seasonal Worker
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are full-time, 40 hours per week.
Other benefits: Farm lunch every day, veggie seconds and discounts on meat.
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Work is primarily with plants, including but not limited to: planting, transplanting, harvest, post-harvest handling, washing, packing, lifting, moving, delivering and storing plants and produce. Other work could include orchard maintenance and animal chores. Employee will work the farmers market booth a few times a month.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work well with others; listen to and follow instructions; work outside in all weather; stand for long periods of time; and lift at least 50 lbs. Must possess a valid drivers’ license and be a non-smoker.
Skills desired: A willingness to learn, and an interest in sticking around long-term.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): September
Contact: Hannah Breckbill, humblehandsharvest@gmail.com
James Frantzen – Filled
Frantzen Farm, Elma
Experience: 10 years
About the farm: Frantzen Farm is a 300-acre diversified and energetic organic crop and livestock farm, including beef and pork. The field crops we produce are fed to our livestock, with the exception of soybeans, which are produced for Stonebridge. All beef and pork is produced and sold through Organic Valley. We also produce non-certified organic poultry meat and eggs for our own use and local direct sales.
Job title: Farm Operator
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $13/hour, commensurate with experience; hours are full-time, 40 hours per week.
Other benefits: Clothing and footwear would be offered. Daily meals may be provided during work days. Flexible schedule and overtime after 40 hours per week.
On-farm housing: Shared housing may be available. All housing expenses covered such as heat, air conditioning and electrical.
Work activities: Livestock work includes daily chores, health treatments, movement of animals and general livestock management. Field crop activities include field prep, planting, cultivation and harvesting grain and forage. General maintenance, repairs and construction may also be necessary.
Minimum qualifications: Must be able to cope with all kinds of weather, possess a valid driver’s license, be able to lift at least 50 pounds, and know how to safely operate heavy equipment such as skid loaders and tractors. Training will be provided. Also must be comfortable working with large livestock.
Skills desired: Livestock and heavy equipment experience is preferred. Record-keeping would be beneficial, but not required.
Start date (approx): March
End date (approx): November
Contact: James Frantzen, james@riversidefeeds.net or (641) 257-8122
Natasha Hegmann & Pete Kerns
Turkey River Farm, Elkport
Experience: 5 years
About the farm: We raise pigs, feeder to finish on rotational pasture, pastured turkeys, vegetables for our 60-member CSA, shiitake and oyster mushrooms for market, and manage bedding plant production in our greenhouse.
Job title: Production Assistant
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Part time, 12-20 hours per week. Flexible scheduling.
Other benefits: Vegetable seconds, pork, meals during work time (we usually cook lunch and eat together)
On-farm housing: Yes, we have a Retreat Center on site and can negotiate it’s use for short or longer-term rental. We also have electricity and water access for an employee who would like to bring a travel trailer for seasonal housing.
Work activities: All activities related to vegetable production in field, greenhouse and high tunnel, including seed starting, transplanting, bed preparation, weed control, pest control, mowing, harvest, post harvest handling, CSA distribution. Additional activities related to livestock and mushroom production, as well as equipment maintenance.
Minimum qualifications: Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions, willingness to also work inside doing washing and bagging, can lift and carry at least 40 pounds, access to transportation to and from farm each day, ability to show up on time and consistently day to day and week to week, ability to communicate consistently with farm manager via phone, e-mail, and/or text, open to feedback, instruction, and constructive criticism, friendly and helpful to other farm workers.
Skills desired: This job is physical in nature and requires working in hot and cold conditions. Must be able to stand, squat, and bend at the waist repeatedly and for long periods of time. This job may require operation of small farm machines (ie. weed whacker, mower, pressure washer, walk-behind tractor) and must comply with all safety training and precautions. This includes using recommended personal protective equipment. Must be able to lift more than 50lbs.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): October
Contact: Natasha Hegmann, natasha.hegmann@gmail.com
Marcus and Emma Johnson
Buffalo Ridge Orchard, Central City
Experience: 7 years
About the farm: We are a family-owned and operated 80-acre diversified farm that grows herb plants, vegetables, apples, pears and row crops. We use organic practices for our vegetable crops and an integrated pest management system for our orchard. We have two moveable high tunnels for extending our growing season. The apple orchard is medium and high density and we grow over 50 different varieties of apples. We sell or produce through multiple farmers markets, direct wholesale and through our CSA. This year will be the first year that we will also have a store on our farm to sell produce during the peak of apple season.
Job title: Farm Crew Member
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $11/hour, or commensurate with experience; hours are variable.
Other benefits: A stipend of fresh produce from the farm.
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Activities include planting young apple trees, hand-thinning fruits, planting vegetable starts and installing trellising, weeding, washing and packing produce, completing required farm records, working farm markets and processing apples.
Minimum qualifications: Employees must be able to work outside in variable weather conditions, stand for long periods of time, lift at least 50 pounds, must be at least 18 year of age and posses a valid drivers license.
Skills desired: Tractor, horticultural and sales experience preferred.
Start date (approx): Mid-April
End date (approx): November 30
Contact: Emma Johnson, buffaloridgeorchard@gmail.com or call (563) 340-9665
Barb Kraus
Canoe Creek Produce, Decorah
Experience: 24 years
About the farm: We are a certified organic farm using minmal to no-tilling. We grow a wide variety of vegetables, cut flowers, berries and graze sheep, goats chickens and geese. Fresh vegetables, fowers and berries are sold at farmers market, the Iowa Food Hub’s online market, market CSA shares, a few restaurants, a food coop, and a food hub. We also market our lamb, -whole, half, or cuts to our CSA customers and an online marketplace.
Job Title: Seasonal worker
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are part-time, 20 hours per week.
Other benefits: Plenty of fresh produce and eggs. Professional Development funding and time based on individual learning goals
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Work varies by day and by season. Includes seeding, transplanting, bed preparation, trellising, weeding, harvesting, packing orders, farmers marketing, deliveries, fencing, light construction projects. Work schedule typically runs 8:00am-3:00pm during shoulder seasons and 6:30am-4:00pm during peak harvest season.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather, stand for long periods of time, lift at least 50 pounds, good organizational and communication skills.
Skills desired: Learning/growth mindset
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): November
Contact: Barb Kraus, canoecreekpro@gmail.com or (563) 382-4899
William Lorentzen and Adrian White
Jupiter Ridge Farm, Garber
Experience: 12 years
About the farm: We raise vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and plant starts using reduced tillage, cover crops, and extended crop rotations with no exceptions for chemical use, save OMRI approved applications for curative purposes. We’ve switched to pursuing Certified Naturally Grown over USDA Organic for cost reasons (and for a better fit for our small business model), and are applying currently. We sell at Dubuque Farmers Market as regular vendors (summer and winter). We contract with restaurants in our nearby Driftless Iowa area as well as Cedar Rapids, Dyersville, Dubuque and surrounding areas, and have a late-season CSA and online shop with Farm Share Boxes and produce delivery serving the nearby Driftless, Dyersville, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Marion areas.
Job title: Farm Hand
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10/hour, the possibility of raise with the right candidate; hours are part- to full-time.
Other benefits: Some on-farm meals supplied at no cost.
On-farm housing: Tent, yurt, camping/RV possible with access to your own bathroom in-house; spare room possibility can be discussed but not guaranteed – you may also contact us for leads on affordable apartment/house rentals near our area for the season
Work activities: Harvesting produce (vegetables, mushrooms, herbs), packing, storing, and labeling product, weed removal, transplanting, trellising and fencing, packing, cleanup tasks, assisting owners with priority tasks of the day.
The right high-quality and ambitious candidates may have opportunities to accompany owners for farmers market, delivery routes and networking opportunities.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather (heat or rain), stand for long periods of time, lift at least 50 pounds, withstand prolonged periods of physical labor, minimal physical limitations.
Skills desired: None required — all we look for is a willingness to learn and work, with a self-starting, independent and motivated spirit to really “dig in” and learn more about how to farm the way we do by extrapolating learning experiences from basic labor (the way we learned). Experience at a diverse vegetable farm is appreciated but not required.
Start date (approx): June
End date (approx): October
Contact: Will or Adrian, jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com
Dennis Lundy
Lundy Farms Inc., Fontanelle
Experience: 36 years
About the farm: We rasie no-till field crops, small grains, hay/baleage and custom cover crop seed. We have no livestock on the farm, so all of the hay is sold and delivered to dairies and feedlots. We are big on regnerative farming, experimenting and trying many new practices on that front.
Job title: Farm Equipment Operator
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is a minimum of $14 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are full-time, 40 hours per week.
Other benefits: N/A
On-farm housing: Housing could be avaliable.
Work activities: Mowing, raking, baling, loading, hauling, wrapping hay, and straw. Planting, Drilling, spraying, harvesting, hauling corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and rye. Seeding cover crops. Doing equipment maintenance. Keeping machinery, and farmstead looking good.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work long hours in the summer when its hot. Lift at least 50 pounds, possess a valid drivers liscense.
Skills desired: Tractor experience, be able to perform basic maintenance on machinery. Class A CDL would be great but not required. Be able to work with others. Have a passion for agriculture.
Start date (approx): May
End date (approx): November
Contact: Dennis Lundy, haylundy@yahoo.com or (641) 745-5228
Martha McFarland
Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch, Fredericksburg
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Experience: 9 years
About the farm: Our farm is 250 acres of pasture, woods, and cropland where we graze bison and Hereford cattle. We sell meat at our on-farm store, offer tours and events throughout the summer.
Job title: Ranch Intern
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $8.00/hour, or commensurate with experience.
Other benefits: Room and meals provided as well as discounts on bison meat.
On-farm housing: Farm stay at our house or camping at Split Rock Park
Work Activities: Building fencing, checking water, fencelines, mineral feeders, and helping with bison tours, herd management, making hay and doing building maintenance.
Skills desired: Any experience level is welcome as long as you are a critical thinker with a willingness to work hard, get dirty, and take direction. This is a part-time position, ideal for anyone working full-time who wants to learn about fencing, livestock and agritourism. We’re looking for individuals who can come to the farm for a few weeks this summer, or someone who can consistently come up to the farm on weekends (but not every weekend). Scheduling is flexible, but consistency and reliability is non-negotiable.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): November
Contact: Martha McFarland, hawkeyebuffalo@gmail.com
Jenny Quiner — Filled
Dogpatch Urban Garden, Des Moines
Experience: 3 years
About the farm: We are an urban farm on one acre of land in a residential area, with roughly a quarter of that acre under cultivation. The farm has been in operation for three seasons and specializes in growing annual vegetable crops, focusing on salad-oriented products. All crops are grown using organic methods. The business is diversified with multiple ways for the community to support the farm. The DUG Farm Stand is a seasonal onsite, locally sourced store that sells DUG products as well as other items from growers and producers throughout Iowa. DUG also sells product thorough our modified CSA (known as a Salad Subscription), to local restaurants and to the Iowa Food Co-op.
Job title: Farm Hand
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10.50/hour or commensurate with experience; hours are variable.
Other benefits: Potential for health insurance
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Daily field tasks such as planting, harvesting, weeding, seeding, watering, etc; work in the wash/pack house; deliver to local restaurants; help set up farm stand and work the retail site.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather conditions. Must lift at least 40 pounds. Strong communication skills. Must be able to work early in the morning. Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Skills desired: Vegetable production skills, and general knowledge of tools preferred.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): November
Contact: Jenny Quiner, jenny@dogpatchurbangardens.com
Dale and Marcie Raasch
Bridgewater Farm, Bridgewater
Experience: 42 years
About the farm: We raise certified organic fruits and vegetables, hay, cattle, hogs, broilers and laying hens. We use strip-till, extended crop rotations, cover crops, no antibiotics and non-GMO. We sell produce and meat through retail stores, farmers markets, the Iowa Food Co-op, a CSA, individual sales and restaurants.
Job title: Team Member
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10/hour, commensurate with experience and performance; hours are full-time and variable.
Other benefits: Excess produce
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Activities include planting, weeding, harvesting and packaging. If interested, observing sales calls/bookkeeping/marketing as well. Possible farmers market sales and CSA or store deliveries.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather, stand and bend for long periods of time and lift at least 50 pounds. Must also possess a valid driver’s license, (good driving record if making deliveries).
Skills desired: Self-motivated to learn and willing to work at a variety of tasks associated with a horticultural farm.
Start date (approx): March
End date (approx): November
Contact: Dale Raasch, (641) 745-5368
Ronald Rachut
Fertile Valley Gardens, Fertile
Experience: 50 years
About the farm: We grow five acres of onions for the wholesale market plus multiple vegetable crops for North Iowa Fresh. Due to our farm soil type root crops such as potatoes, onions, carrots, and parsnips are best. We also grow cabbage and green beans and are going to try growing celery and iceberg lettuce this season.
Job title: Farm Trainee
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are up to full-time, 40 hours per week.
Other benefits: Access to any vegetables
On-farm housing: I would prefer they had their own housing. However, this could be worked out.
Work activities: The work activities would include planting, both with a tractor and a push planter, cultivating, weeding, spraying, washing and grading produce, bagging and boxing produce, delivering, and possibly selling the produce as at a Farmers Market.
Minimum qualifications: These would include possessing a valid divers license, lift 50 pounds (most are lighter). Comfortable with conventional farming, not afraid to work, able to work outside in all kinds of weather, work inside, and very important, be able to work with other people.
Skills desired: Experience operating a tractor (this can be taught). Bookkeeping, able to give and take and adapt, able to work some Sundays if the weather dictates, able to work with people and also alone, and able to use social media.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): December
Contact: Ronald Rachut, rrachut6555@gmail.com
Derek Roller & Molly Schintler
Echollective Farm, Mechanicsville
Experience: 20+ years
About the farm: Echollective Farm’s Mission – “Together with our Iowa Community, Echollective Farm grows food to nourish people and the planet.” Although we no longer certify organic, we grow well over 100-plus varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers, mushrooms and seed garlic on 15-plus acres each year using organic, sustainable practices. We use cover crops, intercropping techniques and hoop houses for season extension in our operation. Our markets include a 60-member CSA, farmers markets, seed garlic sales across the northern United States and wholesale of our produce and flowers to local grocery stores, area restaurants, florists and schools. We currently have a small flock of chickens for personal egg production and have raised pigs for ourselves in previous seasons.
Job title: Field Crew Member
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $11+/hr depending on experience with one or more opportunities for a raise throughout the growing season
Other benefits: Free veggies
On-farm housing: Possibly
Work activities: The season begins in the spring with greenhouse work. Field crew members learn seed-starting techniques and work in the hoop houses prepping beds for early crops. In summer, the vast majority of our time is spent in the field transplanting, weeding and harvesting. The field crew member will learn how to use a variety of tools to effectively control weeds. Once harvest season is in full swing, we are picking almost every morning. Everyone will learn how to harvest each crop and will work in the washroom to prep produce for market. If there is interest, a field crew member can help at a farmers market to learn aspects of selling vegetables at a market (as well as our CSA). In the fall, we continue with our weekly harvests for market in the field and hoop houses, along with bringing in all the storage crops.
Minimum qualifications: Strong commitment and effort is required and solid time management skills are essential. Additional requirements include the ability to lift at least 50 pounds, perform tasks outside in all weather conditions and to contribute positively to the team and as a part of a collaborative environment. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or Geen Card holders. Echollective Farm is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of our community and strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Skills desired: Prior experience with farming and/or food related jobs is a plus.
Start date (approx): March
End date (approx): November
Contact: Derek Roller, echocsa@gmail.com
Mike Salama
Salama Greenhouse Inc, Boone
Experience: 7 years
About the farm: We grow ornamentals, bedding plants, cut flowers, potted annuals, perennials, hydroponic tomatoes, basil and winter greens. Everything is under cover, greenhouse grown, with a hydroponic system in place for vegetables. Flowers and plants are sold in-house retail, and vegetables are sold to grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions wholesale.
Job title: Assistant Grower
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10/hour, commensurate with experience; hours are part-time at 20 per week.
Other benefits: N/A
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: seeding, planting, watering, pruning, harvesting, packing, moving plants,
Minimum qualifications: Must be able to stand for long periods of time, dress for all weather conditions, lift at least 50 pounds and have a valid driver’s license.
Skills desired: Horticulture, greenhouse experience, flower shop, retail, veggie production preferred.
Start date (approx): March 1
End date (approx): September 30
Contact: Mike Salama, salama.mike@gmail.com
Jordan Scheibel — Filled
Middle Way Farm, Grinnell
Experience: 8 years
About the farm: Middle Way Farm is a two acre chemical-free market garden located on the Lacina family farm just north of Grinnell, run by Jordan Scheibel since 2013. This season, Jordan is joined by Joe and Laurel Tuggle Lacina as new partners in the business, making this a three person team farm wtih Jordan as the lead farmer. We produce seasonal vegetables, herbs, and plant starts from May through December for sale in Grinnell, Newton, and sometimes Des Moines. Our main outlet is a 100+ member CSA share including both standard and customizable shares. In 2020, we launched an online market with home delivery to replace our annual spring on farm plant sale and continued selling online throughout the season, which we plan to continue in 2021. We also sell through the Iowa Food Coop in Des Moines and Grinnell Farm to Table during the shoulder seasons, as well as small amounts of wholesale to local institutions, grocery, and restaurant customers.
Job title: Seasonal Farm Labor
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are up to full-time, 40 hours per week, but we will consider the right candidates who want to work fewer hours.
Other benefits: Weekly CSA share, access to as much seconds produce as desired.
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Worker will help in all aspects of the farm operation, from greenhouse seeding, transplanting, weeding, and setting up irrigation, to harvest, washing, and packing produce for market. Tasks vary by the day and by the season, but we follow a regular schedule dictated by harvest and our markets. The L4F position will primarily work with farmer Jordan doing field production.
Minimum qualifications: Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions, willingness to also work inside doing washing and bagging, can lift and carry at least 40 pounds, access to transportation to and from farm each day, ability to show up on time and consistently day to day and week to week, ability to communicate consistently with farm manager via phone, e-mail, and/or text, open to feedback, instruction, and constructive criticism, friendly and helpful to other farm workers, willingness to follow COVID precautions such as masking and social distancing at work and preferably outside of work as well.
Skills desired: Experience with outdoor manual labor, especially farm work. Basic garden knowledge (how to identify plants, common tools, basic garden/farm layout, etc.). Prior ability to drive and use a tractor and other power equipment (mower, weed whacker, rototiller). Experience in a production environment where efficiency is required.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): October
Contact: Jordan Scheibel, jordan@middlewayfarm.com
Bob & Marianne Sullivan
Sullivan Farm, Woodbine
Experience: 48 years
About the farm: We raise field crops using no-till and cover crops. We also raise a small herd of beef cattle and have been making efforts to renovate our pastures, establish proper paddocks to more opportunties for our cows to graze.
Job title: Farm Manager Assistant
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10 per hour or commensurate with experience. Hours are flexbile, offering either part-time (20 hrs) or full-time (40 hrs).
Other benefits: N/A
On-farm housing: N/A
Work activities: Work will vary day by day. Major work activities will be operating tillage, planting, and harvest equipment. Operating loader, feed wagon, and tractor. Working with cattle, weaning calves, making and fixing fence for pasture rotation, and turning cows out to pasture. Working with us to learn how to adapt technology on the farm – espcifically drone operation, navigating GPS.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather, stand for long periods of time, lift at least 50 pounds, good organizational and communication skills.
Skills desired: Learning/growth mindset
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): November
Contact: Bob Sullivan, bobsully47@icloud.com or (712) 592-9023
Tom Wahl and Kathy Dice
Red Fern Farm, Wapello
Experience: 29 years
About the farm: We raise tree crops which include: chestnuts, pawpaws, American persimmons, heartnuts, Asian pears, Cornelian cherries, hazels and honey berry. We have a thriving small tree nursery and sell seed nuts and scion wood through mail-order. We are just starting with a permaculture system that includes permanent ground cover, perennials and Katahdin sheep. We are not certified organic, but minimize the use of chemical fertilizers and sprays. Tree crops are marketed using U-pick and chestnuts are sold through a local chestnut cooperative.
Job title: Farm Worker
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10/hour, or commensurate with experience. Hours worked will vary; we can accommodate a variety of schedules of a potential worker.
Other benefits: Room and board will be provided, along with use of kayaks and bicycles for excursions and access to wild areas to explore on and off our farm. Additional training on gardening and food preservation, if desired.
On-farm housing: We have a guest room/library for the intern to use. The bed is a fold-out sofa, full-size, with a memory foam mattress. We have wifi at our passive solar house. We use a composting toilet (a plus for some people) and cistern water. The intern can cook their own meals in our kitchen or share the family meals which include a lot of produce from our farm and venison. There is only one bathroom for the house and is shared with four other adults. Camping options could also be arranged.
Work activities: Spring work will include potting up sprouted seedlings into pots, managing the nursery stock, planting, pruning, mowing and managing the sheep flock. If desired, work could include managing the website and bookkeeping. Fall work will include mowing, preparing for U-pick customers, harvesting, processing and managing customers.
Minimum qualifications: Able to work outside in all weather, ability to lift 30 pounds and walk 2-4 miles a day across rough terrain. Willingness to handle large mowers and adequate English language skills are preferred,
Skills desired: Willingness to work flexible hours. Some experience with plants would be nice. Desire to learn about agroforestry essential.
Start date (approx): mid-September
End date (approx): mid-October
Contact: Kathy Dice, kathy@redfernfarm.com
Donna Warhover — Filled
Morning Glory LLC, Mt Vernon
Experience: 8 years
About the farm: We raise vegetables and herbs for our CSA, restaurants, chefs and college food service, and we raise eggs for our CSA shareholders. Though not certified, we practice organic production and we also use cover crops in our crop rotation. We also host community and learning events throughout the year.
Job title: Farm Assistant
Terms, hours, status: Pay rate is $10/hour or commensurate with experience; hours are full-time and variable.
Other benefits: Workers comp insurance, fruit and vegetables available, connection to larger farm/mentor/local food movement community
On-farm housing: N/A
Work Activities: Activities include seed-starting (soil blocks, germination chamber), greenhouse and high tunnel management, planting, organic soil management, pest and weed management, harvesting, processing and marketing crops. Also prepare site for hosting students, visitors and other community events, working with volunteers and staffing farmers market table and distribution of CSA shares.
Minimum qualifications: Be able to work outside in all weather, stand for long periods of time, lift at least 50 pounds, possess a valid driver’s license, strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment, commitment to local foods movement, adherence to Morning Glory’s vision.
Start date (approx): April
End date (approx): October
Contact: Donna Warhover, donnawarhover@gmail.com
Questions?
Contact Celize Christy at celize@practicalfarmers.org or call our office (515) 232-5661.