Upper Pond Farm’s mission is to provide healthy, fresh produce to local markets, especially Lyme-Old Lyme community members.  Upper Pond Farm produces food using ecologically and financially sustainable methods while providing meaningful and rewarding work to the community.

This is our 6th season growing diversified vegetables in the Lower Connecticut River Valley.  We love what our farm has become over the last several years.  We have the infrastructure and equipment to produce a meaningful amount of food for our community.  Our system is set up to for us to work ergonomically and efficiently. 

We work a reasonable schedule; most days are 8 hours and we always take Mondays off.  Our staff members all receive two days off per week.  Part of sustainability for us is preventing burnout of staff.  Our positions come with PTO and sick time. 

We feed 120 CSA families for 30 weeks of the year.  We attend 2 summer and 1 winter farmers market and have several area wholesale accounts. 

2019 Summer Apprentice 

Upper Pond Farm believes that people should have access to healthy food grown without harmful chemicals.   We do this by growing food using organic practices, distributing vegetable CSA shares (to families and a local food pantry), attending local farmers markets and selling produce to area grocery stores.  We are not certified organic. 

We love growing with and for our community.  We focus on sustainability in our growing practices, in our social networks and in our fiscal health.  Our farm is powered by a variety of human, animal and tractor powers. 

We farm with volunteers, family and paid help.  This year we have 3 farmers returning from previous seasons, have hired a new farm hand (who is considering completing an apprenticeship with us) and hope to add 1 more farmer with a love of being outdoors and growing food in a beautiful environment (we participate in community meals and enjoy singing while we work). All apprentices are provided with on farm housing, pay and a CSA share. Pay is based on performance and experience.  Total compensation comes out to between $12 and $14 per hour.  

Our Apprentice positions are appropriate for students or recent graduates.  Start date May 13th or 14th.  End dates are flexible between August 21st and October 21st.   For the right candidate, there is a possibility of on farm winter housing and part time winter work. 

Apprentices will spend time planting, weeding, harvesting, washing, trellising and pruning produce.  Apprentices will spend a fair amount of time working with the head farmers and will sometimes work alone.  Opportunities for interfacing with our customers and community are available, as well as some food processing and preservation.  The apprentices may spend 2 days working in the field, one day harvesting, one day in the kitchen (when processing is happening) and one day at market, per week.

Apprenticeship

We have been impressed at what our former apprentices have gone on to do in sustainable agriculture.  The intention of our apprenticeship is to give a farm hand the skills, knowledge and resources to become a farm manager or start their own vegetable farm.  We will work with the apprentice to develop a custom made curriculum that will give them the tool kit necessary to achieve their goals in sustainable agriculture.  We have sample curriculum available upon request. With our apprentices, we continue to offer support as they have gone onto manage other farms and start their own.  If desired, we continue to provide mentorship after successful completion of our apprenticeship.  

Requirements

Must be able to crouch, squat and lift in a safe and healthful manner. 
Must be able to reliably be ready to work at 7:30AM.
Must be able to follow verbal, written or visual directions and complete assigned tasks successfully.
Must love being outside.
Must tolerate well behaved dogs.
Must have already worked on another vegetable farm.