Company description Living Roots is a farm, sustainable living center, and farm school.  Our passion is food (growing it, processing it, cooking it, and distributing it to others).  We are looking for others that share this same mission.  We also focus on healing arts, natural building, off-the-grid living, and generally growth and learning. Internship description

Are you interested in running your own organic, sustainable, small farm? Or your own gardens or permaculture based growing operation? Does changing your lifestyle to include more sustainable practices interest you? Living Roots Farm and Sustainable Living Center has given a life changing apprenticeship experience to hundreds of people that answered Yes to some of these questions!

This is an intimate, hands-on training program. Instead of the institutional feel of a large university or online program, you get an organic, down-to-earth, human experience. The farm school's intention is to empower apprentices by giving them real life farm and living experience.

General Curriculum Topics

Organic Produce Farming - Crop Selection, Seed Starting, Soil Preparation, Planting, Tending, Harvesting, Season Extension, Tools, Machinery, General Permaculture

Organic Animal Farming - Humane Caretaking for Cattle, Pigs, and Chickens, including Rotational Grazing, Grass-Fed Diets, Basic Butchering Skills

Running a Farm Business - Sales/Marketing, Farmers Markets, CSAs, Online Farmers Markets, Wholesale Business

Wellness & Lifestyle for Organic Farmers - Yoga (optional), Massage (optional), Self-care, Farm-Based Culinary Arts, Sustainable Living (many possibilities, but including fermentation, cheese/yogurt/bread making, off-the-grid living/homesteading skills, herbal medicine making, natural building, food preservation, etc. - depending on apprentice interest and season)

Please note: Farming and other Sustainable Living activities are seasonal. Some topics listed above may not be available certain times of the year. If you are looking for a more complete experience, we suggest you come for an entire growing season (Spring to Fall or an entire 12 months).

Housing

Housing is included and is either in a dorm-style farmhouse or an off-the grid cabin, depending on availability. All apprentices will either use the farmhouse kitchen or the staff kitchen in the arts center (depending on your housing). The apprentice can also choose to live off-site, if they are local.

Cost

In order to make this program accessible to everyone, there is no cost. However, all apprentices will work 3 days a week on the farm (21-28 hours/week plus rotating animal chores). Our costs associated with this educational program, included the housing and food, are reduced by the work that the apprentice does on the farm. The most qualified and committed will be chosen during the application process (please see application instructions below). To be clear, an apprenticeship is both a learning experience and a job - we expect apprentices to come to Living Roots with that kept in mind.

More information

The farm owner and farm school director, Michael Hicks, has been organic gardening and farming since 2002. He has been operating educational aspects within the farm since 2006! Over 200 people have worked with him in an apprenticeship or educational capacity during these years. Many have taken away countless skills and have had many life changing experiences that have helped them live the life they want to live. We welcome you to join our team!

Our market farm produces just about any vegetable you can imagine for our 100 family CSA, Farmers Markets, local coops/natural foods stores, and restaurants. Main crops are garlic/onions, brassicas and hardy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers,and beans. Other crops include: figs (in Hoophouse), strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, melons, Jerusalem artichokes, yacon, eggplant, okra, other roots, etc.  We grow over 300 varieties of produce each year.  Also winter production in 3 hoop houses. And the farm has chickens, pigs, goats, and grass-fed cows which you will also get to work with.

Many past apprentices have received credit and sometimes funding from their college for an internship/apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship is only 3 farm work days a week, giving the apprentice 4 days of flexibility. During these 4 days, it's a possibility for the apprentice to spend more time on the farm (if they want a fuller experience), focus on sustainable living skills (off-the-grid/homesteading skills, culinary arts, healing arts, etc.), personal growth/reflection, or do whatever they like (such as work another job).
 

Compensation this position is : stipend / non-monetary compensation
Details: Education, job training, housing, and food included. Also, use of community center, community garden, and wifi included. Application instructions DeadlineAugust 31, 2020