Job description

Seeking a Farmer in Residence Intern
March-November 2015

The farmer in residence will assist the Manager in all farm operations at Shalom Farm – a 6-acre nonprofit community farm project in rural Goochland County, Virginia. The farmer in residence will also lead visitors and volunteers in farm tours and work. The scope of the residency may broaden to include engagement in urban gardening and food entrepreneurship programs in low-income neighborhoods of Richmond. The farmer in residence’s involvement in off-farm food access activities will be determined by his/her interest and the needs of the organization. 

The farmer in residence must have a strong desire to learn and a willingness to work hard. Farming or gardening experience is strongly preferred. The farmer in residence must be prepared for strenuous labor under potentially extreme weather conditions.    

We will work with the farmer in residence to develop a curriculum to further his/her education in sustainable agriculture, food security issues, and nutrition. Educational opportunities on the farm include seed propagation, transplanting, composting, soil amending and care, harvesting, egg production and more.

A driver’s license and vehicle for commuting to the city for programming and distributing produce is required.

Shalom Farms is a nonprofit community farm project with the overarching goal of increasing access to healthy food in the Richmond region, particularly in low-income urban neighborhoods.

Our approach is two-fold – 1) we meet immediate need by making fresh produce available at low or no cost to people with limited food access, and 2) we work for long-term transformation of the food system by providing educational opportunities in diet, health, and agriculture.

We are currently growing produce on 6 acres in rural Goochland County (about 35 miles west of Richmond) on property owned by Camp Westview on the James, a Methodist camp and retreat center. About 1/3 of our produce is sent to the Central Virginia Food Bank, while the rest is used in after-school programs, cooking classes, food pantries, meal programs and youth-run farm stands at partner organizations in East End and South Side neighborhoods of Richmond.  

We grow about twenty basic vegetable and fruit crops, all chosen for their widespread appeal and accessibility in the communities we serve. We also cultivate a small blackberry and raspberry orchard and maintain a small-scale egg operation with 30 chickens.

While not certified organic, we use organic methods, emphasizing soil care through composting, mulching, cover cropping and other practices that enhance microbial life. We do not use any synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, or pesticides.  

In addition to food production, the farm offers an outdoor learning experience for thousands of volunteers and visitors each year. Located on the grounds of Camp Westview on the James, Shalom Farm is frequented by campers who visit the farm throughout the summer to work and learn.  

For a quick glance at Shalom Farm, visit our website or Facebook page.  

Farmer Residency dates: March – November, 2015 (flexible)
Hours per week: 40
Compensation: Modest living stipend, housing, and farm produce provided.
Location: Goochland, Virginia, 23063, United States
Application deadline: reviewed on a rolling basis until January 15 

Compensation

this position is: stipend / non-monetary compensation

Application instructions

Deadline

January 15, 2015