Company description

Flipside Farm CSA is located on 93 acres in Bedminster, NJ.  Entering into its 5th growing season, Flipside Farm grows ~5 acres of certified-organic produce and raises pastured pigs.

Internship description

The farm apprenticeship is designed to provide an immersive experience in all aspects of production at the farm.  You’ll get your hands dirty with a wide variety of jobs, with examples spanning from: seeding onions in the greenhouse, spreading cover crop seed, transplanting kale, hoeing sweet peppers, cultivating with tractors, trellising tomatoes, working the farmers' market, hand-weeding carrots, and harvesting winter squash.  Though most days will contain a variety of jobs, some days will be spent pushing through one or two big tasks (e.g. planting potatoes, building a high tunnel).  Apart from the daily tasks, you’ll be an active part of our growing CSA, currently entering its 5th year of production.

We provide a working education on the farm plus additional off-farm educational events throughout the growing season.  Apprentices will have the opportunity to visit other farms in the central NJ region, participate in NOFA NJ events, and attend various workshops through NJ CRAFT, a regional farmer-to-farmer educational organization.
 

Jobs and Responsibilities – Diversity is the key to the farm work – Apprentices will do many different jobs accomplishing many different things throughout the season.  Tasks will include:

• Greenhouse work – seeding, watering, transplanting, monitoring fertility and disease and pest threats in seedlings
• Field work – transplanting, seeding, hand weeding, hoeing, spinning cover crop seeds and amendments, trellising, setting up row covers, mulching, etc.
• Livestock – setting up and maintaining fences, feeding and watering pigs
• Harvesting – harvesting, washing, sorting and storing produce, maintaining harvest records; cleaning up harvest area.  Apprentices will be encouraged to assume the role of Harvest Manager on a rotating basis. 
• CSA Distribution – (Wed & Sat) setting up, staffing, and cleaning up the CSA stand.  Apprentices will share the responsibility of being the ‘shopkeeper’ with the Farm Manager.  The schedule will be determined by the Farm Manager and Apprentices
• Everything else!  You never know what needs to be done to run a farm! Surprises can abound.  Jobs may include setting up and taking down irrigation systems, driving the farm truck, pruning blackberries, doing administrative work, helping with carpentry projects, tractor repairs, using a weed whacker, mower and other small machinery, maintaining the wooded trails, using the flame-weeder and so on.  Flexibility and a willingness to do whatever needs being done are expected and valued qualities!
• Working with others – Apprentices are expected to be able to work with all kinds of people with patience, respect and as representatives of the Farm.  We work A LOT with each other and hopefully have a lot of fun doing it! 

 

Expectations:

• Bring a spirit of dedication and enthusiasm to the job
• Be sober, on time, ready to work with appropriate attire
• Be in good physical condition, able to lift 50 lbs, and willing to work in all weather
• Have a valid driver’s license (farm will need a copy)
• Be ready to work outside in all kinds of weather (and be dressed accordingly)
• Commit to working on the farm for a full season
• Take full advantage of a working and learning experience on the farm!  Make observations, ask questions, take notes, enjoy the subtle changes in the seasons, have fun working with the crew, eat a lot of fresh produce, and sleep well knowing you put in an honest days’ work.

 

Apprenticeships begin on Monday, April 6th and end Friday, November 2nd 2020

Compensation

this position is: stipend / non-monetary compensation

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline