Positions: 3 Farm Apprentices – 2 Full-time Farming, 1 Half-time Farming / Half-time Child Care
Type: Full-time with weekly stipend, room & partial board (see below)
Organization: Fiddle Foot Farm www.fiddlefootfarm.com
Location: 1 hour North of Toronto, Mansfield, Ont. on the Niagara Escarpment
Start date: April 1st until November 15th, 2018
ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC FARM – APPRENTICESHIP 2018
Fiddle Foot Farm is a diverse Biodynamic farm that grows 5.5 acres of vegetables, for a CSA, market garden and wholesale customers. We also raise livestock including cows, pastured chickens and pastured pigs. This will be our 11th season running a farm business, and we now have 10 years experience working with apprenticeship-based learning on our farm.
We practice a holistic approach to farm management through the incorporation of Biodynamic practices. We consider the land that we work to be a dynamic and living Farm Organism that can be increasingly sensitized to nature’s rhythms through the application of consciously prepared herbal and homeopathic preparations, carefully timed plantings and the power of positive intentions and human thought. Apprenticing at Fiddle Foot Farm is appropriate for curious minds seeking to develop a practical and more personal connection to the natural world through daily interactions with soil, plants, animals and people.
We make every effort to ensure that the season is one filled with opportunities for learning and education in many aspects of sustainable agriculture. This includes exposure to seeding, transplanting, cultivation/weeding, irrigation, tractor work, use of our BCS walk-behind tractor, harvesting, post-harvest handling, marketing, caring for animals, canning/preserving, etc. We will participate in monthly visits to other farms as we are members of the CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) network. You will have access to our extensive agricultural library.
You will be involved in the daily care for our chickens, pigs and small herd of cattle. You will have the opportunity to learn about season extension practices that we use in our moveable hoop-houses. There will be small construction and infrastructure projects to be involved with as well. The 66-acre farm property includes access to the Bruce Trail and the nearby Boyne River.
**We are looking for 3 Apprentices for the 2018 growing season**
Timing: April 1st – November 15th (start and end dates are negotiable)
Compensation:
- On-farm accommodations in a 3 bedroom, 800 ft2 house
- Stipend of $150/week
- Food: vegetables and some farm-raised meat will be provided.
All applicants must be willing and able to work long, satisfying hours in the outdoors, 5-6 days a week and be committed to working in a team environment. All applicants should have good communication skills, be independent workers, be physically fit and most of all have a strong desire to learn by doing.
THIS YEAR… We are looking for one apprentice who will divide their time between farm work and the care of our 4-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter! Your specific schedule is yet to be determined, but would include at most half-time child-care with remaining time spent working on the farm. No farming experience is necessary, but we would like to see that you have experience working with young children. If you are interested in this position, please indicate on your application.
More information about Fiddle Foot Farm can be found on our website: www.fiddlefootfarm.com
If you are interested in working with us this season, please send us a cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this learning experience as well as a resume to fiddlefootfarm@gmail.com.
If you have any questions regarding the apprenticeship, please be in touch via phone or email.
Contact: Graham Corbett & Amy Ouchterlony
Tel. 519-215-9138
E-mail: fiddlefootfarm@gmail.com