Raven Ridge Farm
Last Updated On: February 5th, 2024 at 12:28PM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:435 Anderson Lane
Kalispell, Montana, 59901
Primary Contact: Cassady Daley
Secondary Contact: Nathan Christianson
Primary Phone:
Type: Cell
Number: 406-212-3855
Email: ravenridgecsa@gmail.com
Secondary Phone
Type: -----
Number: 406-314-0280
Email:
Website: https://www.growravenridge.com
Internship information
General Farm Description: Raven Ridge Farm is a small 1 acre market garden that sits on 3 acres in Kalispell, MT dedicated to human and soil health. The farm has become a successful business that is known in the community for providing vegetables that are beautiful, delicious, consistent, and of the highest quality that you can find. Our garden produces food for 150 CSA families, one farmers market, and our driveway self serve farm stand.CRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: mid to late April
Internship Ends: mid October
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: Rolling application deadline. Positions will be filled once the right people are found.
Minimum Length of Stay: flexible but will prefer full season
Internship Details:
Employees will work alongside farm owners to produce food for Kalispell and the Flathead Valley in an efficient, environmentally focused manner. We farm without the use of a 4-wheel tractor. This means the work day to day includes hand tools, wheelbarrows, and your hands. We do have a walk-behind tractor (2-wheel tractor) that helps with some field prep work but most is done through human labor. As we are a very small farm, our crew is also very small. Typically 2-4 people plus 2 owner/managers are working on any given day.
The ideal farm hand is interested in starting their own farm or is passionate about local food and gardening, works well in a fast paced environment, and is skilled at looking ahead to what’s next and how to get there.
Farming in Northwest Montana means that within the farm season, you will experience rain, snow, wind, and extreme heat. A farm hand must be physically and emotionally strong enough to handle variable working conditions. Be able to regularly lift 40 lbs. and work on their feet for 8 hours a day. A lot of the work that we do is repetitive.
Farm work is manual labor and employees are expected to be willing to do all tasks on the farm regardless of the weather. Farm hands must be willing and able to work quickly and efficiently, be detail oriented, communicate thoughtfully, and take pride in the farm’s success. We take pride in the skill and craftsmanship needed to do the job well and the fast pace work environment that comes with it. You will need to be able to listen, follow directions, and learn.
As a farm and farm crew, we are in search of awe. Paul Piff and colleagues wrote that experiencing awe leads to “perception of vastness that dramatically expand the observer’s usual frame of reference in some dimension or domain.” We seek to immerse ourselves, as a team, on the farm in the raw power of natures vastness and the willingness to adjust our understanding of the world in order to accommodate that experience. Our farm goes beyond “employment” to shift our perspective and empower our team to think differently, apply themselves physically and emotionally, and experience the world with a new perspective.
Educational Opportunities: This is a paid seasonal job. Education comes with the work. At the end of the season employees leave here with a deep understanding and sense of know-how to possibly run their own market farm.
Skills Desired: Previous farm experience is preferred but not mandatory. More importantly, the right candidate can work in an intimate setting with a small crew, be motivated to work hard, be willing to learn, and be able to receive constructive feedback.
Meals: Meals are not provided. Produce is available to all employees as it becomes seasonally available.
Stipend: Starting at $15/hr. Full time crew receives up to 5 paid vacation days (8 hours/ day). Details regarding this can be discussed later.
Housing: A wall tent is available for 1 employee, located on the the south end of property. Rustic accommodations include wood stove, hot outdoor shower, composting toilet, outdoor basic kitchen on porch etc. Wall tent rent is free but employee is responsible for propane costs and must keep space clean and tidy. Can be cold in April and October.
Preferred method of Contact: email