Light Root Community Farm, LLC

Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2024 at 09:59AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
7715 Arapahoe Rd
Boulder, Colorado, 80303

Primary Contact: Daphne Kingsley
Secondary Contact: Cameron Genter

Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 7204751330
    Email: lightrootfarm@gmail.com

Secondary Phone
    Type: -----
    Number: 316-640-0151
    Email:

Website: https://www.lightroot.farm

Internship information

General Farm Description: Light Root Community Farm is a 65 acre highly diversified farm and dairy located in Boulder, Colorado. We operate a small holistic grass-based dairy focused on producing high quality raw milk for our herd share member program. Our dairy herd is made up primarily of jersey and jersey cross cows on a once- a-day milking routine and integrated into a management intensive grazing system on the farm. We integrate a flock of 150+ pastured organic laying hens into our grazing systems providing egg shares for farm members. The Farm includes a small demonstration garden with raised beds using a low till system to grow medicinal herbs, flowers and vegetables. We also grow 1-3 acres of field crops and cover crops. The farm utilizes draft animal power (horses, oxen and donkeys), for all field tillage, cultivation and hay production on the farm. Draft animal power supports our values of being light on the land, reducing our carbon footprint by reducing use of fossil fuels, contributing to on-farm fertility, and supporting a living relationship between the land, animals, and farmers. We value a direct relationship with the community we feed, and all of the farm’s products are marketed through our farmstand and farm share memberships. Light Root Community Farm’s practices are rooted in Biodynamic, Organic and Regenerative farming methods to promote diversity, and health and resilience in the soil, plants, animals and humans on the farm. Light Root Community Farm also operates a non profit–Living Earth Agriculture Foundation, which holds the social mission of our work. LEAF offers a variety of therapeutic and educational programming, volunteer opportunities, farmer training workshops, and youth camps to connect, educate, and provide healing to the community by deepening our relationship to Agriculture. The working farm is the basis for the community programming, and operates in collaboration to support the mission of both entities.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: Summer/ early Fall 2024
Internship Ends: year round position
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: rolling until we find the right candidate
Minimum Length of Stay: 12 months

Internship Details:

Dairy Assistant Manager:

We are seeking a well rounded individual committed to pursuing farming as a life path, interested in deepening their relationship to the craft of agriculture through practical experience and willingness to learn and integrate Light Root Community Farm’s systems and values into the daily work.
The ideal candidate for this position values a diverse farm operation which is designed to support the greater social mission and the educational and therapeutic programming offered on the farm. This position is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the dairy and raw milk production, participating in some general farm chores and assisting with community farm programming in the dairy and on the farm. This includes daily milking routines, milk barn and milk house cleaning procedures, bottling and raw milk quality control, pastured laying flock chores and egg handling, calf care and livestock chores, and occasional garden work and maintenance. This position will work closely with farm managers on herd breeding plans, cow health and wellness, calf management, winter feeding systems, and seasonal grazing plan implementation. While daily milking routines and raw milk bottling and handling are the main focus of this position the ideal candidate is interested in participating in a variety of work tasks that support the health and needs of the whole farm system.
As a working farm with a commitment to a social and educational mission, Light Root Community Farm hosts farm tours, summer camps and education programs, and has a regular public interface through our Herd share program. We are looking for a candidate who brings enthusiasm and engagement to assisting with the farm’s social/educational programs as well as the daily work and routines of the farm.

General responsibilities:

5 morning milking shifts/week
Thorough daily Milk Barn clean up & Milk House cleaning management
Follow detailed SOP for raw milk bottling procedures 3-4 days a week
Stocking Farm store with milk and washing return milk jars (commercial dishwasher)
Assist with farm/dairy education programs + Summer camp programs
Cow heat tracking for breeding
Holistic Herd health management, (will train to LRCF’s methods)
Assist Chicken chores and egg handling
Regular communication & collaboration with Farm Managers
General dairy record keeping–milk production, breeding, health records
Assistance with general livestock chores–mucking + bedding pens, watering livestock, feeding
Calf feeding and handling
Assist with seasonal grazing plan
​
Qualifications:

Ability to lift 50+ pounds on a regular basis (this position requires a lot of lifting daily–milk buckets, coolers with milk jars, hay ect.)
2 years prior experience in Farming
1 year minimum prior experience milking dairy cows
Excellent communication skills
Positive attitude and team player
Good personal hygiene–raw milk bottling procedures require clean handling
Timeliness, Reliability, and Flexibility to changing needs of the farm
Reliable personal transportation to get back and forth to the farm
Love for cows and dairy!

Educational Opportunities: A variety of training and learning opportunities on the farm

Skills Desired: Some livestock and dairy experience is preferred.

Meals: meals are not provided, but apprentices are given milk, eggs, and vegetables from the farm as available throughout the season.

Stipend: Competitive hourly wage offered DOE, including shared farmer housing + utilities on a beautiful nearby farm just outside of Boulder (approx. 4 miles away from Light Root-- personal transportation required).

Housing: Off site farm Housing offered on nearby farm property (about 4 miles from Light Root Community Farm). Apprentices have their own room in a shared apprentice house. Apprentices do need their own vehicle to transport themselves to the farm.

Preferred method of Contact: email