Crespell

Last Updated On: diciembre 17th, 2021 at 10:49AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
38 Van Road
Lexington, New York, 12452

Primary Contact: Anne
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 9176266385
    Email: crespellgrowers@gmail.com

Website: https://www.crespell.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: Non-certified organic specialty cut flower farm. Queer owned and powered.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 4/1/22
Internship Ends: 11/18/22
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: 2/1/22
Minimum Length of Stay: 7 months

Internship Details:

Flower Crew: 3 positions
Requirements:

· 1+ full seasons on an organic vegetable or flower farm

· Competitive, energetic work ethic and manual dexterity

· Ability to combine fun + efficiency

· Highly adaptable, ingenuitive and resilient

· Punctual, consistent, joyful, honest

· Ability to receive feedback and follow both oral and written instructions

· Fast learner and strong desire to learn organic flower farming

· Valid drivers license

· Excited to butch out and lift 50+ lbs

· Ability to do repetitive work happily

· Willingness to address interpersonal challenges and prioritize the strength of the crew and the farm.

· Willingness to put farm first and job first for the season. This means prioritizing community experience, scheduling personal appointments outside of work hours and taking care of your body throughout the season, as this is a highly physical position.

· Willingness to work in all kinds of weather (and willingness to allocated funds for the gear to do it comfortably – 3 pairs gloves, rain pants, rain jacket, water-proof boots are all essential)

· Willingness to speak up and voice concerns as they arise

· Queer or queer ally

We offer:

· $14-$16/Hr DOE + $1000 end of season bonus

· Local accommodations in historic farmhouse that is being converted into housing for crews from area local organic farms. The farmhouse is a 3 minute drive/10 min bike ride from farm. Each crew member is given their own private bedroom (furnished with basics – bed, bookshelves) in shared crew wing of the house. All utilities, high-speed internet, access to shared kitchen, bathrooms with bathtubs, access to laundry facilities and parking are provided. A plot at the house in case you would like to grow your own food.

· There is a General Store within walking distance of housing.

The Farm:

· Going into its third commercial season with 2 high tunnels, 4 caterpillar tunnels, 1 acre field crops, 2 acres perennials.

· Existing infrastructure including water and electric in tunnels clients, outstanding product waiting for you to tighten up, lean down, and maximize efficiency, production, profit and fun while minimizing wasted time, effort, morale drops and expense.

· Stunning location within the Catskills Park, private swimming hole, local farming community.

· We grow approximately 50 different crops in a handful of different varieties.

(Rough) Schedule:

Daily : All time is paid unless noted
Total weekly hours : 32 (Crespell) 6 (Community Food Garden)

7-730 Field Manager and Farm Manager Meeting

730 Crew Arrives

730-745 Morning Check-in

745-8 Field Manager shares plan for day w Crew

8-10 Block 1

10-10:15 Break 1

10:15-11:30 Block 2

11:30-12 Lunch (unpaid)

12-2 Block 3

2-215 Break 2

215-330 Block 4

330-350 Put tools away/clean tools

350-4 Closing gathering/ Accomplishments of the day

Weekly Schedule:

· M, T, Th, Fr 730am-4pm at Crespell (32 hrs/wk)

· Wednesdays off. Option to do deliveries for extra pay.

· Saturday / Sunday OFF

Tentative Seasonal Schedule:

· 1/7 Application Deadline Field Crew

· 1/10-1/14 Crew Interviews

· 2/28-3/25 Crew Basic Training (remote free education, unpaid, a few hours/week)

· 4/1 Crew move in

· 4/4 Crew begins work

· 10/28 last day of work (manager)

· 11/18 last day of work (crew)

Responsibilities:

· Learn best practices for individual tasks. Contribute to shaping the efficiency, productivity and joyful vibe of the farm. Keep pace with Field Manager and work both independently and as a group. Take part in all aspects of growing including but not limited to: transplanting, seeding, pruning, pinching, growing, watering, weeding, fertilizing, pest control, harvesting, conditioning and prep for weekly deliveries and pickups, among other things. Manage temperatures in tunnels with opening and closing, covering and uncovering. Net, corral and train plants for optimal growth. Maintain clean and functional workspaces. Take part in small construction/repair projects throughout the season.

About Crespell

Crespell is a non-certified organic specialty cut flower in the Catskill Mountains just north of NYC and west of the Hudson Valley. We operate on a historic property that is one of the oldes farms on the “mountaintop.” The flower programs was started by Anne Hall and is now going into its third commercial season.

The 2022 crew will consist of a Farm Manager (Anne) and a Field Manager in addition to 2-3 crew members. The Farm Manager will be more behind-the-scenes running the nursery, the crop plan, the relationships with buyers, harvest plans, conditioning stems, storage, sales, book keeping and the overall design of the farm. This year the Field Manager will lead all day-to-day managing of the crew, the crops and the health of the farm as a whole.

We use an inverted triangle model of service meaning that the largest groups are at the top and the smallest at the bottom. At the top are the plants. We serve them. Below that is the crew. The Manager is there to serve the crew and make sure that they have everything that they need from knowledge to tools to get an outstanding job done. Below that is the Farm Manager who is in charge of the overall health of the ecosystem we all support.

At Crespell, everyone works, everyone gets dirty and no one is simply assigning tasks or overseeing.

We Serve:

To make the biggest environmental difference and to have the opportunity to grow truly exquisite flowers, we serve mostly high-end local designers with thousands of stems/week. In addition to this, we have our own 35-person CSA and supply an additional CSA that delivers to NYC (currently a small part of our program). We also take on a handful of diy weddings per season to help offset our crew costs.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter addressing above description and requirements, your interests and why you think Crespell is a good fit for you for the 2022 season as well as a resume to: crespellgrowers@gmail.com with the subject line “Field Intern”

Thank you for your interest!

Crespell

Educational Opportunities: Plenty! See description above for all that you will learn about.

Skills Desired: Yes, you do need to have worked on a small-scale (1-10 acres) vegetable or flower farm for at least 1 full season.

Meals: We do not cook for you but we do pay you and you will have plenty of money for groceries. There is a kitchen at the farmhouse (where you have the option of living along with the other crew members) where you can cook.

Stipend: Absolutely. We offer hourly pay, housing and an end-of-season bonus.

Housing: Yes.

Preferred method of Contact: email