Ivy Creek Family Farm


Contact information
Farm Address:
390 North Fork Rd
Barnardsville, North Carolina , 28709

Primary Contact: Anna Littman
Secondary Contact: Paul Littman

Primary Phone:
    Type:
Cell
    Number: 828-713-8383
    Email: wncfarm@gmail.com

Website: www.ivycreekfamilyfarm.com

Website: https://www.instagram.com/ivycreekfamilyfarm/

Internship information
General Farm Description: Ivy Creek Family Farm grows vegetables, flowers, and shiitake mushrooms using organic practices. Located in a beautiful setting 25 minutes from Asheville, we sell our produce to several large restaurants, at two tailgate markets, to our CSA members, and at our farm stand. We are a for-profit, family farm in operation since 2008.  We employ a skilled team of four people to farm our six-acres of produce and to process the vegetables post harvest. We utilize two Kubota tractors, a disc harrow, a spader, a bed raiser, plastic mulch layer, and other tools to prepare our fields and beds. In the past we have planted by hand. In 2020 we will bring a water-wheel transplanter onto the farm. We grow in high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels. Our expansion plan includes building more caterpillar tunnels on our farm to increase volumes we grow while decreasing acreage we cultivate.

CRAFT Member Farm? Yes

Internship Starts: February or March
Internship Ends: September, October, or November
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: January 15
Minimum Length of Stay: 6 months

Internship Details:

Ivy Creek Family Farm seeks two experienced and dedicated individuals to join the current farm team as assistant farmers. We hope all of our assistant farmers will have one to three years of experience working on vegetable or flower farms. Assistant farmers will participate in all aspects of the farm including propagation, planting, harvest, irrigation, post-harvest, cultivation, and market sales. Assistant Farmers have opportunities to take on leadership roles in prop house, low and high tunnel production, market sales, shiitake mushroom, flowers and more. We farm 6 acres of field crops with intensive, organic practices. Our 2020 crew will consist of the farm owners, two assistant farmers, one field manager, and one lead farmer. All of these individuals will have had experience farming. We hope to gather a team of individuals working together to farm with intelligence, grace, and dedication. We will also occasionally bring in volunteers or harvest crews to help with harvest days. We will farm five full days a week, with some weekend duties as well.


Educational Opportunities: Staff have the opportunity to attend monthly craft workshops on other farms. We also lead the crew in weekly farm walks and provide classes on subjects that interest the current group. We encourage crew members to lead classes as well.

Skills Desired: Assistant Farmers: We ask that applicants to the have at least one full season of farming experience, preferably two. Applicants should be able to comfortably work outside in all types of weather doing physical tasks for long periods of time. We seek applicants who are comfortable working at a rapid pace and are good observers. In the height of the season we work 10-12 hour days. Lead Farmer: We ask that the Lead Farmer have at least two years of experience, preferably three. This individual should be skilled in many aspects of farm work, from irrigation management to harvest to pack house duties, to plant health. We ask that applicants for the Lead Farmer position be seeking an opportunity to hone skills of task planning, leadership, and all aspects of farming.

Meals: Farm food is provided as well as a stipend for lunch.

Stipend: Assistant Farmers receive a stipend of $800-$1,200 a month depending on experience and length of stay. Lead Farmer receives a stipend of $1,000-$1,900/month depending on experience and housing needs.

Housing: Assistant Farmers live in a renovated barn apartment complete with a full kitchen, bathroom, a dining area, and two bedrooms. Crew Leaders can live on or off farm.

Preferred method of Contact: email