Missoula Grain and Vegetable Co.
Last Updated On: julio 16th, 2019 at 10:48AM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:498 Cash Dr
Stevensville, Montana , 59870
Primary Contact: Katelyn
Secondary Contact: Max
Primary Phone:
Type: Cell
Number: 5185721233
Email: farmers@missoulagrainandvegetable.com
Secondary Phone
Type: Cell
Number: 406-214-6664
Email:
Website: www.missoulagrainandvegetable.com
Internship information
General Farm Description: Our farm is 15 acres total, with 5 acres in vegetable productions, about 5-7 acres in cover crops, and the remaining acreage in a mix of harvest roads, buildings, and shelter belts (a mix of shrubs, fruit trees, and conifers that act as a wind break when fully grown). We have 5 high tunnels, a seedling greenhouse, and a barn for storage and wash/pack. Our farm looks out over the Bitterroot mountains and we are a 5 minute drive from fishing and swimming sites along the Bitterroot river. We are 2 miles south of Stevensville, a small town with most necessary amenities and many community events. Missoula is 45 minutes away and Hamilton (another small but vibrant town) is 30 minutes away. Our farm grows a large amount of cut greens and root crops, with an additional mix of hot crops, head brassicas, herbs, alliums, etc. We do majority direct sales at 3 summer farmer's markets, 1 winter farmer's market, a Spring, Summer and Winter CSA, and to a handful of chefs. We strongly believe in providing high quality produce as consistently as possible by attending farmer's market nearly year round and providing CSA shares 42 weeks of the year. Additional focus is placed on maintaining direct contact with our customers through great customer service and personal connection. Our farm is majority certified organic (as of July 2019), with a small portion still transitioning to certified organic production. We prioritize soil health through our growing practices to create a resilient system from the ground up.CRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: Early August 2019
Internship Ends: Last week of January 2020
Number of Internship Available: 2
Application Deadline: none
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months
Internship Details:
During the Fall and Winter season we do a large amount of harvesting with smaller amounts of planting and field maintenance (field clean up, weeding, tractor cultivation, caterpillar tunnel set up and break down, etc.), and farmer’s market sales. General hours are 7am-5/5:30pm Monday through Friday with a 1 hr 15 minute lunch break. Saturday farmer’s market hours are 5:30am-2pm. Sundays are off. We will rotate who works the farmer’s markets, so Saturday may be an off day for 1- 2 people each week. Every Monday morning we meet to go over the plan for the week and to discuss any successes or challenges from the previous week.
In August through October a typical week looks like:
Monday: harvest in the morning, field maintenance in the afternoon
Tuesday: harvest/wash/pack in the morning for CSA, field maintenance in the afternoon, 1-2 people will deliver CSA shares in the afternoon
Wednesday: harvesting and/or transplanting in the morning, field maintenance in the afternoon
Thursday: harvest/wash/pack
Friday: harvest/wash/pack
Saturday: market or off day
Sunday: off day
November through January: (M-F start time will likely be pushed back to 8am or 9am depending on weather)
Monday: harvesting
Tuesday: harvest/wash/pack for CSA, CSA delivery in the afternoon
Wednesday: harvesting, packing bulk storage crops, micro green seeding, and high tunnel maintenance, we occasionally will take Wednesdays off or do a half day depending on the weather
Thursday: harvest/wash/pack
Friday: harvest/wash/pack
Saturday: market or off day
Sunday: off day
Work is done with a combination of hand and mechanized tools. We are striving towards systems that decrease the strain on our bodies by use of proper tools. Despite this, there is still some heavy physical labor to be done and applicants must be able to lift 50lbs consistently.
Educational Opportunities: We offer a unique experience to learn about Fall and Winter growing in a cold climate (zone 5). You will learn about how to harvest a variety of vegetables, winter high tunnel production, greenhouse seedling and micro green production, proper storage and washing techniques, overwintered plant production, etc. We will work along side you as much as possible. Typically Fall and Winter months involve a lot of group bulk harvesting and washing. Occasional tasks will be done alone. Each week the crew will meet on Monday mornings to plan out the week and discuss any successes or challenges from the previous week. We also have a variety of books and online audio and video resources to offer farm crew members.
Skills Desired: Expectations for Farm Crew members: -Hardworking. -Motivated to learn and to complete tasks. -Positive attitude and willingness to work with others. -Able to work all day on your feet despite weather conditions. -Able to work quickly and efficiently whether for a time sensitive task like harvesting or a monotonous task like hand weeding. -Willing to ask questions to ensure understanding of tasks and systems. -Has a desire and patience for community, as you will be working with the same folks throughout the season in a cooperative environment. -Takes precautions to avoid accidents, keeping safety in mind. Previous farm work experience is a plus but not necessary. Retail and customer service experience is also a plus.
Meals: We provide extra vegetables for farm crew. Occasional shared meals for lunch or dinner. We also have a cappuccino machine and make fancy coffee drinks for crew at Monday morning meetings and often for crew before they leave for farmer's markets on Saturday mornings. We also purchase kegs of local kombucha for the crew to share.
Stipend: Yes, $200 a week, housing, produce, end of season salary or bonus depending on length of stay
Housing: Yes, for the Winter season there are two housing options. 1. A room in a shared tiny house 2. A larger camper Shared shower facilities are available in the tiny house and the shower house next to the camper. Washer and dryer are available for use in the barn.
Preferred method of Contact: Call or email