Monroe Family Organics

Last Updated On: diciembre 11th, 2021 at 09:53AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
8911 N Ferris Rd
Elwell, Michigan , 48832

Primary Contact: Fred F Monroe
Secondary Contact: Michele Monroe

Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 5174499886
    Email: fredmonroe7@gmail.com

Secondary Phone
    Type: Cell
    Number: 5178966884
    Email: fredmonroe7@gmail.com

    Email: fredmonroe7@gmail.com

Website: mforganics.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: We are a 300+ member CSA certified organic farm who also sells to restaurants, stores, and other CSA programs. On our 20+ acres we grow over 100 varieties of vegetables, blueberries, and herbs. Located in rural mid-Michigan we are able serve local customers who value quality and freshness. Starting from just a grassy, soggy field we have gradually built our farm over the last 11 seasons into a prosperous but still humble farm. We raise mostly vegetables in the open field, 7 hoophouses, some caterpillar tunnels, and other low tunnel structures. We are mechanized to the point of having one 50+ horsepower modern John Deere and a brand new Tilmor cultivating tractor. Harvesting is still mostly hand work but we have a lot of tractor implements and other small scale machinery to help mechanize many if not most jobs.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: March-May
Internship Ends: October/November
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: 2/15/22
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months

Internship Details:

Working on the farm will occur in all weather conditions and is fast paced as we put special emphasis on doing quality work, quickly. Most of the work over the course of the farm experience will be heavy on harvesting and wash/pack, however there will be a lot of transplanting as well. Beyond these common weekly tasks interns will also do tomato trellising and tying, seeding, hand weeding, irrigation, cultivating, repairs and maintenance, and a whole host of other random farm tasks that are too many to list. Most work weeks will be 40-50 hours and this will be a very hands-on, production oriented experience. Interns will be expected to learn how to use various small-scale machines, tools, and how to drive the two tractors.

Educational Opportunities: Mostly on the job

Skills Desired: We require that you must have proven success in other highly physical and/or fast paced work environments, must be able to lift 50 lbs or more, have the ability to get along well with others, and contribute as a strong team member. Other previous farm or production related experience is a big plus.

Meals: We do not provide meals but do provide some of the best, freshest veggies in mid-Michigan, the vast majority of which is free of charge to our workers.

Stipend: We pay by the hour (typically $12 per hour for most) and believe in paying our workers an hourly wage where most interns will make $1900-$2500 per typical month (before taxes). This is well above the historical average for most internships but we feel it more adequately reflects the faster than normal pace that we expect our team members to perform, as well as a more honest reflection that most time is spent on working for our farm, not in a structured educational program. End of season bonus for full season workers who end the season at a previously agreed upon on date. Wage increases have been common in the past and depend on the financial progress of the farm and the performance and reliability of each individual.

Housing: If needed we can provide very affordable housing in downtown Alma, MI. The house is owned by us and is located one block from the Alma Brewing Company and is very close to the many other downtown restaurants and businesses. It is an 8 minute drive to this housing from the main farm property and transportation will be up to you. We can provide this housing at a low subsidized rate where each intern will pay weekly. The house is already furnished.

Preferred method of Contact: Email