Sustainable CSA veggie farming internship at Full Cellar Farm with Rogue Farm Corps

Last Updated On: enero 26th, 2022 at 10:16AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
Rogue Farm Corps, Portland Area Chapter
Gresham , Oregon , 97080

Primary Contact: Rogue Farm Corps
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 541-588-3550
    Email: training@roguefarmcorps.org

Website: https://www.roguefarmcorps.org/host-farms/full-cellar

Internship information

General Farm Description: We are located between Gresham and Boring, on a beautiful 14-acre property with a view of Mt Hood. We are about a 10 minute drive from Gresham and a 30-45 minute drive from most parts of Portland. We farm about 4 acres of the property, and sublet another ¾ acres to another farmer, who is also present most days. Nobody lives at the farm currently, but I (Farmer Emily) live right next door, and my husband and I are planning to build a house on the property in 2022. We sell about 185 CSA shares in the summer/fall season and 75 shares in the winter. We grow around 50 different kinds of vegetables to feed our CSA members. CSA is currently our only marketing outlet, although we are looking to add a wholesale outlet at some point in the future, possibly in 2022. Some of our CSA shares come to us through the CSA Partnerships for Health program, in which low-income families sign up for subsidized veggie shares through their health clinic, to help address diet-related health conditions. We farm with mostly hand tools and a BCS (walk-behind tractor), although we do have a bigger Kubota tractor that we use for some field work. (It is unlikely that the intern will be trained to use the Kubota this season.) The crew will probably consist of 3 full-time, full-season people (including Emily) and one short-season, full-time intern.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 5/23/22
Internship Ends: 9/9/22
Number of Internship Available: 1, 40 hrs/wk
Application Deadline: Priority consideration 1/27/22, applications open until positions are filled
Minimum Length of Stay: 3-4 months

Internship Details:

Full Cellar Farm is a host farm in the Rogue Farm Corps internship program.

RFC’s Internship Program provides connections to existing farm operations for aspiring farmers who want to gain significant farming or ranching production experience and don’t have a lot of previous exposure. The Internship Program is an entry/intermediate-level, immersive program that combines hands-on training with skills-based education. No experience is required to apply, however some host farms do prefer applicants have some previous outdoor or physical work experience.

RFC Internship programs are based in two distinct geographic chapter locations in Oregon: Rogue Valley and Portland Metro.

Weekly hours and start/end dates vary by host farm (please see host farm descriptions for details). In addition to the on-farm training experience, participants engage in a series of farm tours, classes, and discussions (~3-5 events / month) focused on a broad array of sustainable agriculture and food system topics organized by Rogue Farm Corps (see a sample Internship Program events schedule here). Internship Program participants are exposed to farm knowledge, skills, and networks, through their experience with their host farm and Rogue Farm Corps.

Full season positions generally run spring through fall. Short season Internships run for 8-15 weeks and are perfect for students or others who want to dip their toe in into farming and attend the concurrent Internship classes, farm tours, and discussion events.

APPLICATIONS / SCHOLARSHIPS
Applications are accepted on our website on a rolling basis until positions are filled, but early applications are considered first. Apply by January 27th, 2022 for priority consideration. RFC has limited tuition scholarships available for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, veteran, and low-income applicants.

RFC has developed COVID-19 safety protocols according to state and federal guidance and will adjust them as needed to protect the health and safety of our participants, staff, host farmers, and communities. In-person educational events are held outside with social distancing in place.

TYPES OF AGRICULTURE
Rogue Farm Corps partners with dedicated mentor host farms and ranches that focus on sustainable, regenerative, ecological, and/or organic approaches in their production methods. Host farm enterprises vary by farm and include animal (meat, dairy, eggs, etc) and plant-based production (vegetables, herbs, fruit, seeds, etc). Host farms are commercial, small-to-mid scale operations marketing to their local and regional community via a range of sales channels including farmers market, CSA, wholesale, and more. RFC participants are exposed to various farm production and marketing systems via RFC’s farm tour events.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Rogue Farm Corps is committed to an ongoing learning process around privilege, power, inequality and systems of oppression. RFC has a goal of making our programs welcoming to, inclusive of, and accessible to communities who are under-represented as farm operators in Oregon, including women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ individuals, low-income individuals and immigrants. Our desire to create a more equitable food system is reflected in RFC’s programs and collaborations.

Learn more and apply: http://roguefarmcorps.org/training

Educational Opportunities: The intern will participate in almost all aspects of day-to-day farm operations, including propagation, bed prep, planting, weeding, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and helping to run a CSA pickup site. Training on using the BCS (walk-behind tractor) will also be given. We would also be happy to share other aspects of business operations (including social media, newsletter writing, budgeting, crop planning, etc.) according to the individual’s interests. In addition to the on-farm training, RFC interns will participate in the education event series, which includes farm tours, classes, and discussion groups. More details of the internship program are available on the website at www.roguefarmcorps.org/training

Skills Desired: Prior farming experience is welcome, but not required. We are looking for an individual with prior experience working a physically demanding job, such as food service, trail building, etc., or who has participated in athletics or other non-work physical activity that requires self-discipline and teamwork. Basically, we are looking for someone who knows what it means to work hard physically, who has a strong work ethic, and is committed to working with a team to accomplish goals. We are also looking for someone who has good attention to detail, takes instruction and constructive criticism with maturity, and is motivated to learn to work with efficiency and speed. Our ideal intern will be someone who can confidently jump into a new task and is OK learning as they go, with feedback and encouragement.

Meals: Farm veggies are available.

Stipend: We are still determining our exact wage for 2022, but we will be paying the intern an hourly wage that is higher than the minimum wage. Other benefits include paid vacation and sick time, overtime pay (if needed), and of course vegetables from our farm.

Housing: There is no housing provided at this time. Portland and Gresham have many opportunities for rentals and shared housing situations.

Preferred method of Contact: email / website