Sustainable Farming Internship at Daily Blessings Farm with Rogue Farm Corps

Last Updated On: enero 26th, 2022 at 08:58AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
Rogue Farm Corps, Rogue Valley Chapter
Grants Pass, Oregon , 97527

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

Website: https://www.roguefarmcorps.org/host-farms/dailyblessings

Internship information

General Farm Description: Daily Blessings Farm is located on Sloan Mountain approximately eight miles west of Grants Pass. Our family has owned the land since 1972 but the farm wasn’t established until 2018. This 4 acre parcel provides a diverse offering of wildlife shared with neighbors and it includes multiple eco-systems including pasture, orchard, mixed forest and pond fed by a seasonal creek. About 1.5 acres is utilized for row crop production of organic vegetables, cut flowers, strawberries and poultry for eggs. Daily Blessings Farm was established in 2018, when I returned to Grants Pass after raising my own family in Davis, CA. I farmed there for nine years primarily growing vegetable crops and poultry both for broilers and egg laying. At age 47, I left public education and returned to college to obtain my Bachelors of Science in Agriculture Sciences prior to starting my own farm. In 2020, I worked part-time for Oregon State University Extension Service teaching Farm to School and developing a community garden in Grants Pass at the Senior Resource Center which targets feeding low income seniors.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 4/15/22
Internship Ends: 9/30/22
Number of Internship Available: 1 part-time intern
Application Deadline: Priority consideration 1/27/22, applications open until positions are filled
Minimum Length of Stay: 5

Internship Details:

Daily Blessings Farm is a participating host farm with Rogue Farm Corps Internship program. Rogue Farm Corps is a non-profit that trains and equips the next generation of farmers and ranchers. 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.

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: This small farm environment applies urban farming techniques to a small acreage farm feeding over 68 families for 20+ weeks a year. All practices comply with the National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines with additional focus on reducing waste, increasing biodiversity, minimizing tillage and serving underprivileged populations with high quality food. Primary tillage is conducted 1-2 times a year with a tractor, but all other cultural practices are conducted by hand. Poultry livestock is integrated into the pest management plan as they reside in mobile coops and are moved around the farm to graze on weeds, pests and fertilize rotationally throughout the year. Drip irrigation is utilized to minimize water use. The 2022 Season will provide opportunities to propagate, plant, harvest, wash, pack and sell produce throughout the year. Some farm business practices are included such as record keeping, planting plans, yield reporting and managing sales through the point of sale (POS) system. The training offered will vary greatly on the time of year and duration of the internship. ● Propagation from seed ● Planting: direct seeding and transplanting ● IPM (integrated pest management) using livestock, LGDs (livestock guardian dogs), and other organic pest control solutions. ● Plant health assessment ● Passive Greenhouse management ● Harvesting and harvest forecasting ● Recordkeeping - Evaluating varietal yields, cost of inputs, field layout, crop rotations, licenses, permits, GAPs, food processing, etc. ● Produce/Egg washing, packing and storing ● Food Safety strategies ● Use and management of a walk in cooler (Cool Bot) ● Marketing - website, CSA platform (Harvie), advertising, etc.

Skills Desired: Flexibility is critical to your success. I am a very organized supervisor, but I may plan for one thing, and then have to shift priorities overnight. Your patience, willingness to accept change and interruptions to daily routines will be important. See website for more details.

Meals: CSA and eggs are provided as part of the compensation package. Details to be discussed during the interview process.

Stipend: Compensation during the internship period includes a small weekly fruit & vegetable CSA farm share and one weekly dozen Just Eggs share. A minimum hourly wage will be provided for the first 160 hours with a raise following this training and probationary period. The post-training hourly wage will be based on education, experience and ability to work independently.

Housing: No housing is available at this time.

Preferred method of Contact: email / website