Fibonacci Farm Apprentice

Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2024 at 07:32AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
Rogue Farm Corps, Satellite Farm Location
Bend, Oregon, 97701

Primary Contact: Kait Crowley
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 541-588-3551
    Email: training@roguefarmcorps.org

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

Website: https://www.fibonaccifarm.org/

Internship information

General Farm Description: Fibonacci Farm is a small, market farm conveniently located in urban, NE Bend. The farm is five minutes away from restaurants and grocery stores and ten minutes away from the downtown area. Bend is full of fun outdoor activities to enjoy, food carts, a lazy river in the middle of downtown, hiking, mountain biking and also a great live music scene. The farm is currently made up of four greenhouses, one propagation house and several large fields of cultivation and we plan to build two more caterpillar tunnels this spring. When working on the farm, you can enjoy a full Cascade Mountain View and the neighbor’s goats and lambs as well as the 120 chickens we have for egg production. Fibonacci Farm grows produce and flowers and sells mainly direct to the consumer through farmers markets and through CSA shares. Production methods focus on reducing emissions, building healthy soil structures, and growing organically. The farm utilizes a no-till method by not relying on a tractor, cover cropping and tarping for weed control and soil building all done without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides. Only organic fertilizers, composts, and pest management practices are used on the farm. Owners Aaron and Lauren both live and work on the farm full time. Their plan for labor is to bring in a couple part-time Apprentices and also host a Work Share Volunteer Program a couple times a week to help with harvests.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 3/15 - 4/1
Internship Ends: 10/15 - 11/9
Number of Internship Available: 2 POSITIONS, PART TIME (20 hrs/week)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until positions are filled by early-mid March
Minimum Length of Stay: 500 training hours (~3-4 months minimum)

Internship Details:

An Apprenticeship is part of Rogue Farm Corps’ beginning farmer training program. Hands-on field training at the Host Farm is complemented by a series of classes, farm tours, discussions, and networking events organized by Rogue Farm Corps.

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
Apprentices join other beginning farmers for an Educational Event Series facilitated by Rogue Farm Corps.
The full event series includes:
24 classes focused on foundational sustainable agriculture concepts, skills, and knowledge and the food system.
7-10 farm tours which showcase practical skills and individual farmers’ stories, as well as provide insight into diverse production and marketing systems.
3-5 discussion circles with topics including Food Justice / Food Sovereignty, and Next Steps for Beginning Farmers.

RFC strives to make all educational events inclusive and welcoming to people from all backgrounds and identities. Classes, tours, and discussions are led by Rogue Farm Corps staff, agricultural professionals, and expert farmers. Scholarships are available.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Apprenticeship applications are accepted on the Rogue Farm Corps website on a rolling basis until positions are filled (usually by early-mid March), but early applications are considered first. Approved applications are passed onto the host farmer. Fibonacci will decide which applicants to interview and offer placements to.

Rogue Farm Corps seeks to train an inclusive next generation of farmers and encourages applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply.
Applications. https://www.roguefarmcorps.org/apprenticeship

Educational Opportunities: Responsibilities and tasks are largely dependent on the season. In the Spring, much of the farm’s focus is on propagation and preparing the garden beds for the season. Tasks include: -Propagation management -Transplanting -Seeding -Moving compost -Amending soil based on soil tests -Building irrigation -Fertigating systems -Building greenhouses In the Summer, although we do continue to plant some crops, most of the planting is done and we are mainly focused on harvesting, pest management and weeding. Fall tasks include harvesting of storage crops like winter squash, potatoes and onions; and also winterizing the farm and making sure everything is set up for the next year. Some ongoing tasks throughout the season include opening and closing the tunnels, irrigation management, pest management, chicken duties such as egg collection, egg processing, cleaning of the chicken coop and managing on-site compost.

Skills Desired: ● Reliability- Showing up and producing high quality work. Completing tasks when assigned and showing initiative. ● Dedication -Having a good work ethic and a positive attitude towards your job is important. Looking for someone that will have a strong sense of support and loyalty to the farm. ● Good Communication Skills - It is important to be able to communicate to customers at market and have good customer service. Open communication is also necessary when working with your team members. Not over talkative and focusing on the task at hand. ● Experience with Manual Labor - Having some form of experience working in manual labor will be helpful with adjusting to the physical demands of farming. Drivers License/Vehicle is Ideal - Apprentices will be responsible for acquiring transportation to and from work. Flexibility/Openness - Things change all the time on the farm. There are so many variables with farming that often what you think is a priority can change in the blink of an eye based on weather/pests/etc. The list goes on. Things are constantly changing so the ability to adapt is important. ● Readiness to Engage/Ask Questions - We are looking for people who have a profound interest in the field of market gardening. Please be ready to ask questions and engage in discussion about what we do! ● Fitness - There can sometimes be long days of not just lifting but also bending, pushing, shoveling. Doing this without getting hurt is going to require a certain level of fitness and the ability to practice good form. Prospective Apprentices not required to visit before final decision is made, but strongly encouraged. Interviews can be made over zoom if necessary, but we would love to meet you in person!

Meals: No

Stipend: Each Part-Time Apprentice will receive $18 hourly rate/ $360 per week for 20 hours worked. They will also receive an Individual CSA Membership Share with the farm. This includes each week to select 6 items of their choice of the farm produce. At the end of the term Apprentices have the opportunity to receive a cash bonus based on the farm's end of season sales and on the Apprentice’s performance. RFC Apprenticeship fee amount will not be reimbursed at the end of the season.

Housing: No housing offered. Honestly, affordable housing can be difficult to find in Bend since it can be rather expensive. Someone that can share housing with friends/ family or currently already live in the Central Oregon area is ideal. Average 1 bedroom apartment in Bend, OR is around $1600- $1800 per month.

Preferred method of Contact: email