Friends of the Trees Botanical
Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2026 at 02:45PM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:124 Center Rd
Chimacum, Washington, 98325
Primary Contact: Ashley Kehl
Secondary Contact: Anna Pallotta
Primary Phone:
Type: Cell
Number: 360-643-9178
Email: friendsofthetreesbotanicals@gmail.com
Email: sales.friendsofthetrees@gmail.com
Website: https://friendsofthetreesbotanicals.com
Internship information
General Farm Description: Friends of the Trees Botanicals is seeking a seasonal Farm Apprentice to join our crew for the 2026 growing season. This position is for someone with prior farming experience who has a strong interest in medicinal herbs, wildcrafting, and small-scale diversified farming, and who sees farming as part of their long-term life path. We are located on the Olympic Peninsula and cultivate and wildcraft a wide diversity of botanicals. Our wildcrafted plants are sustainably harvested to maintain healthy populations. Our ½-acre certified organic herb farm is located at Finnriver Farm and Cidery and is a complex agroforestry system including medicinal herbs, trees, shrubs, hedgerows, berries, vegetables, and culinary herbs. We use permaculture and restorative land practices, cultural methods, natural fertilizers, and heavy mulching to build soil health. Our goal is healthy plants, a healthy ecosystem, and strong yields. We have a 30-year reputation for producing high-quality fresh and dried botanicals. Farming is physically demanding but deeply rewarding. A positive attitude, strong work ethic, and ability to work quickly and well with others are essential. This is a working apprenticeship where learning happens primarily through hands-on repetition, working closely with the plants, and experiencing the full growing season.CRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: March or April 2026
Internship Ends: Nov 1, 2026
Number of Internship Available: 1-2
Application Deadline: Posted on ATTRA 2/21/26, apply soon!
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months
Internship Details:
All the details about this is on our google doc- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XzhlIhJrp8EZxX_Nxx0CKF09n1E2i1_BJ-bDdYIm7xY/edit?usp=sharing
Medicinal Herb Farm Apprenticeship – 2026 Season
Start Date: March or April 2026
End Date: Nov 1, 2026
Location: Chimacum, WA (plus commuting between Irondale & Port Hadlock)
Schedule: approximately 20 hrs per week, 3 days per week
Work Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10am – 5pm
Number of Positions: 1
Application Deadline: Until Filled (Posted Feb 9, 2026)
Compensation: $17.50/ hour on payroll. With opportunity for pay increase
Contact: Ashley Kehl
Email: FriendsoftheTreesBotanicals@gmail.com
Website: https://friendsofthetreesbotanicals.com
* Farming experience required, at least 1 year
* No housing provided
* Read entire document before applying
Roles & Responsibilities:
● Field Work: mulching, weeding, harvesting, bed preparation, irrigation
● Plant Propagation: seeding, planting, transplanting
● General farm maintenance
● Herb processing and seed cleaning
● Packing and shipping orders
● Wildcrafting
● Plant Identification
Requirements & Expectations:
At least 1 year of prior farming experience
Full season commitment not required if discussed beforehand
Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation (commuting between work sites required)
Physical Requirements
Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions
Physically fit and capable of heavy physical labor, ability to lift 50 lbs repeatedly
Endurance for long days of bending, lifting, shoveling, and wheelbarrow work
Work Approach & Responsibility
Reliable, punctual, positive attitude, self-motivated, and strong work ethic
Ability to learn quickly and work independently once trained
Attention to small details, quality and efficiency
Observant and proactive in noticing what needs to be done
Ability to stay focused on repetitive tasks
Retain nuanced details for future reference
Collaboration & Communication
Work well with others and has experience working as part of a team
Ask questions when instructions are unclear
Open to feedback and constructive suggestions
Suggestions for improving systems are welcome
Flexibility is important to us. Plans change constantly with farming based on weather, harvest opportunities, or mishaps, and you need to be able to roll with it. Prioritizing is difficult on the farm with endless variables involved, and you will often see the decision making process play out right in front of you.
How to Apply
Send an email with the subject line “APPRENTICE” include both emails-
FriendsoftheTreesBotanicals@gmail.com
Sales.FriendsoftheTrees@gmail.com
Include:
A brief introduction
Resume (If you don’t have one, please share details about related work experience)
Two professional references
A photo of yourself (optional)
Answers to the following questions below
Questions
What experience do you have with farming and what skills do you have to offer?
What attracts you to Friends of the Trees Botanicals and what are your goals for this apprenticeship?
What specific skills do you want to learn or deepen?
What is the hardest, most repetitive physical work you’ve done? (tasks, hours, duration)
Describe examples that demonstrate your work ethic both independently and as part of a team.
Are there any other important details about yourself that you’d like to share?
Where do you currently live?
Any hidden talents?
Educational Opportunities: Educational Opportunities: Friends of the Trees Botanicals offers field-based, hands-on learning within the context of diversified agroforestry farming and sustainably managed wildcrafting, viewed through a permaculture lens. Educational opportunities are informal and increase as you become integrated into the farm. The “hows” and “whys” of our farming practices are explained, and apprentices are encouraged to ask questions and take on projects as appropriate. Much of farming education comes from repetition, observation, and experiencing the full season. By the end of the apprenticeship, participants leave with increased confidence in their ability to work on and help manage a small diversified herb farm. Apprentices have access to our extensive agricultural library, with hundreds of books on herbs, farming, and earth restoration. We can suggest many books and references based on your farming interests. We work closely together, creating a learning environment based on direct experience and ongoing conversations. Having a desire to learn and ask questions is an important aspect of the apprenticeship process, as it benefits both sides. We believe we are all students of farming and learning is a continual process. You will be working alongside very knowledgeable and experienced crew members; Michael “Skeeter” Pilarski, Ashley Kehl, Anna Pallotta, and Rebecca Richards. Michael Pilarski has farmed organically since 1972 and has devoted his life to earth repair, agriculture, permaculture, and education. Since 1988, he has taught over 40 permaculture design courses in the U.S. and abroad and has hands-on experience with more than 1,000 plant species. Ashley Kehl was raised on a permaculture homestead and has spent the past several years improving farm systems and administration. His work focuses on regenerative practices, soil health, and mentoring apprentices through hands-on learning.
Skills Desired: * Farming experience required, at least 1 year
Meals: no, but we like to share food and treats during lunch
Stipend: Compensation: $17.50/ hour on payroll. With opportunity for pay increase
Housing: no
Preferred method of Contact: email