Gallatin Valley Botanical
Last Updated On: August 28th, 2024 at 10:16AM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:34297 Frontage Road
Bozeman, Montana, 59715
Primary Contact: Matt Rothschiller
Secondary Contact: Jacy
Primary Phone:
Type: Cell
Number: 406-599-2361
Email: matt@gallatinvalleybotanical.com
Secondary Phone
Type: -----
Number: 406-599-2360
Email:
Website: http://www.gallatinvalleybotanical.com
Internship information
General Farm Description: We (Matt and Jacy, Zachary, 17, and Ania, 14, and an awesome farm crew!) run a diverse and Certified Organic family farm dedicated to the sustainable production of healthy produce for our community. 2024 marks our 22nd year in production! There are many aspects to our farm: Education, laying hens, broilers, a few pigs, and small flock of sheep, but our focus is as a production vegetable and cut flower farm. We have four greenhouses for seedlings, microgreens, and vegetable production and four high tunnels for season extension and have scaled back to around 12 acres in recent years. In 2024, we plan on farming 10 acres of production and more cover crop! We use tractors for primary and secondary tillage and cultivation and harvest most things by hand. We market our produce to many area restaurants, the Community Food Coop, to a year round 50 member "Whole Farm CSA" to a 250 member summer CSA, to a 100 member winter CSA, and to the Bozeman Winter Market. We own/operate the Bozeman Winter Farmers Market. GVB/RCF is located three miles east of Bozeman in Southwest Montana and is near many FS trailheads. In 2017, we purchased and merged on to our neighboring Rocky Creek Farm, a 50 acre Conservation Easement farm with u-pick berries and fall pumpkin patch. We bought our original 7 acre property from RCF in 2008 and had been dreaming of expanding our operation on to the adjacent 50 acres since then. We are very excited to have brought our production on to one property and have had the opportunity to expand our farm and business model. On the total 57 acres, there are perhaps 25 tillable with the balance in apple orchard, pasture, and wildlife habitat. We have incorporated some aspects of Rocky Creek Farm as a community farm with summer farm camp and spring and fall farm school, u-pick berries, and fall pumpkin patch, a Cider press for fresh cider, and we have expanded our vegetable production, and added in a farm stand and events. With all of this going forward, we need a solid crew of both experienced farmers and folks new to small (medium??) scale farming.CRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: 8/18/2024/2024
Internship Ends: 11/1/2024
Number of Internship Available: several
Application Deadline: ASAP
Minimum Length of Stay: Through November 1 for most operations, 4 people for the winter.
Internship Details:
Successful applicants will gain experience in practical methods of organic vegetable production that support a small family farm. Early season work includes greenhouse maintenance, transplant production, weeding, seeding, and limited harvesting. Some fencing and ongoing farm maintenance will be done. Summer brings three days of harvest and three days of field work and CSA/Restaurant delivery. The harvest continues through the fall, and then we clean up. Irrigation is often, drip and overhead. Five days per week, around 40 hours in the spring and late fall. Twelve weeks of 45-50 hours/weekly during the heat of sales and production. We still try to take Saturday afternoons and Sundays off. 4 day work weeks are available over the weekend.
Our education department was started in 2019 by Adam K and Jacy and Matt. If you are interested in teaching our next generation about sustainable agriculture and the intersection of food production and with nature, please reach out! Helping with spring and fall farm “schools” and 9 one week long summer day camps are typically 5-6 farm education staff. All farm employees spend some of their weeks with their hands in the dirt. Currently looking for up to 5 education staff for 2025.
On the Rocky Creek Farm side, we bring on 1 flower and market stand lead and 2 flower apprentices. Our animal operation has one leader, Weston, and one helper for animal care/irrigation/grounds. 2025 potential for animal crew. From September 1 on, we start up the cider press with a crew of 4 and incorporate school tours and a pumpkin patch. Very diverse opportunities exist! We are currently hiring for the pumpkin patch and some veg work! Long term employment is possible for certain folks.” Our farm owns/operates Bozeman Winter Market and volunteering with our market manager can happen from late September to May, so a full scale small agricultural experience is possible!
Winter Farming: Keep the goodness going year round! Add in much of the above to grooming and maintaining nordic trails right outside the door. Winter CSA production, greenhouse work, one bunkhouse available for 2024-25, perfect for a couple.
Educational Opportunities: "Hands on learning opportunity with ample opportunity for discussion in the field and at the lunch table. Jacy, Matt, and farm managers are always working with the crew; in the field is where most of the best conversation occurs!" We shoot for monthly inter-farm pot lucks and farm tours with our valley farmer friends.
Skills Desired: "Experience is not necessary. We are looking for fun and efficient workers with a positive attitude and desire to learn, who communicate well, and who may find it fun to push their minds and bodies. Winter 2023/24 tasks greenhouse work, Winter CSA production, shoveling snow, grooming nordic trails on farm, staffing market stand, etc.
Meals: On your own. We supply plenty of vegetables, some farm meats. Farm crew in the grove often cooks collectively.
Stipend: $17.50/hr for new hires with minimal experience. Experienced farm crew are eligible for higher wages. Proper housing for farm managers.
Housing: One of our Two Bunk houses is available for this winter and are for leadership positions first, summer creekside camping sites for those with vans/campers/tents. Collective camp kitchen. Dedicated (Deluxe) bath/shower and a fridge in the barn. Folks with their own housing are encouraged to apply; Bozeman is a short drive or ride away!"
Preferred method of Contact: "Email, phone call, or text."