Horton Road Organic Farm
Last Updated On: November 17th, 2025 at 03:51PM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:93851 Horton Road
Blachly, Oregon, 97412
Primary Contact: Seido Martin
Secondary Contact: Michaela Miller
Primary Phone:
Type: Office
Number: 541-925-3019
Email: hortonroadorganics@gmail.com
Secondary Phone
Type: Office
Number: 541-925-3019
Email:
Website: http://www.hortonorganics.com
Internship information
General Farm Description: Horton Road Organic Farm and Zen retreat is a five acre organic market garden founded in 1992 nestled the coast range of Oregon in the Siuslaw National Forest outside Eugene. We grow a full array of high quality organic fruits and vegetables sold at Farmer's Markets and given for donation to nonprofits throughout the season. Much of the day to day work is done by hand, working with densely planted permanent raised beds involving careful attention to the needs of the plants, the soil and human bodies working the land. We enjoy a structured schedule than shifts with the season balancing hands on work with study, meditation, classes, community events and private time. Horton Road has been training successful farmers/gardeners since 1997 and many of our graduates now enjoy their own farm and gardens projects. Program includes close instruction from long time farmer Bill Booth and Seido Martin who is also a Zen teacher and psychotherapist, alongside farm manager and apprentice coordinator Michaela Miller, and Farmer's Market manager and Instructor Yuton Morrow.CRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: May 1, 2026
Internship Ends: October 31, 2026
Number of Internship Available: 5
Application Deadline: April 1, 2026
Minimum Length of Stay: 6 months
Internship Details:
The Twining Vines Program provides a unique integrated experience for students to investigate the rich interplay between organic farming/gardening with inner development, spiritual practice and community building. The program offers a 26 week residential apprenticeship May-Oct and a 12 week part time summer internship Jun – Sept. The weekly schedule braids together the following domains:
Organic Farming & Gardening
Students learn the practical skills involved in growing healthy food for the local community in a way that cares for the earth and one another. Participants are guided through every aspect of a working farm developing proficiency and understanding that lends itself to a number of future engagements including launching a small scale farm or community garden project, employment in the field, teaching and working for non-profits advocating for sustainable agriculture, public health and food justice.
Inner Farmer
Students engage supportive practices that foster inner emotional and somatic awareness, develop resilience and relational skills for living authentically and ethically in a challenging world. Inner Farmer work offers several wise and compassionate frameworks that teach us how to respond from our deepest intention rather than fear, anger and overwhelm.
Zen Practice
Students engage in Zen practices that support spiritual inquiry that looks into the deeper question of who we are and what it means to live an ethical life. No particular beliefs are required other than a willingness to investigate the teachings and practices for oneself. Zen is an ecological awareness that recognizes the fundamental truth of our interdependence and nature of continual change. It speaks to a deeper source of wisdom and compassion that fosters creative responses to difficult times.
Community Building
Students actively engage in practices that foster harmony in the community and directly address the challenges of living and working together. While many of us yearn for the support and sense of belonging that comes from being close to others who share an intention, knowing how to do the hard work of fostering that condition takes time and skill and the results are highly rewarding when we can see how we are called to grow.
Educational Opportunities: Farming/ Gardening Curriculum Includes • Hands on field work growing, cultivating, harvesting and processing high quality fruits and vegetables for sale, community use and donation • Weekly classes include how to build healthy soil, disease and pest management, irrigation, cover cropping, small scale equipment and more • Weekly Farmer’s Market participation • Recommended reading/homework and resources • Several guest speakers and local field trips • Experimental student garden plot • Year end student presentations integrating season’s insights guided by personal interests Inner Farmer Curriculum Includes • Weekly classes including discovering one’s inspired vow, awareness of inner “parts” through IFS (Internal Family Systems), constructive communication and conflict resolution skills using NVC, developing resilience facing uncertainty, anxiety and overwhelm • Daily Yoga • Recommended readings & practices • Reflective journal writing, art, and group sharing • Twining Vines newsletter writing Zen Practice Curriculum Includes • Two day long Beginner’s Mind retreats • Learning and practicing Zen meditation, ritual forms like walking meditation (kinhin) and mindful eating (oryoki). • Daily zazen (meditation) • Learning and rotating through traditional zendo roles • Weekly Wednesday evening program with Zen West • Introductory classes in Zen Buddhist philosophy and ethical precepts • Practice support meetings with a Zen teacher (sanzen) • Events to connect with the wider Zen community (sangha) Community Building Curriculum Includes • Bi-Weekly residential community meetings • Weekly “Pie Friday” closing gathering • Council Process • Conflict resolution, healthy boundaries, and receiving feedback • Precepts that guide group agreements • Shared meals & group chores, fun projects, play and spontaneous celebration • Simplicity, frugality, sustainability
Skills Desired: Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in farming/gardening as well as investigating one's inner life, Zen practice, and the learning about the work of building community while living and working closely together. Students should be willing and able to participate in a full weekly schedule that actively engages each aspect of the program. It is essential that applicants: Are able to commit to the entire season for which they are applying Are physically able to spend 6.5 hours a day in the garden which involves a combination of stamina, strength and flexibility Are able to work well with others, have good communications skills, and contribute time and energy to the well being of community
Meals: In addition to fresh vegetables from the fields, the farm supplies a community pantry with a number of basic organic bulk beans, grains, nuts and oils alongside several common foods. Weekday lunches and dinners are shared in the community rotating cooking and cleaning duties.
Stipend: Yes. $600 per month. Worker's Comp Insurance. Sick days as needed. Limited vacation time.
Housing: Yes. Private rooms in a renovated barn with kitchen, bath, outdoor solar shower, community room. Access to laundry and internet. Apprentices should be prepared for very rustic living.
Preferred method of Contact: Email/Apply Online
