Radical Roots Farm Crew

Last Updated On: January 23rd, 2025 at 09:37AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
3083 Flook Lane
Keezletown, Virginia, 22832

Primary Contact: Lee O'Neill
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 540-810-2587
    Email: lee@radicalrootsfarm.com

Website: https://www.radicalrootsfarm.com/workwithus

Internship information

General Farm Description: Our mission is to grow high quality, certified organic vegetables and herbs in a sustainable way and have a lasting impact on our local community. We farm two acres of intensively cultivated beautiful garden soil and grow nursery plants in two greenhouses and have eight high tunnels. We focus on three main outlets: nursery plant sales (30%), wholesale vegetables (20%), and serving our local, low income community through a collaborative grant with a local nonprofit farm, Vine & Fig (50%). We are a family farm with 2 awesome kids aged 16 and 17. Dave and Lee have over 40 years of combined farming experience. We started our first farming season in 2000 after apprenticing with successful small scale farmers for four years. We sold at local farmers markets and had a CSA for 21 years before focusing on wholesale and grant supported projects in 2022. We are committed to farming in a sustainable way that creates connections between the people and the land. Joining us for her third season is Chloe Williamson as farm manager. Chloe will work directly with all crew members and oversees the work flows both in the greenhouse and in the field. Radical Roots Community Farm is located in the Shenandoah Valley seven miles outside of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a fun college town that has a vibrant downtown with lots of restaurants, yoga, and unique shops. The farm is four miles away from the George Washington National Forest, which has hiking trails and nice swimming holes, and three miles away from the great mountain bike & hiking trails at Massanutten Resort.

CRAFT Member Farm? Yes

Internship Starts: March 1, 2025
Internship Ends: October 31, 2025
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: Rolling, the earlier the better
Minimum Length of Stay: 5 months

Internship Details:

The Farm Crew will work with all aspects of our farming operation, including greenhouse seeding & propagation, planting and cultivation of our production fields, high tunnel management, harvesting and post harvest handling. You will be expected to work an average of 40 hours a week (Monday through Friday) doing a variety of tasks, including lifting heavy objects, using hand tools and having excellent and fast field skills. Attention to detail and quality control are critical.

This position requires at least one year minimum of experience on a diverse, organic vegetable farm or relevant experience. All crew members must be detail-oriented, conscientious, energetic and hardworking, physically fit and enjoy working cooperatively with the farm owners and staff. The applicant must be committed for the entire 7 month season from March through September and have great communication skills and be self-motivated.

Educational Opportunities: RESPONSIBILITIES: Work cooperatively with a crew of 5 on these tasks: Greenhouse Production: for on farm transplants, as well as nursery production for plant sales Vegetable Crop Production: for wholesale and grant fulfillment Harvest & Post-Harvest Handling: harvesting a variety of crops efficiently and consistently and washing and packing vegetable while maintaining a high food safety standard Farm Crew Responsibilities: participate in the organization and smooth functioning of all production aspects of the organic farm and work to ensure employee safety

Skills Desired: QUALIFICATIONS: 1 year minimum experience working in organic vegetable production or equivalent experience Must have familiarity with a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruit trees, and nursery crops and a willingness to learn and expand working knowledge Excellent time management skills Consistent attention to detail Positive, energetic interpersonal skills and passion for working as part of an organic farm team Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarification, and give/accept constructive feedback on work and technique Clear, consistent communication skills Ability to work independently; self-motivated, critical thinker/problem solver Ability to lift 50 lbs. and work in inclement weather

Meals: We share a farm lunch one day a week.

Stipend: This is a regular, full-time seasonal position with an hourly range of $15-$20, depending on qualifications, as well as vegetables for personal consumption. We work 40 hours a week Monday through Friday and take most weekends off except for a few spring markets.

Housing: No, however optional on-site group housing available for rent.

Preferred method of Contact: email