Lucky Crow Farm
2 APPRENTICESHIPS
FULL TIME (40 hours/week)
APPROX START/END DATES: April - October
$15-$18/HR
LOCATION: Monmouth (Willamette Valley Chapter)
YEARS IN PRODUCTION: 7
PREVIOUS YEARS HOSTING: 2
PRACTICES: Dry-Farming, Mechanized/Tractor Farming, Organic Practices (Not Certified)
ACRES IN CULTIVATION: 3
Vegetable Production, Fruit, Culinary Herbs, Nursery, Cut Flowers
ON-FARM HOUSING? No
VEHICLE REQUIRED? No, but reliable transportation to work is required
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English
LGBTQIA2s+-Owned/Operated, Women-Owned/Operated
Eden’s mission is to feed her diverse, local community delicious, nutrient rich food seasonally. She is driven by her investment in environmental sustainability, social equity and economic profitability. As a young, queer, female farmer, she embraces her responsibility to set an example and to create a working model for sustainable food production and thriving rural business within her hometown and beyond.
https://www.facebook.com/luckycrowfarm
FARM OVERVIEW
We grow mixed vegetables for a 75-member CSA, the Independence Farmers’ Market, local restaurant accounts and our online store. We do some of our bed prep at the urban farm manually, while our larger farm location utilizes tractor implements much more frequently. Though we are not certified organic, we employ natural farming methods and do not use synthetic chemicals or fertilizers. Our small farm crew is made up of Eden (owner/manager) and 2-3 other employees.
Lucky Crow Farm operates a 1-acre urban farm in the heart of a small neighborhood in Monmouth, OR. Adjacent to the neighborhood (past the urban growth boundary) is the 60-acre, rural farm where our greenhouses, pack shed and cold storage is located. We spend the majority of our time alternating between these two locations.
Eden’s family has been farming in the Willamette Valley for six generations. She went to Scripps College in Claremont, California to pursue a degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Policy. After school she managed farmers’ markets in the Bay Area and worked on livestock/vegetable/tree farms in California and Washington. She started her own operation in 2017 on family land.
The farm in Monmouth is within a five-minute drive to downtown Monmouth and Downtown Independence. They are both small towns with populations of about 10,000. There are plenty of outdoor activities available in the nearby area including hiking and kayaking on the Willamette River, which runs right through Independence. Monmouth houses Western Oregon University so there is a college town feel. A trolly was recently acquired to shuttle residents between both towns (for free!) The farm crew members live nearby and commute to the farm each day.
TRAINING AND EXPECTATIONS
Apprentices will receive training/participate in: bed preparation, harvest, planting, wash/pack, farmers’ markets, CSA distribution, customer interaction, marketing, pest management, nutrient management, and propagation. Eden does most tractor/machinery work.
Full-time employees are expected to work 40 hour weeks from the beginning of April through the end of October. Spring days are generally shorter (with an average of 20-30 hours per week, depending on weather). Employees are not expected to work more than 40 hours in a week, even in the height of summer. Taking vacation days (unpaid) is permitted with advanced notice.
As we switch tasks regularly, training takes place throughout the day as needed. Apprentices are regularly required to sit, kneel, stand, bend, climb and reach; regularly lift up to 50 pounds without assistance; have the ability to work outside in all weather conditions, often for long durations; be capable of performing repetitive tasks with endurance. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Appropriate gear is required for all weather conditions.
Beyond our scheduled training sessions, Apprentices will work one-on-one with either Eden or an experienced staff member every day. We are committed to teaching as we work and having impromptu training sessions when needed. We provide regular check-ins and can make time for meetings/questions if requested.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
• Detail oriented and fast learner
• Self-motivated and able to streamline workflow
• Ability to work efficiently alone or in a group
• Experienced/licensed driver
• Excellent interpersonal/communication skills and willingness to work with a diverse group of people
• Ability to keep clear, handwritten and electronic records
• Positive attitude in all types of weather
• Commitment to work entire season (with potential for unpaid vacation time)
• Organized and thorough
• Ability to show up on time and ready to work
Preferred:
• 1-3 years of prior farm work
• Strong love of food, nutrition and healthy local economies
• Manual transmission operation
• Basic mechanics
COMPENSATION / ACCOMMODATIONS
Hourly rate $15-$18, depending on experience.
Each employee receives a CSA share.
The farm does not offer Apprentice housing. As Monmouth is a college town there are plenty of seasonal, diverse housing options depending on the time of year. Past employees have lived in their own studio apartments, campus housing and in a house with roommates.
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Eden is queer-identifying farmer who strives to empower those who are not historically/fairly represented in agriculture. Lucky Crow, first and foremost, is a safe and inclusive space for anyone interested in farm business and local food economies. We believe a more diverse and equitable food production system is imperative in our work towards a sustainable future.
PAST APPRENTICE TESTIMONIALS
“The work environment was comfortable, supportive and educational. Eden always took the time to come over and help any of us when we had questions, I don’t recall any time she didn’t drop what she was doing to give us advice and guidance” - 2024
Eden