QUACKENBUSH FARM- FULL FOR 2024
POSITION: 2 APPRENTICESHIPS
FULL TIME (40 hrs/week)
APPROX START/END DATES: April 1 - Oct 31 (option to stay through November)
LOCATION: Eagle Creek (Portland Chapter)
NO ON-FARM HOUSING OFFERED
VEHICLE REQUIRED? Yes
ON FARM VISIT REQUIRED? Preferred, no required
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English. Basic Spanish.
Quackenbush Farm is located in the beautiful Clackamas River Valley, about 30 minutes southeast of Portland. Our focus has primarily been diversified, organic, fresh market veggies. The farm is a thriving business with our main markets being our weekend farmer’s markets, wholesale (school districts), restaurants, and a small on-site farm stand.
Our production methods revolve around intensive, sustainable annual crop production. We are certified organic and utilize a variety of conservation practices to minimize our impact on the land and soil, including cover cropping, crop rotations, reduced tillage, pollinator plantings and hedgerows, and more.
The farm family and crew this year will include Jennifer and Matt, our assistant farm manager, two to three farm crew members and apprentices, 2 market crew, and our team of weekly harvest volunteers and workshares.
Quackenbush Farm started in 2013 as a partnership between 4 friends. We were young, motivated, and wanted to grow a business based around community health and vitality. Each of us contributed a thousand dollars as startup, or seed money, and kept our day jobs. We found a rental with property with a brave landlord and within a month of signing the lease, we plowed the field.
Over the years the farm has evolved, growing and reaching new markets and customers. In 2017, the farm found a permanent home when Matt and Jennifer purchased 18 beautiful, flat acres of pasture and oak savanna in Eagle Creek, Oregon. Through all the changes over the years we have stayed committed to our ideals, and remain idealistic in our hearts and actions.
Our focus is on producing high quality produce for small and mid-scale markets, with an emphasis on heirloom and old-world varieties where flavor is more important than shelf-life.
Training AND Expectations
We are looking for two full time apprentices to commit to the full season from early April to the end of October or optionally through November. The flow of a typical farm year for our staff follows the 3 seasons of spring, summer, and fall:
Spring (April, May, early June) – The focus of this season is greenhouse work, field preparation, building/refurbishing farm infrastructure, and planting.
Summer (Late June, July, August) – This is the time for our biggest markets, big harvests, weeding, pruning and trellising, and more planting.
Fall (September, October, November) – The pace starts to slow a little here, with planting mostly over, our focus now is harvesting, weeding, marketing, farm projects, and eventually turning the fields over and planting cover crop.
By the end of the year, we will provide exposure to virtually all aspects of farm operations, including all steps between the seed and the plate.
These are full-time positions, typically 40 hours per week with some flexibility for longer days in the peak season (July/August) and shorter days in the shoulder seasons (April/October), 5 days per week with two days off. Work days typically start at 8am and go to 4:30pm, with a lunch break mid-day. Farming is physically demanding work, so we expect our staff to manage the demands of frequent lifting, stooping, repetitive motions, and to be able to work in all weather conditions.
Working directly with the farm owners in all aspects of day to day operations, you will gain an in-depth understanding of growing for farmer's markets, local restaurants, and our surrounding community. With 4 acres in production of annual vegetables and the remaining 14 acres managed for grazing, wildlife habitat, and other projects, our apprentices will have the opportunity to gain a well-rounded sustainable agriculture work experience. Overall duties include field work, irrigation, small equipment work, farmers market sales, seeding/propagation, planting, animal husbandry, volunteer coordination, and record keeping (to name a few).
Qualifications
An ideal candidate would be one who is seriously considering a career in agriculture, either working for another farm or starting their own, and is actively pursuing these opportunities.
Farm work experience is preferred, but NOT required. However we do expect a willingness to learn. We value clear and open communication and expect that our staff are actively engaged with questions, comments, and input on the farm operation.
Demonstrated experience doing repetitive manual labor and a strong physical and mental work ethic IS required.
While we do not require an in-person visit prior to making a placement offer, it is highly recommended.
Compensation / Accommodations
Compensation for our apprenticeship starts at $15/hr and includes a CSA share for the season.
We are not offering housing this year. The Estacada area typically has affordable housing available, or we are a 30 minute drive from Portland.
Equity AND Inclusion
We believe healthy, organic food should be accessible to anyone, regardless of their economic status. We are very conscious of fair pricing, both to ourselves and to our customers, and provide other opportunities to make our produce affordable, including SNAP discounts and benefits, Pay What You Can pricing, and donations to several local food banks.
We recognize the long and troubled history of exclusion in the world of agriculture and land ownership. Equity and inclusion on Quackenbush Farm means that your value as a farmer and co-worker are irrespective of your race, color, gender, sexual orientation, bank account balance, or accent. We welcome all hard-working bipeds to apply.
Matt & Jennifer (& Edwin)