Feral Farm
POSITIONS: 2 Apprenticeships
PART-TIME (20- 32 hrs/ week)
APPROX START/END DATES: April - Oct
LOCATION: Jacksonville (Rogue Valley Chapter)
NO ON-FARM HOUSING OFFERED
VEHICLE REQUIRED? Yes.
ON FARM VISIT REQUIRED? Preferred.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English. Spanish (basic)
Feral Farm is spread across four isolation fields along a 5 mile stretch of Thompson Creek - a rural and fairly close knit community of homesteaders, farmers, and ranchers. Thompson Creek is located approximately halfway between the cities of Medford and Grants Pass. The home field is where I live as well as three other people including my landlord and his partner and another renter, and my house will be accessible during work hours to the participant. The other three fields do not have buildings except for one in which the landlord has opened her house for bathroom use. There are ample hiking trails to explore, rivers and creeks to swim in, proximity to Applegate Lake, and opportunities to connect with others in the farming community. We also have a pizza place just 4 miles down the road as well as a small music venue/lodge.
The majority of the farm is in wholesale vegetable and flower seed production (70%), seed garlic for wholesale and direct local sale (15%), and an on-site honor system farm stand selling garden starts and seed packets (15%). Everything is certified organic. All fields are drip irrigated and cover cropped in winter. Straw mulch is used on many crops. We use a small tractor for bed prep, electric walk-behind and hand tools for weeding, and mostly small/hand scale tools for seed processing, though some will be mechanized. Overall, a wide variety of tools will be employed to grow and process a diversity of seed crops - between 50-100 varieties per season, including flowers and herbs and a full spectrum of vegetables and a small amount of heritage grains. There is a nice seasonal flow, with early springtime being heavily focused on greenhouse work, seeding and transplanting; late spring being focused on weeding and crop supports like mulching and trellising; summer begins seed crop harvest; and fall continues harvest and begins seed processing and cleaning. Lots of opportunities to learn new skills!
Feral Farm has been in operation since 2017, and is run by Cacia Huff. It started with a small lease on the established farm I was working for at the time. Prior to that, I spent 2 seasons in the Puget Sound area of northwestern WA apprenticing at the Organic Farm School, where I learned business management, farm-scale vegetable and contract seed production. My background prior to that was an Environmental Studies degree at UCSC. My studies in agroecology led me to spend time in southern Mexico establishing school gardens and garden classroom curriculum, and opened my eyes to the worldwide struggle to maintain and preserve rapidly disappearing seed diversity. It then led to a few years of work with an organic certifier, before I decided that I wanted to be out in the field and on the ground rather than in the office. I’m passionate about being outdoors, working with my body, being surrounded by natural beauty, and expressing creativity in the work I do. I love pushing myself mentally and physically, and this type of work never fails there!
TRAINING AND EXPECTATIONS
I will be working alongside the participant for the majority of the time, taking time to demonstrate each individual task as it arises. I am always available for feedback, and encourage questions. I embrace the idea of allowing greater independence on tasks that the participant enjoys or shows particular aptitude for - there is flexibility there. I’m happy to schedule regular check-ins and foster open communication.
Early spring: greenhouse production of many types of plants for seed crops as well as farmstand/nursery plant production. Soil blocking, hand seeding, use of a germination chamber, potting on, and managing the flow of the farmstand.
Mid to late spring: bed preparation, which will include tractor work (done by me), hand fertilizing, bed marking, direct seeding with an Earthway seeder, and hand transplanting from soil blocks. Setting up drip irrigation systems. String trimming and weeding with a walk-behind electric tilther, wheel hoe, and stirrup hoes. Plant protection (hoops and row cover), and early identifying and roguing of off types in seed crops.
Late spring to early summer: continued weeding, laying straw mulch, and setting up crop supports like trellises and, in some cases, isolation netting to prevent undesired crossing of seed crops.
Summer: garlic harvest, proper curing, and cleaning for wholesale and local sales. We will likely do some dried flower production for making garlic braids as well. Early seed crop harvests begin in July and August, mostly dry-seeded crops which will be cured, threshed, winnowed, etc. Each crop is a different process.
Late summer/early fall: later season seed crop harvest and processing, which includes many wet seeded crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and cucumbers. Mechanical and hand processing, fermenting, decanting, and cleaning - again, each crop is a different process! This is also the time we finish clean garlic and pack large wholesale orders for shipping.
Late fall: continued seed cleaning, packing and shipping.
Throughout the season: Keeping the farmstand stocked and running, and completing internet orders of seed packets.
Looking for an average of 20 to 32 hours per week from approximately April through October, Monday through Friday. I am flexible with time off if requests are made ahead of time. The heaviest crunch times are May and September/October, so those are not great times for extended time off requests. While I do aim to switch up the work tasks throughout the day and week to avoid monotony, expect to be doing a fair bit of physical exertion in all kinds of weather! Southern OR can get pretty hot and smoky in the summer. Expect to use a respirator for a few weeks in the summer due to wildfire smoke.
QUALIFICATIONS
I work best with people who love being outdoors and doing physical work in all weather, and who enjoy learning new things and thinking creatively about how to approach tasks. Flexibility and ability to go with the flow of work that is often weather-dependent and therefore somewhat unpredictable is important. Attention to detail is critical when it comes to maintaining varietal integrity of seed crops and garlic and vegetable starts, which is relevant through all parts of the season. Good communication and mutual respect - listening and asking questions as well as speaking up about any issues that arise, respecting each other's time (showing up on time, communicating scheduling needs), and also being attuned to your own physical needs. Previous farming or landscaping work is desirable but ultimately not as important as enthusiasm to learn!
COMPENSATION / ACCOMMODATIONS
Minimum wage plus reimbursement of RFC tuition if/when season is completed, plant starts and seeds for any personal garden use (garden space not provided), any edible seed crops (eg, melon and squash flesh), garlic for personal use.
Verizon and US Cellular service is available though not always stellar in the fields. WiFi is available at the home farm house and will be accessible (as will the house itself for breaks, bathroom, shower if needed). There is no housing on site at this time.
I would prefer to meet prospective apprentices if possible to make sure we both feel like we would be a good fit. I have found paid working interviews to be a helpful way to go about this. If this isn’t possible I’m open to getting to know each other over the phone.
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
I do not discriminate on the basis of gender, gender identity, sexuality, ethnicity, or age. I encourage open and respectful communication.
Cacia, with kitty friend