Our Table Cooperative

Our Table CooperativE

• 1 APPRENTICESHIP

• PART TIME (21 hours/week)

• APPROX START/END DATES: June - October

• $16.50/HR

• LOCATION: Sherwood  (Portland Chapter)

• YEARS IN PRODUCTION: 13

• PREVIOUS YEARS HOSTING:  2

• PRACTICES: Certified Organic, No-Till

• ACRES IN CULTIVATION: 14

• Vegetables, Culinary Herbs, Fruit, Value-added/Processing, Cut Flowers

• ON-FARM HOUSING? No 

• VEHICLE REQUIRED? No

• LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Basic Spanish

• Cooperatively Owned

At Our Table, our farming philosophy revolves around proper soil health. We are firm believers in the idea that growing soil not only results in higher quality production, but is a powerful way to mitigate some of the negative effects we have on our planet. We strive to nurture and grow the soil food web through mulching, composting, minimal soil disturbance, cover cropping, and diversification of plant varieties. 

As a production farm, we are deeply proud of the quality of produce we send to our restaurant and grocery accounts and are honored to positively contribute to and change the local food system in the PDX area.

https://www.ourtable.us/ 

@ourtablecooperative

FARM OVERVIEW

Our Table is entering its 14th year of production in the Portland area. We farm on 58 acres of land about 20 miles south of Portland. We raise a variety of crops, including vegetables, blueberries, strawberries and tree fruit. On site are a year-round creek and pond, varying topography, and a lovely view of Mount Hood. The farm has easy access to both town and country.

Our farm crew consists of six to seven people between annual and perennial productions.

We grow vegetables intensively on 4 + acres, with an additional 2 acres cultivated in annual cover crops. We use low-till, raised bed practices in the production fields, 4 hoop houses, and 14 caterpillar tunnels. The perennial side of the farm includes fruit and nut trees, 9 acres of blueberries, strawberry tunnels, and beekeeping. We supply produce weekly for a seasonal CSA, and our other sales outlets are through stores (including our on-site store) and restaurants in the larger Portland metropolitan area.

TRAINING AND EXPECTATIONS

Apprenticing at Our Table includes an all-encompassing vegetable farm experience. Candidates can expect to be involved in the entire life cycle of growing vegetables, including bed preparation, seeding in the propagation house, transplanting, direct seeding, cultivation, harvest of over 70 varieties, washing/packing of produce, delivering produce to restaurants, and working the weekly CSA pick-up table. The Apprentice would have the opportunity to be trained and to use equipment such as a BCS tractor, a JANG seeder, irrigation systems, and more.

Schedule is as follows:
Mondays & Fridays: 6:30am - 2:00pm

Thursdays: 11:00am - 6:30pm 

Hours can vary seasonally. Opportunities for more work may be available. 

Because Our Table runs a relatively small production, members of the annual crew are often working side by side. Candidates can expect to work alongside farm manager Andrew on a daily basis, learning core concepts and functions. We welcome questions of any nature and encourage growth in areas of individual interest on the farm. Over the years, Andrew has developed a love for studying soil science, integrating both humor and efficiency in daily workflow, and mastering a comprehensive knowledge of systems he encounters on the farm.  The crew holds regular check-ins as a group.

QUALIFICATIONS

Our Table is seeking an Apprentice who is detail oriented, enjoys working in a group, and is motivated to streamline learning and workflow. Communication and cohesion in our crew are highly prioritized, as is the ability to listen to one another. The work is mostly physical, but requires a sharp mind, good judgment, and a great sense of humor. Experience with customer interaction and enthusiasm for all sorts of fruits and vegetables are highly encouraged. The Apprenticeship involves daily lifting (up to 50 lb.), bending, walking, etc, with almost all of the time spent moving or on your feet.

COMPENSATION / ACCOMMODATIONS

We are able to offer an Apprentice a wage of $16.50/hr. Apprentices will accrue paid time off hourly.

We are five minutes from Sherwood, OR, a town of 20,000 people, and within easy driving distance (20 miles) of the greater Portland metropolitan area. Apartments, rooms, and shared housing options are plentiful in the area. 

No vehicle is required to fulfill an Apprenticeship at Our Table, but an Apprentice would be responsible for their transportation to and from the farm.

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

At Our Table we are dedicated to impartiality in processes and relations in all aspects of the cooperative. We value an atmosphere of belonging and ownership devoid of any judgment. We encourage open communication, speaking up, regular morale check-ins, and desire to foster a space that is not only all-inclusive and comfortable, but one that allows both individuals and the collective to thrive. 

PAST APPRENTICE TESTIMONIALS

“Always provided training on new tasks, always open to my questions. All topics were covered, most were covered comprehensively. Usually available to provide feedback/criticism, but sometimes too busy. Gave me more responsibility/insight into different areas as the season went on. Listened to my ideas/thoughts on farming topics and had good discussions. In general I feel like I learned a lot by doing, which is what I wanted.” - 2022

“Andrew was wonderful to work with and patient with my many questions. Helped guide and teach about many topics.” - 2024

Andrew (and former RFC Apprentice, Fern)

Peachwood Orchard

PEACHWOOD ORCHARD

• 2 APPRENTICESHIPS

• FULL TIME (38 hours/week)

• APPROX START/END DATES: May - September

• $15.50/HR

• LOCATION: Hood River  (Portland Chapter)

• YEARS IN PRODUCTION: 8

• PREVIOUS YEARS HOSTING:  3

• PRACTICES: Certified Organic

• ACRES IN CULTIVATION: 3.5

• Fruit, Vegetables, Seed

• ON-FARM HOUSING? Yes

• VEHICLE REQUIRED? Yes

• LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Spanish

• BIPOC-Owned/Operated, Women-Owned/Operated

https://www.hoodriverpeaches.com/

@peachwood_orchard

FARM OVERVIEW

Peachwood Orchards is an organic peach orchard located in traditional lands of Wasco, Wishram, and Chinook- known as Hood River, Oregon. With a stunning view of Mt. Hood along a small creek are 3.5 acres of peaches and our home. We’re about 5 miles from downtown Hood River and a short drive to many hikes, swimming holes, and waterfalls. Our house is on the property as well as a large shed for tools, cold storage, a shop for woodworking and repairs, and a small greenhouse/shed.

We have been certified organic through Oregon Tilth for the past 8 years. There are about 300 peach trees on the property along with 20 blueberry bushes, Tayberries, plums, and several 25x15ft garden plots. 

We sell at farmer’s markets, through a local farmer’s cooperative, restaurants, grocery stores, to CSAs, and breweries- even had a beer named after Alma made with our peaches! We particularly enjoy being part of the Portland BIPOC market and welcoming other people onto the farm to learn. Even though our focus is largely in growing peaches there are opportunities for learning about irrigation, land restoration, and growing seed for saving heirloom varieties. We make donations to several food banks, and many other groups/organizations. We are in community with other BIPOC farmers in our region and will be taking part in a BIPOC-only vendor farmer’s market in Portland, Oregon. Additionally we are growing flowers and crops for a local small market in Odell. We bring traditional foods to that market along with our peaches. 

David and Alma live and work on the farm with their sweet dog Whoopie. Alma and Whoopie dog work in the orchard full-time in the summer, while Dave works in the local hospital full-time. Alma is first-generation Xicana, her passion for agriculture launched her into orcharding for the past 8 years. As a child, she watched her grandfather work in his milpa in Zacatecas, Mexico following through the fields and always asking questions– wanting to emulate him. We like to host family and friends in our house in the summer and Alma loves to cook traditional foods and share meals whenever there’s a chance. Alma is involved in social and environmental justice organizations in the community and is on the board of a food access non-profit. Typically we host between 2-4 volunteers through WWOOF and other organizations. The orchard is largely run by us, we may have support from 1-2 part time employees during the busy parts of the season. 

TRAINING AND EXPECTATIONS

We expect an Apprentice to be respectful of the land and community we work with. We expect you to be on time and keep your commitments. Work week will be an average of 38 hours, 5 days a week, including Saturday. Expect to work between 8-10 hours during the peak time in June, and August with other times of the season to average between 6-8 hour work days in July. We ask that you be available to help with Saturday farmer’s markets each week during August and September. We prefer an applicant who has availability from June to September. 

June through September will have plenty of opportunities to thin fruits and learn how to harvest peaches at peak ripeness. There are opportunities to learn about accounting, record keeping, and account management. Alma typically cans, freezes, ferments, dehydrates peaches and is happy to share her knowledge as time permits. 

June-July: Thinning fruits, management of orchard floor. This is a time to learn irrigation repair and maintenance for the rest of the seasons. July will be focused on gardens and seed-saving projects, as the peaches ripen. We work on the small gardens and experiment with no-till management. 

August-September: Peach harvest, packing, record-keeping, and managing sales/accounts. Preparing for market and other sales. Preparing and running farmer’s markets. Processing harvest. 

Optional: Restoration projects along the creek that runs through our property include: mitigation of opportunistic plant species, establishing pollinator habitat, and planting of native shrubs. 

We intend to work alongside Apprentices, there will be specific demonstration and training at the beginning and we will make ample time to be available and work together to allow for questions to come naturally. Independence of work will be gained with experience and based on the comfort developed with each task. The extent of supervision will depend on experience and on the nature that we’ll often be working together.

QUALIFICATIONS

Some experience working in agriculture is preferred. We’re looking for people who are interested in and/or already engaged with orchard work. Good work ethic is important for long days of work as well as ability to work well in a team, and clearly communicate. We ask that you are open to working with people of diverse races, gender, sexual orientations, and cultures. A phone call and visit to the farm are required prior to placement, we are open to doing a Zoom tour in case you’re not able to physically visit. Some flexibility on dates if communicated clearly and early. Ability to lift 50 lbs and be on your feet for hours at a time.

COMPENSATION & ACCOMMODATIONS

Our starting wage is $15.50 per hour and will depend on experience. 

Housing is in a ¾ size school bus parked on the farm with light and heat provided, next to an outdoor communal kitchen and shower. There is an enclosed bathroom with toilet and potable water. Kitchen has a propane stove, hot water kettle, sink, food storage, and small fridge. 

We will have a second housing option available this season, a tiny house that is also on the property. 

There is cell service and access to WIFI and our laundry/dryer. A list of basic food staples will be provided and resupplied throughout the season as well as access to food grown in the garden and all the peaches you can eat. No smoking, please be responsible about drinking. Visitors may be welcome but please check with us and others living on the farm beforehand. We love to share meals but are limited to our availability/schedules. Room and Board fee is $400 per month for the bus. 

EQUITY & INCLUSION

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and aim to nurture an environment of respect and dignity for all individuals. Our farm welcomes aspiring farmers of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and cultural backgrounds.

PAST APPRENTICE TESTIMONIALS

“Alma met with us to start nearly every day, we stretched as a group and talked about our plans for the day.  I really appreciated this.  She was also really calm and kind.  She took time to walk around the farm with us and look at things and explain things.  She also made a real effort to change the tasks we were working on multiple times most days so we could use our bodies differently, and was really great about our schedules being flexible and not too demanding.“ - 2022

“I really appreciate how Alma is so passionate about teaching and really wants us to feel confident. She leaves lots of room for questions and is always open to hearing feedback. She gives both really positive and constructive feedback which helped me feel like I was doing a good job this season. She trusted me to handle the farmers market and make almost all of the deliveries throughout our season. Alma and I definitely made decisions together in terms of how our work week would flow and which tasks we'd each do. She really valued my opinion and that felt really good.” - 2023

Alma Gaeta

Quackenbush Farm

QUACKENBUSH FARM

• 2 APPRENTICESHIPS

• FULL TIME (40 hours/week)

• APPROX START/END DATES: April - October

• $16/HR

• LOCATION: Eagle Creek (Portland Chapter)

• YEARS IN PRODUCTION: 12

• PREVIOUS YEARS HOSTING:  6

• PRACTICES: Certified Organic, Low-Till, Tractor/Mechanized Farming

• ACRES IN CULTIVATION: 4

• Diversified Vegetables

• ON-FARM HOUSING? No 

• VEHICLE REQUIRED? Yes

• LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Basic Spanish

• Woman Owned/Operated

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. 

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.

https://www.quackenbushfarm.com/

@quackenbushfarm

FARM OVERVIEW

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.

The farm family and crew this year will include owners Jennifer and Matt, an assistant farm manager, crew lead, two Apprentices, several market crew, and our team of weekly harvest volunteers and workshares.

Quackenbush Farm started in 2013 in Washington State 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 business found a permanent home in Oregon, on 18 flat, beautiful acres of pasture and oak savanna. Through all the changes over the years we have stayed committed to our ideals, and remain idealistic in our hearts and actions.

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, manager, and crew lead 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 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, 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 $16/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.

PAST APPRENTICE TESTIMONIALS

“Matt and Jennifer provide a really well rounded opportunity to gain actual on farm experience in a positive working environment.” - 2023

“So much is done on the farm in production. I think it was very valuable to get an idea and real feeling of how much I can do and having examples of how much I could improve by seeing how much faster things can be done.” - 2024

“My crew lead, a former RFC Apprentice with multiple years of farming experience across the state, gave great guidance throughout the season. His familiarity with RFC program topics was well integrated into on-farm duties.” - 2024

Matt & Jennifer (& Edwin)