Job Description

Farm Apprenticeship

Seed Peace is a 3-acre market garden and vegetable seed farm located on Sunfire Ranch in Carbondale, CO at the base of majestic Mt. Sopris. The farm distributes produce through a CSA, seasonal farmers markets, and a handful of wholesale accounts while contracting with a local food access program to provide healthy produce to those in need.

Seed Peace is focused on producing the highest quality, nutritious vegetables while simultaneously building healthy soil through minimal tillage and regenerative farming practices. As well as vegetable production, Seed Peace is the home of Wild Mountain Seeds, a local seed business started by the farm’s founder, with the goal of seed breeding to create vegetable seed that is vigorous, adaptable and unique to our farming environment.

Seed Peace is the production farm associated with the Farm Collaborative, a non-profit organization near Aspen, CO whose goal is to “accelerate the regenerative agriculture movement locally in order to transform the health of people and the planet”. The Farm Collaborative continues to achieve this mission through farmer support programs, children's ag-based summer camps, and farmer training (which includes Seed Peace’s farm apprenticeship program). We are in our second year as a merger of our nonprofit businesses.

 

INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

Join Seed Peace, Farm Collaborative and Wild Mountain Seeds and learn the necessary skills to grow seed and high quality produce organically in an alpine climate. The apprentices will participate in all aspects of farming from seed to table.

We are looking for 3 apprentices to join us for the 2024 harvest season! Ideal timeframe is (April 15th to May 1st - Nov 1st)

This includes:

• growing healthy nursery starts
• minimal tillage and no till garden bed preparation
• direct seeding
• crop planning
• maintaining weeds and other garden pests
• pruning and maintaining greenhouse crops
• operating and maintaining alpine hoop house
• cover cropping strategies for soil maintenance
•  using tarps for weed control
• breeding annual crops like (tomato, cucumber among others)
• breeding bi-annual crops like (carrot and onion among others),
• vegetable and seed harvesting
• post harvest washing and packing of vegetables
• distribution of vegetables to food banks
• Running farmers market and wholesale vegetable sales
• cleaning of vegetable seeds
• compost making
• marketing of seed and vegetables
• general farm upkeep 

The apprenticeship at Seed Peace is a hands on educational experience where the apprentice completes tasks 4 days per week. With a half day of in class education with farmer Casey. A room in a shared apprentice house with internet and laundry is provided along with free farm produce 

Ideal candidates: 

• Have enthusiasm for hands on learning
• Are focused on education during the apprenticeship time frame 
• have compassion and respect for all involved
• respect the land and all the life
• enjoy cooking and sharing meals
• are open and respectful of others perspectives (especially on food and diet)
• Are respectful of others cultures
• Are willing to try new things
• Respect that all tasks on the farm are sacred to the farms success
• Asks question and takes initiative to study during nights and free time

 

COMPENSATION

this position is : salaried, $20/hr + (calculated off value of housing, on farm food, and formal learning opportunities offered through the program)

 

 

DEADLINE

March 15, 2024

Job Tags

Apprenticeship, Summer work, Internship, Seasonal work, Local area, Night shift,

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