C.R.A.F.T. Ontario

Sweet Meadow Farm together with Queen Beet Farm are offering a multiple-farm internship opportunity for the 2010 growing season. Our two small scale farming operations offer a diverse educational experience for the right candidate(s).

Farming experience is not required, but experience doing physical work is an asset as farming is hard physical labour. As our purpose in hosting an intern is to offer an educational experience, we are seeking an intern who is planning to take up farming in the future.

As an intern at both farms you will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of organic vegetable farming, including: seeding, seedling production, transplanting, cultivation  with hand tools and tractors, organic disease and pest control strategies, harvesting packing and marketing amongst other specialties at each farm.  At Sweet Meadow you will also have the opportunity to learn about cover crops, their establishment maintenance and the benefits derived from them.

Sweet Meadow Farm is located 1 hour south of Ottawa, near Perth Ontario. We grow certified organic vegetables(certified by pro-cert since 2003) and have 9 ½ acres under cultivation, with 5+ acres in vegetables .  The use of cover crops and a diverse crop rotation are the fundamental principles of our organic  production.  We market our vegetables at the farm gate, farmers market, grocery stores, and distribution networks for local and regional consumers .

At Sweet Meadow Farm we will provide information sessions at least once a week on various topics including farm safety, tractor and equipment maintenance, crop rotation, composting, cover crops, cultivation and organic soil management.

Queen Beet Farm is located approximately 10kms west of Sweet Meadow Farm. Coral and Dawson  manage Queen Beet Farm CSA on Coral’s family farm. Here we cultivate approximately 2 acres of non-certified organic vegetables with nearly 70 acres in hay. We direct market the vegetables at the Perth farmers’ market and through a small multi-farm CSA(Community Supported Agriculture) distributed in and around the Town of Perth.  They also raise a home scale dairy goat herd, chicken, and guinea fowl for eggs and meat production.  The animals are an integral part of our farm operation as they provide the soil inputs necessary to enrich our soils. We use a grazing rotation to help prepare our beds for the gardens.

At Queen Beet Farm amongst the field work and study you will have the opportunity to learn about and participate in: Cheese making, fermentation, sustainable building, e.i. cob oven building/ baking, straw-bale building and earthen plaster,  wattle and daub,  building an off grid root cellar using earth bags, etc., developing a more extensive herb garden, mulching.

Details of internship:

-up to 2 interns will be offered room and board at Queen Beet Farm + $50/month stipend. Interns    will share cooking and cleaning responsibilities at Queen Beet Farm

-interns will be able to attend structured CRAFT education days-monthly visits to other organic farms in this area who participate in CRAFT. There will also be ample opportunity to visit several other small operations in this area on a weekly basis, Perth has a very active local food community.

-We expect interns to work 6 days a week alternating  with 5 days a week every second week. Monday to Friday one week, Monday to Saturday the next. So the interns will have every second weekend off.

-work days begin anywhere from 6:30-8am until 4 or 5pm. This will depend on weather, market, etc. Each day should entail 8 hours of work.

-The expected length of interns’ stay on the farm would ideally be from mid-April until Thanksgiving.

-having a driver’s license is an asset living in the country as we do, but not absolutely necessary. A choice of bicycles will be available for use from Queen Beet Farm if the applicant is interested.

-We really seek a positive attitude and willingness to learn when looking at applicants.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send a resume and cover letter which explains why you would like to apply and what your aspirations are for the season. Applications are due at the end of February. Interviews will likely take place by phone, unless you happen to be attending the Guelph Organic conference, in which case we may be able to arrange an interview for some time throughout that weekend.  Email contact:queenbeetfarm@gmail.com

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