Good Farming Apprenticeship Network

Virginia
Full Circle Organic Farm, Tenley Weaver & Dennis Dove, 320 Fork Drive, Floyd, VA 24091, 540-745-3182. Certified organic market gardens and farmstead specializing in more than 30 varieties of vegetables, and culinary herbs. We incorporate single horse power and other simple technologies in our production and marketing enterprises to encourage the fullest expression of sustainable agriculture. Our eclectic agricultural methods include humans with tools, draft horses, tiller, and tractor.
Full Circle Organic Farm We sell quality produce from our 3-plus acres of cultivated land and season extension hoop houses through fine restaurants, health food stores, a cooperative CSA, farmers' market, and through our own neighborhood Local Food store. We also own and operate Good Food—Good People, a local produce distribution network that purveys food from more than 25 other organic, biological, and low-spray growers in our region. Our entire home and main farm are solar electric powered, inciting challenge and creativity in meeting the needs of our farm and distributing business. We are
developing a new 32-acre property using sustainable methods and technologies to rehabilitate abandoned and abused land.

Tenley and Dennis have more than 40 combined years of market gardening experience and have run a successful intern program for seven years. The most successful interns on our farm have started with modest skill levels but an intense desire to gain practical hands-on growing, marketing, and self-sufficiency knowledge to support their clear future goals.
  • Source of power: 2 Suffolks, tiller, tractor, humans.
  • Horses are used for: cultivating and discing, hilling and digging potatoes; removing rocks from fields; harrowing to bust manure piles; pulling logs for firewood; training interns in driving and husbandry; field days for children; and making excellent compost.
  • Acreage: 60; 3+ in garden and crops, 20 in pasture, lots of field and forest.
  • Other livestock: 2 riding horses.
  • Personalized and hands-on instruction offered in: Hoop house propagation of annual and perennial vegetable and herb plants, organic composting, planting, cultivating, harvesting, grain and packing, marketing to various outlets (especially farmers' markets), all aspects of horse health and husbandry, food preparation and preservation, firewood gathering, wine making, wool spinning, organization of farm field days, grower marketing collaboration, community networking.
  • Work hours: +/-40 hrs/wk; 6-10 hrs/day, 4-5 days/wk, depending of farm and market needs; brief personal vacations accommodated.
  • Terms: educational opportunity, free housing, and farm-raised foods (fruits, vegies, eggs) in exchanged for work; 3-month minimum stay, with preference given to interns able to commit to May through October; up to two apprentices at a time.
  • Stipend: $150/week plus first option on overtime work when needed at $5-7/hour, depending on experience level.
  • Accommodations: 14' private camper trailers in beautiful wooded campsites,outdoor kitchen with propane stove and running water, free farm-related foods and occasional vegetarian homecooked meals with family.
  • Apprentice must be: energetic and enthused about farm life/experiences and serious about a future in market gardening or other agriculture enterprise and/or small farm homesteading; in good physical condition, have healthy living habits that promote safety and productivity on the farm; punctual and responsible in meeting a schedule determined by our farm and market needs.
  • Visit first: yes.
  • Trial period: 2 weeks.

Healing Harvest Forest Foundation, Jason Rutledge, 8014 Bear Ridge Road SE, Copper Hill, VA 24079, 540-651-6355, rutledge@swva.net, healingharvestforestfoundation.org. This non-profit foundation offers networking with practicing Biological Woodsmen trained in the skills of restorative forestry, featuring modern draft animal use. All tax deductible donations may be sent to HHFF Administrative Office, PO Box 32, Dugspur, Virginia 24325
All our mentors have been through Healing Harvest Forest Foundation training in chainsaw skills, horsemanship, and the business of logging and practicing restorative forestry. Visit our web site to learn more about our organization. Thank the people at Rural Heritage for helping you find this opportunity—subscribe or renew. HHFF
  • Source of power: many draft horses of all breeds, mule teams working also.
  • Draft animals are used for: worst-first single tree selective logging.
  • Acreage: thousands under management over 7 mid Atlantic states.
  • Skills offered in: how to become a practicing biological woodsman.
  • Work hours: variable-weather defined all seasons.
  • Terms: room & board; one-on-one situation with mentors for at least 12 weeks.
  • Stipend: possible.
  • Accommodations: usually private in community, sometimes with family.
  • Apprentice must: be dedicated to making a living trying to save the planet and enjoy feeling good about what you do with your life while liking being tired, plus have some common sense and reasonable expectations about living on a modest income.
  • Visit first: yes.
  • Trial period: yes.


Sunny Dell Farm, Spencer Young, 4069 Echo Valley Road, Barboursville, VA 22923, 540-832-2640. Using draft horses on a daily basis for all types of farm work in a dead-end valley.
  • Source of power: Belgians, tractor.
  • Horses are used for: farm work such as feeding, making hay, logging, and field maintenance.
  • Acreage: 300; 2 in garden, 120 in pasture, 80 in hay, 100 in woodlot.
  • Other livestock: ewes, Angus cows and calves, Jersey milk cows, chickens, turkeys, working border collies.
  • Skills offered in: all aspects of self-sufficient organic farming practices.
  • Work hours: as needed to get the work done.
  • Terms: room & board.
  • Stipend: possible.
  • Accommodations: in home.
  • Apprentice must: be honest, willing, hardworking, and responsible.
  • Visit first: yes.

Horse

 


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01 December 2007