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
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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
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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.
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