How To Get Farm Apprenticeships In Blue Haron
Discover > Farm to Table Eating in Texas > How To Get Farm Apprenticeships In Blue Haron
There are many reasons a young person should take the time to be an apprentice at a local farm. This is partly a way to learn about one of the most important industries in the US and partly about being more rooted in your community.
Blue Haron Farm right here in Texas is one of the most trusted farms in the community and they are looking for apprentices to help them out with their work. If you’re thinking about the career in farming or are just worried about what your family eats, this may be a good move.
Blue Haron Farm
The farm was started in 2004 by a young married couple. The farm started as a project the couple had to grow the food that will be served on their own wedding and then it grew from that. At this point the farm is its 13th year of growing organic food and in 11th year of doing a CSA program.
The owners believe deeply in the importance of organic farming and growing healthy food. This is important for the apprentices to know since that’s how they can know that they will work for a farm that takes green farming seriously.
Farm Operations
Before you apply to be an apprentice on the farm you’ll need to know what kind of farm operations they do so that you know what you will face on their day to day duties in regards to work on the farm. The farm has about 5.5 acres available for growing healthy food.
The raised beds on the farm are tractor made and the farm grows garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, lettuce, spinach, pac choi, kale, and basil. There are also 170 pastured, certified organic laying hens, and usually at least one round of pastured broilers per summer.
The Setting
Blue Heron Farm is located in Grand Isle, which is one of the islands of Lake Champlain. This makes it for a stunning place to work in. 15 acres of the farm is on the one side of the road and 15 acres of it is on the other side.
It also has a 21×48 greenhouse, a 24×60 hoop house, a new 30 X 72 hoop house for season extension crops, a small 14 X 48 pepper hoop house. To the north of the farm there are pasture lands on which the sheep is grazed.
Work Expectation
The farm will expect the apprentice to work 5.5 days, meaning Monday through Friday and a half day on Saturday. The weekly stipend for this work is 150$. It’s farm work which means it’s hot and sometimes physically challenging. You’ll need to be able to lift at least 50 lbs on a daily basis.
Have in mind that the farm takes care of their workers and they will expect the apprentices to pace themselves and to take care of their own bodies in the process. That’s more important than the work itself.
Skills To Learn
Those who apply for the work on the farm can expect to learn a useful set of skills. These include:
-How to start and grow an agriculture project
-Soil fertility management
-Growing crops from seed to harvest
-Direct and wholesale marketing
-Raising chickens for both meat and eggs
-Canning foods
-Caring for sheep
-Putting up the food for winter
These skills pretty much cover all the work that you do on the farm both with the produce and the office work. If you double down during your internship you’ll have a good basis to start your own healthy food business.
How The Instructions Are Passed On
There are two main ways to learn on the farm and both are equally important. The first is to learn by doing. The second is to listen to those who have been there before. Learning by doing means that you simply do your part of the apprenticeship work and you’ll get the hang of things pretty fast.
The second part is both about the organized workshops and lectures held by the owners and through informal talks you will have with them during the job. It’s important to treat these as part of the learning process as well.
Conclusion
Blue Haron Farm right here in Texas, offers an apprentice program for those interested in farming work. The program is paid and it provides the opportunity to learn on the job. Have in mind that it’s actual work and not just lessons and workshops meaning you’ll need to be able to put in the hours and pitch in by learning on the job.
The farm is one that prides itself with making organic produce and sustainably grown meat so it’s the right place to be in if you want to see more farms like it and possibly to start one yourself.
