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27 Mar 2024
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Description
**Applications are now open for the 2024 Farm Fellowship (April 29-October 5, 2024) and will be accepted on a rolling basis.**
Join our team! We are a 501c3 nonprofit farm education center in West Edmeston, NY, donating 100% of our produce to food pantries, mutual aid groups, and herbal clinics, serving low-income and historically underserved communities through our Food Access and Herbal Aid Programs. Our staff help with the maintenance of 200+ varieties of crops, grown in a multi-story food forest model.
Our Farm Fellowship is a paid season-long commitment wherein fellows help to run the day-to-day operations of the farm. Under the mentorship of the farm’s Project Manager, fellows will: 1) tend to a food forest by applying principles of no-till organic farming, regenerative agroforestry, and permaculture design, with a focus on growing perennial fruits & herbs, cover crops, and annual vegetables; 2) harvest and pack crops for the farm’s Food Access & Herbal Aid Programs; and 3) help to carry out community volunteer days engaging members of the public in farm tasks such as planting and harvesting.
This is an outdoor, physical job. Farming often involves repetitive tasks, such as weeding, mulching, and harvesting. These humble field tasks are the backbone of our operation and this is what the fellows will be focused on learning and executing, to ensure the planting, care & maintenance, and harvesting of crops for donation to food pantries, mutual aid groups, and free herbal clinics.
The fellowship focuses on experiential, hands-on learning, where fellows work alongside the farm’s senior staff, to learn how to efficiently carry out sustainable farming techniques at-scale. Optional weekly classes are taught by the farm’s Project Manager to provide an opportunity for more in-depth learning for tasks learned in the field. Class topics include: farm/garden design, food forest design, irrigation system design, dynamic accumulator plants, tiny home design, off-grid photovoltaic systems, and more.
Key Details:
-24 hours per week, at $20/hr
-Room & board are provided at no charge for fellows who live on-site and can commit to the 24 hr/wk full-season (April 29-October 5) schedule
-Required Experience: Applicants must have 1 season of farming experience (at a production farm/nonprofit farm or other farm type), OR must have previously completed the farm’s Permaculture Internship (not offered this season).
-Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. (we cannot offer work visas).Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco ProjectsGardeningFarmstay helpUN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Fellows will experience a rural way of life in an agriculture-based community in upstate New York, where the pace of life is slower and the community bonds are strong. Many Amish families have moved into our area over the past several years so fellows will have the opportunity to witness the unique Amish culture.
We offer many cultural exchange activities in our free time, including visits to nearby natural parks and waterfalls; visits to nearby farms and food businesses like the Fly Creek Cider Mill; and visits to nearby towns and attractions, like the historic Village of Cooperstown, NY, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the beautiful Glimmerglass Lake.Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Host has indicated that they will pay at least the minimum hourly wage of their country for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.
Help
A Typical Day:
6:45am-8:00am: Breakfast
8:00am-12:00pm: Work Hours: Includes seeding; transplanting; irrigation; weeding; mulching; trellising; pruning; lawn mowing and weed whacking; garden bed preparation; harvesting and packing produce for our Food Access & Herbal Aid Programs.
12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm-10:00pm: Free Time: Swimming in the river; dinner; board games; reading books from the farm library; walks in the woods or visiting nearby parks and waterfalls.
Optional weekly classes are taught by the farm’s Project Manager to provide an opportunity for more in-depth learning for tasks learned in the field. Class topics include: farm/garden design, food forest design, irrigation system design, dynamic accumulator plants, tiny home design, off-grid photovoltaic systems, and more.Languages spoken
Catalan: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: FluentAccommodation
Our farm is entirely off-grid and is transitioning off of fossil fuels. We now rely 100% on off-grid solar for all of our lighting, charging electronics, landscaping tools, irrigation, and some power tools. For fellows who apply to live on-site, sleeping accommodations include 2 double bedrooms in the skoolie (converted school bus) or camping (bring your own camper, tent, or other camping gear). For fellows who live on-site, all organic vegetarian/vegan pantry staple items are provided. For those living on-site, we have a cooking rota six days a week to take turns cooking communal meals. The farm is a substance-free space (we do not allow alcohol, vaping, tobacco, marijuana, or other drugs on-site). We have both indoor and outdoor kitchens, indoor and outdoor compost toilets, and a gravity-fed unheated shower as well as access to the River. We don’t have wifi, but do have good cell phone reception with Verizon.
What else ...
We are located in rural West Edmeston, NY, about 40 minutes from Utica and Cooperstown. We can pick up and drop off fellows within a 40 minute radius of the farm. Buses and trains travel to Utica and Cooperstown from New York City and other major cities. We also have parking spaces available for fellows who choose to bring their own car.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
4-5 hours/day, 5 days/week
Feedback (12)
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
We have been lucky enough to travel around North America in our journey to learn more about organic farming/permaculture, and this has by far been one of our best experiences.
Words cannot… read more
The daily tasks was… read more
It was an absolute pleasure to host Bre at our farm this summer. Despite her young age, Bre possesses a maturity, strong work ethic and responsibility rivaling that of people twice her age. Bre is one of those special volunteers who is more than just a volunteer; she is a kind, dependable life-long friend who we will value always. We would love… read more
This was my first Workaway experience and I feel so appreciative I ended up coming here. I've never had so many interesting, hilarious and thought provoking conversations haha! The food was incredible, it was awesome feeling so healthy and strong! Being surrounded by Amish… read more