Early Bird Farm Internship

THE FARM: We are a small farm in the Puyallup River valley outside of Tacoma.  Entering our sixth year of production, we grow 2 acres of vegetables, manage a 500 bird flock of egg-laying hens, and tend to a few bee hives, fruit trees, and berry bushes.  Our main business is a 20 week CSA program and 2 farmers markets in Seattle and Tacoma.  We use a tractor to prep fields and move our mobile chicken coops, but most of the daily work is done by hand using only sustainable growing practices.  Learn more at: www.earlybirdfarmer.com

JOB DESCRIPTION: You’ll take part in a little bit of everything over the course of the year.  About 75% of your time on-farm will be devoted to some aspect of vegetable production, 20% to looking after the chickens and our 3 adorable sheep, and the other 5% working with the berries, fruit, honeybees, or farm improvement projects, depending on interest.  Expect a 40 hour work week on average–less in the spring and fall, more in the summer.  Part of the job will be helping at one farmers market per week during the peak season (July-Sept).

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Working on a small-scale farm alongside the farm owner, you’re going to learn a lot.  You’ll be growing vegetables seed to harvest, in the field and in a greenhouse.  You’ll use most every tool we have at some point: everything from hand tools, to our electric walk-behind tiller, to our 32HP tractor. Although the job is primarily hands-on learning by doing, we participate in the Washington State Farm Internship Program which means we follow a farm-created educational curriculum and take about an hour a week outside the workday to discuss farm related topics in more depth. There is also flexibility to pursue your own interest on the farm: you’ll be encouraged to grow a crop or two of your own interest and field trips to neighboring organic farms will be scheduled throughout the summer based on what you want to see more of.

DETAILS: No farming experience is required, just a genuine interest in immersing yourself in helping make this farm run.  If you do have farming experience, great, you’ll have much more responsibility here than on a larger farm. Successful interns in past years have come from very diverse backgrounds, but all expressed a clear interest in someday starting their own farm. Please note that we are a very small farm with limited social opportunities on site. You’re welcome to hang around the farm on your days off, but our interns tend to go do their own thing on their days off. As such, local applicants are preferred, but independent minded folks from out of state are encouraged to apply. Also, having your own car is required.

Housing on farm in a RV trailer is provided. Or commute to the farm if you live nearby and don’t mind getting up early.  Cook your own meals, mostly. You’ll share a well-stocked outdoor kitchen with the other intern/employees. We strive to share some communal meals each week but it doesn’t always happen. Eating well is part of the gig: you get free eggs and produce from the farm, plus a monthly stipend to buy extra food of your choice from the store.

PAY:   Internship: $800/month plus a monthly food stipend.  Higher stipend offered to those with a season of market farm experience.  Workers compensation is included as we are a part of the State of Washington’s Internship Pilot Project.

Send cover letter and resume to [email protected] if interested or with any questions.