Farm Apprenticeships in North Carolina

Farm Apprenticeship near Asheville, North Carolina for 2913 General Farm Description: Located 25 minutes north of Asheville, Ivy Creek Family Farm (Website: https://www.ivycreekfamilyfarm.com) is nestled in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. The north fork of the Ivy River runs through their fields, bringing fresh crystal clear water to their production area. The farm is 38 acres, with five acres of bottom land, 14 acres of pasture, and 20 acres of forested mountains. They are bordered by 400 acres of private conservation land, and are only 5 minutes from the Coleman Boundary of Pisgah National Forest. They grow a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, shiitake mushrooms, and flowers for our 85 CSA members, two markets (North Asheville Tailgate Market and Weaverville Tailgate Market), restaurants, and grocery stores. They use all natural and sustaintable production methods without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Apprenticeship Starts: Beginning of March Ends: Mid-November Internship Starts: Mid-May Ends: Mid-August Number of Apprentices: 3 Number of College Interns: 1 Minimum Length of Stay: 8 months for apprentices; 3 months for college interns To read the full description and to find out how to apply click "read more"

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Meals: We offer lunch on all work days for the farm. Apprentices and interns have access to all vegetable seconds from the farm for personal cooking use.

Skills Desired: We ask that all applicants be interested in farming, have the ability to work consistently on repetitive tasks, be in good physical and mental shape, enjoy physical labor, and have a positive attitude. We hope that all apprentices will be able to have fun and stay focused while working hard. Successful applicants will have former farming experience or serious gardening skills and the ability to take directions and to show initiative.

Educational Opportunities: Apprentices and farm interns learn through working. They also share information about the planning we do to make our farm efficient and profitable, including seed calculation, basic accounting, equipment lists, cultivation tips, direct marketing, and more. They believe in fostering teamwork and community. Ivy Creek Family Farm and their apprentices and interns participate in CRAFT and have the opportunity to visit many other area farms, get to know other farm apprentices, and learn through the CRAFT workshop series.

Stipend: Full season apprentices live in a renovated, 3-bedroom barn apartment on Ivy Creek Family Farm, eat lunch provided by the farm on work days, receive veggies and eggs, and get a $400 a month stipend. College interns receive the same benefits and receive $300 a month.

Housing: Apprentices and interns live in a recently renovated 3-bedroom barn apartment. The kitchen, living room and bathroom are all shared space. Although the barn apartment has running water and a water heater, it does not have a flush toilet.

Details – Farm apprentices learn about organic farming in a beautiful setting 25 minutes north of Asheville, NC. Apprentices are an integral part of all farm activities, including greenhouse production, shiitake management, planting, field cultivation and weeding, washing veggies, harvesting, selling at market, and packaging CSA shares. They work in the field and on the farm, five full days a week. Tasks on the farm are long and often tedious. Their goal is to provide apprentices with the experience and knowledge they need to start their own farming operation. Their paid apprentices are college graduates and students, community members, and aspiring organic farmers who work on the farm from early March to mid November. Full season apprentices live in a renovated, 3-bedroom barn apartment on Ivy Creek Family Farm, eat lunch provided by the farm on work days, receive veggie seconds and food staples for meals, and get a $400 a month stipend. In the 2013 season, they have three apprenticeships available. They ask that apprentices take leadership roles and have previous experience with farming or serious gardening. Apprentices work Monday-Friday and an occasional Saturday selling with us at market. They offer talented apprentices the opportunity to stay on at the farm a second year as farm crew leader, which includes increased pay, year-round employment, and private accommodations in a cabin. In 2013, apprentices will be working with both the farm owner (Paul Littman) and the crew leader (Ryan Clark) who each have a different knowledge base to offer.

College Interns – College Interns work on the farm from mid May to the end of the summer five days a week. The interns live in a renovated barn apartment, eat lunch provided by the farm on work-days, receive veggie seconds for meals, and get a $300 monthly stipend. In the 2013 season, we have one internship available

How to Apply
To apply, email a resume and cover letter to wncfarm@gmail.com. Please list two references. Call Anna and Paul Littman with questions: 828-712-4644

Ivy Creek Family Farm

390 North Fork Road

Barnardsville, NC 28709