Organic Farming Apprenticeship in New Jersey

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Taylor in Apprenticeship, Farming, Organic // 0 Comments

Organic Farming Apprenticeship in New Jersey at Savoie Organic Farm – 2021

Savoie Organic Farm is a small family farm located on 40 acres nestled in the southern New Jersey Pinelands about 25 miles outside of Philadelphia. Founded in 2005, the farm is owned and operated by Barry and Carol Savoie. They specialize in a diverse selection of vegetables and herbs. Originally a thoroughbred horse farm owned by Carol’s father since 1955, the farm was converted to vegetable production by Barry and Carol in 2005 and was certified organic by the NJDA in 2007. They typically have 12 to 15 acres in production and employ cover cropping on the remaining acreage. Their products are primarily sold at four prominent farmers’ markets in southern New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City. Additionally, they supply produce to several fine dining establishments in Philadelphia and New York City. More information about the farm can be found at www.savoieorganicfarm.com.

Savoie Organic Farm is passionate about the cultivation of certified organic vegetables for their community and the environmental stewardship of their farmland that has been in Carol’s family for over 60 years. Barry and Carol are committed to growing high quality, nutritious food in a sustainable way that preserves the beauty and enhances the health of their farmland for future generations. As second-career farmers, Barry and Carol approach their work with a particular reverence for what it means to work their land together towards a common goal: the ability to support their family from the fruits of their labor while preserving their farmland as an oasis amidst the ever-increasing suburban sprawl. They take great pride and satisfaction in the working farm they have created as well as the production of great-tasting and healthy food for their own family and wider community. The journey hasn’t been easy; there were many pitfalls and lessons learned along the way to becoming a successful organic farm. But Barry and Carol are both eager to share the knowledge and insights they have gained over the past sixteen years. They have had the pleasure of working with many fine people who have played an integral role in achieving their farm’s success. They hope you will consider joining them for the opportunity to learn and grow beside them this coming farm season!

Organic Farming Apprenticeship in New Jersey

Start date: 5/1/2021; End date: 10/1/2021

We are looking for two field hands/apprentices-in-residence who are interested in living and working full-time on our established organic farm. Apprentices will participate in every aspect of our field-scale vegetable production, including starting and maintaining seedlings in our greenhouse, transplanting, direct seeding, weeding, harvesting, sorting, washing, packing, and pest and disease management. Apprentices will have the opportunity to learn both open field and high tunnel production. Apprentices must be physically fit and able to lift 50 lbs. For their safety, apprentices will focus on handwork and will not be operating farm machinery. These tasks are repetitive and often performed under adverse conditions (hot or inclement weather), so successful candidates must be willing to work hard no matter how tedious the task or what Mother Nature throws at us. Attention to detail and economy of motion are a must for efficiently getting the job done. To this end, we will teach you how to work smarter, not harder! Apprentices will also have the opportunity to work the farmers’ markets to gain experience with the marketing and sales aspect of farming. For these retail duties, a friendly attitude and the ability to accurately make change are a must.

The organic farming apprenticeship in New Jersey is a full-time, seasonal position. Successful candidates will be conscientious, dedicated, energetic, enthusiastic, hard working, punctual, and able to take direction and feedback. A strong work ethic is a must, and an inherent interest in organic farming is desired. Previous gardening and/or farming experience is a plus, but not required.

In return for your hard work and dedication we are happy to provide a generous compensation package. Apprentices will be paid a generous weekly stipend. In addition, we will provide vegetables for personal consumption and a work gear allowance, if needed. Comfortable, on-farm housing will be provided in a fully furnished, historic 4-bedroom stone farmhouse dedicated for our field hands. Accommodations include a shared bath, kitchen, and living room and amenities such as washer/dryer, air conditioning/heat, and wireless Internet. Housing is provided strictly for the duration of employment; all apprentices are expected to move out on their last day of work. Living quarters are for employees only, not for family, friends, partners, etc. No pets are permitted, and this is a strictly non-smoking residence. The living space will be shared with other apprentices, and keeping the residence clean and well maintained will be part of your job. Weekly inspections of the farmhouse will be conducted and any areas of concern will be identified for immediate correction. We will cover the first $100 of the monthly electric bill as well any other utility and wireless internet fees. Since you will be living on the farm, transportation is not required, although we do require you to have a drivers’ license, as you may need to drive farm vehicles.

Our family farm is our sole livelihood, and our success depends on the quality and dedication of our staff. If you are just looking for an escape, or are only marginally interested in farming, please do not apply. If you are ready to work hard, have fun, and learn a lot, then we look forward to hearing from you!

COMPENSATION

Weekly stipend of $415. Additional compensation/benefits include vegetables for personal consumption and comfortable on-farm living accommodations with full amenities (see more detailed description above).

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Email contact@savoieorganicfarm.com

Online: http://www.savoieorganicfarm.com

Please e-mail Barry and Carol Savoie through their website to express your interest in the internship. Please include a copy of your resume and a cover letter with your e-mail. We will send you a copy of the application and set up an interview.