Texas Hill Country Organic Apprenticeship

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Taylor in Apprenticeship, Education, Farming, Organic, Small Farms // 0 Comments

Apprentice Needed for Texas Hill Country Organic Market Garden – Spring 2021

Farhaven is a small Texas Hill Country organic market garden operation with 3/4 acre of vegetable gardens in 3 areas that are high fenced to keep out deer. We also have 51 chickens in a newly built “Hen Hilton”. We market in our area by customer pick up at our 76 acre ranch.

Farhaven is also a horse farm with 4 dressage and event horses working hard to supply us with clean compost. The manure is used in our composting area and we “heat it up” with organic chicken manure from Medina Agricultural Products which we buy in bulk by the ton. Medina is a great resource about 40 miles away.

We build our soil constantly and have great success with Asparagus, Okra, Irish Potatoes, Spinach, Lettuce, Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Tomatoes, Peppers, and especially Butternut Squash. We also grow herbs and flowers. Our 450 sweet potato plants are almost ready for harvest, and fall cukes, squash, tomatoes and peppers will be producing before our first frost which usually comes around November 15th.

Our green house is state of the art….passive solar (40’ x 30’ x 18’ high at the catwalk) with so much thermal mass inside that it rarely requires heat and it has a thermal chimney for cooling with clearstory windows and backup exhaust fans staged at 5 degree intervals to come on as needed. We also have a root cellar for storage.

The accommodations for the apprentice are private with a full bath and cooking area. Compensation includes housing, food, and a stipend.

We are looking for someone to help grow the marketing side of the operation and show a creative initiative in improving all aspects of the Farm.

Activities will include, but not be limited to, planting, weeding, harvesting, marketing, fence building, tilling, compost making, chicken chores , drip irrigation maintenance, and general farm maintenance chores. We are looking for an individual with great sense of humor, willingness to apply themselves, and a desire to learn about independent living and sustainable agriculture.

Farhaven has 2 solar systems, and 45,000 gallons of rainwater collection which is filtered and cleaned with a UV system.

Please contact Mark or Nancy at mhall@swtexas.net. Or call 830-486-7033.