Farm Apprentice

October 22, 2024

Industry: Private

Employment Type:- Full Time

Work Hours:- 8 Hours

Locations:- USA

Full Job Description:-

Amber Waves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to provide educational opportunities in agriculture for eaters of all ages. The work we do is driven by our core values of stewardship, sustainability, community, and exploration.

We pride ourselves in creating a fun, fast-paced work environment where we champion good ideas, hard work, common sense and cooperation. The nature of the work is both challenging and rewarding, as is the considerable time we spend interacting with the public both on and off the farm. Our dynamic team consists not only of farmers but also educators, cooks, public hosts, customer service associates, and many young people working their very first jobs. Perks of working at Amber Waves that every employee enjoys include: a complimentary Amber Waves membership, 25% staff discount the retail market, access to classes/events, among many others! As we hire and recruit staff, we look forward to providing opportunities for and developing employees who will grow with us into the future. We look forward to reading your application.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send us an email including your resume, cover letter and three references (please include an e-mail and phone number if possible and their relation to you) to Jobs@AmberWavesFarm.org. In the subject line of the email please state the position you are applying for. Applicants must apply on their own behalf, we don’t accept applications submitted by parents or guardians.

New Hire Requirements
Available to attend employee orientation in-person. New hire orientation will include hands-on training for barista station, cashiering, stocking shelves, washing and packing produce, plus an overview of our company perks, policies, and expectations.
New hires must demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States. Amber Waves is not able to sponsor foreign working visas.
Applicants under the age of 18 must be able to provide copies of working papers and maintain good academic standing in order to be eligible for employment. All scheduled shifts for minors will be in compliance with local labor laws.
We’re a farm: All positions require physical demands including: standing/walking for long periods of time over uneven surfaces; exposure to heat, cold, or wet environments, working in and outdoors with exposure to the elements, repetitive motion such as lifting, kneeling, or bending; and carrying up to 50lbs at a time, with or without assistance.

Amber Waves embraces diverse skills, perspectives, and ideas. We encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ candidates, and people from other underrepresented groups to apply.

Program Overview

In 2025, the Amber Waves Apprenticeship Program will celebrate its 14th year of growing new farmers through hands-on training and mentorship. More than 60 new farmers have completed the program since 2012, most of whom remain actively involved in food and agriculture both locally and around the world. The Apprenticeship provides an 8-month (April-November) paid working and learning experience in sustainable agricultural practices. Specifically, the program includes in-field instruction, weekly discussion time with farm managers, and a handbook that guides and supplements educational topics (described below). The goal of the program is to teach the skill set necessary to launch a new farmer’s career in sustainable agriculture, and prepare them for subsequent growing seasons that will include advancement into higher level positions in farm leadership, management, or entrepreneurship.

As a vertically integrated farm operation, we are uniquely positioned to provide robust training to new farmers by exposing them to multiple areas of the farm’s work, and giving insight on business planning, budgeting, and marketing associated with running a modern farm business. We specialize in value-added products ranging from shelf-stable jarred goods to packaged baby greens, salads, and floral arrangements. Apprentices’ involvement in this production model showcases the multiple avenues to pursue a productive career in food and agriculture post-apprenticeship.

Among key topics covered over the course of the season, apprentices will work towards mastering technical skills associated with plant propagation in the greenhouse, harvesting and post-harvest handling, and tractor work. The intensive production of vegetables requires considerable hand-labor (weeding, harvesting, trellising, etc.), which is accompanied by mechanized (tractor) tillage, cultivation, and preparation of beds. The field work is very physically demanding, and will require that apprentices are motivated, have a good attitude, can tolerate working in inclement weather, and be able to lift at least 50 lbs at a time.

Educational Enrichment:

There is a tremendous amount to be learned in a first season at Amber Waves Farm, where hands-on fieldwork dominates the workday and daily repetition of relevant, critically important tasks are what drive an apprentice’s holistic understanding of the farm operation. To supplement fieldwork, we provide an apprenticeship curriculum and handbook that outlines weekly educational topics throughout the season. We begin with topics associated with getting the season started, including: plant propagation, seedling care, and equipment and safety overview. As the season progresses, topics include plant and soil health in the field, irrigation, harvest, post-harvest handling, marketing produce successfully, and finally crop planning, budgets, and a season review. Apprentices will explore topics with farm managers during a weekly meeting and group field walk.

The farm also participates in the local CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) Program and throughout the season apprentices have the opportunity to attend workshops and lectures led by other farmers, tour neighboring farms and food operations, and attend a farming conference. Upon completion of the farming season, the aim is for each apprentice to have the foundational understanding and skill set necessary to move on to more advanced work in agriculture or food-related work elsewhere, or to remain at Amber Waves Farm for additional seasons in a more advanced role as many past apprentices have done.

Skills & Qualifications:

Strong physical and mental work ethic, sense of pace and self-awareness
Genuine interest in agricultural production, with the intention to continue a career in food or agriculture post-apprenticeship
Desire to learn and improve skill set and knowledge base
Strong organizational and time management skills
Ability and willingness to collaborate and work well with (and sometimes manage) others, including coworkers and the public
Prior agricultural experience is not required, although any work or study in the field of food or agriculture is a desirable attribute to apprenticeship applicants

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Work Schedule & Compensation:

Position Duration: April - Thanksgiving
Full-time (40-50 hours/week); one guaranteed day off/week
$17/hour; covers paid learning/instruction time on-farm
Farm housing available for rent (not on-farm - within walking/biking distance)

Farm Apprentice

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Full Job Description:-

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Farm Apprentice

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