boont berry community farm positions
Two Positions Available at Boont Berry Community Farm, located in downtown Boonville, CA.
Farm Partner (Co-Manager) and Farm Apprentice
Full Season (Mar. 1- Nov.1) commitment required, with possibility for longer involvement.
Farm Mission: Develop a stable “closed system” farm that will produce food for the local community and be a learning center about self-sufficient agriculture.
Location: ¼ mile from downtown Boonville, CA (post office, cafes, groceries, restaurants, bars, brewery, wine tasting) in rural Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, 1.5 hours north of Santa Rosa, 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, 25 minutes west of Ukiah. The farm is surrounded by woodlands and mountains, within walking distance of the redwoods, and a short drive from swimming holes on the local river. Boonville is a small and progressive community with an interesting and fun social atmosphere and plenty to do for a small town.
Farm Description: This new community farm enterprise, using non-certified organic methods, is on a 50-acre valley bottom farm and orchard that has been in organic production for the last 30 years. Last year Tim Ward, the project founder, took over the fallow and messy property and began building the animal flocks and establishing a place for the project in the local community. Our entire production will include 2 acres of diverse organic vegetables, grains for animal feed, hay crops, pasture-raised animals (currently sheep, dairy goats, hogs, turkeys, ducks, and chickens), eggs, milk, and processed food from a shared certified kitchen. We have a tractor, a 50 ft. hothouse for growing and also have local partnering farmers that lend equipment and support to our fledgling project.
Now entering the first full production season, Tim is seeking the right partners to help establish the vegetable plantings, maintain the mob grazing rotations with the pasture animals, develop the CSA and the involvement of members on the farm, and create alternative marketing opportunities for the farm’s surplus produce. The farm is focusing production primarily for local members (CSA) who pick up directly from the farm as well as other direct marketing options needed for revenue generation. Part of the farm’s mission is to foster education and this capacity is currently being developed.
Position Description: Full-time farm position, 5 days a week with some early and late chores. 5 days of work/week, 8-10 hours/day, depending on the season. Both positions share in the administration and production with the farm manager and project founder Tim Ward and participate in all aspects of the farming. The Partner position will have more responsibility.
Position requirements: Ability and willingness to manage certain areas of the farm production, to manage volunteer workers, and to participate in the spirit of learning and education about agriculture. Desire to foster community and to participate in a communal work and living environment. Alignment with the organizational values described at the end of the next page. The partner position is only available to someone with 2 or more years of farming experience and a desire to invest in the project like their own business.
Food Provided: The farm supplies most food. (Healthy organic, balanced with good meat, milk, eggs, grains, and veggies) The kitchen crew cooks 3 meals a day to be shared by the farm whole crew. Participation in food preparation for the crew is possible, not required.
Housing provided: Private bunk space: Partner position- 30 ft. Airstream trailer (clean, stripped, no water/power) and Apprentice position- Small Camper Bus. Share kitchen and small lounge in barn with farm crew, separate shower and pit toilet facilities.
Weekly Cash Stipend: $50 (Same as farm manager)
About the founder: Tim Ward, 31 years old, is returning to a long standing passion for farming. Having first farmed in 1998, he spent 10 years studying the environment and economics in college, educating youth outdoors about science, farming and leadership, and as an activist trying to protect threatened natural environment and community systems. Always interested and involved with diverse organic farms, Tim believes there is nothing more important than agriculture and community building. Before becoming a farmer again, Tim loved to surf, bicycle, and dance… maybe with your help he will have time to do that again.
Now is the time to build community and soil, and connect people to food in a deep way. We have the right 50-acres to bring a hopeful model of saving farms to our local rural area through cooperative community supported endeavors.
Our local community in the Anderson Valley knows about the threats to local food security. Our farm land has a proven record of organic food production and community presence. We are offering an alternative hope for our local valley. CSA memberships are being filled, fields prepped, seeds started, animals being born left and right. It must be springtime in California!
Join us in the creation of this exciting new project.
Come to the farm to see what you think.
We look forward to meeting you there.
Boontberry Community Farm Values
- Positivity!
- Community oriented and dedicated
- Communication is the key
- Beauty and aesthetic in landscaping and structures
- Commitment to providing for local food-shed
- Fostering local food security
- Community oriented and dedicated
- Serious Business
- High quality produce
- Stable or profiting business model
- Detailed Record Keeping
- Compensation that allows farmers to live a respectable life
- Preservation of traditional farming methods and genetics (vegetables and livestock)
- Lifelong learning from the land
- Sensitivity: To nature, people, animals, diversity, subtle forces
- Healing the Earth, air, water and spirit.
- Minimize tillage and building soil
- Responsible use of resources (water, electricity, materials)
- Low to No Inputs from off-farm
- Minimize landfill waste.
- No use or storage of toxic materials on the farm
Interested? Contact Tim:
(831) 332-5131
[email protected]