Type: full-time internship with stipend, room and board, more (see below)
Organization: Shared Harvest Community Farm
Website: http://www.sharedharvestdunnville.com
Location: Dunnville, south of Hamilton/Stoney Creek/St
Catharines/Welland, Ontario
Shared Harvest Community Farm is located 200 metres from the banks of
the Grand River and 3 kms from where it empties into Lake Erie. The
farm is home to the oldest house in Dunnville (circa 1821) and is
surrounded by three 200 year old willow trees. The “cottage” as we
call it is a community space and a hospice on Thursdays throughout the
summer. It is also used for workshops and gatherings. We have an on
site certified kitchen and walk in fridge. We have three other
structures for storage space and two cabins for interns. We also have
a tractor trailer for storing winter roots.
Farm Production:
We have 2 acres for veggies on site with an additional 2 acres next
door to us. We also have an additional 26 acres under organic
certification. In total we have over 6 acres of mixed veggies in
production and the rest is in a rotation with cover crops, seed
production and pasture. We also pasture a small amount of laying hens.
We run a 60 member CSA vegetable box that services Port Colborne, St.
Catherines and Dunnville. We also go to Dufferin Grove Organic Farmrs
Market every Thursday in Toronto just south of Bloor on Dufferin.
Growing:
We cultivate mainly with a 1949 Allis Chalmers G, wheel hoes and hand
hoes. Our greenhouse is 100 feet by 30 feet and is automated and
heated. We mainly grow greens, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in a
tight rotation. We fertilize with compost and compost teas mainly. We
also use native plants to make our own pesticides, fertilizers,
fungicides and other botanicals to ensure healthy crops and minimal
inputs from outside the farm.
Distribution/Marketing:
We are currently run our CSA for 32 weeks. All the produce is from our
farm. We can and process pesto, tomato sauce, salsa, babganoush,
roasted peppers, pickled beans (eggplants, beets, pickles etc..),
saurkraut, kimchi and other delicious fermented goodies. We wholesale
a bit to other CSA’s and into Toronto. We produced around 20 tons of
food last season. We are running multiple workshops, an annual music
festival called “Turnip the Beets”, a two day harmonica retreat, two
day Mudcat Blues Workshop, (with singer songwriting, blues guitar and
vocal training) a Fermentation Festival, adult art classes, vegan
cooking classes, childrens chef program and a few other odds and ends
to ensure a dynamic, busy, fun filled farm life! So much to do!
Internship Work Expectations and Requirements:
Interns do not need any special training or background. (although it
helps!) Interns will have a cabin or on site tent for accommodations
(your choice). They are expected to work a 50 hour work week with
week-ends off. (we are flexible people for scheduling) Interns will
learn everything from starting seedlings, making compost teas, tractor
work, irrigation, weeding, food handling both in field and in our
certified kitchen, fermenting vegetables, canning, cooking, marketing
at our farmers market, running volunteer crews when needed, bicycle
maintenance, crop rotation and definitely how to eat a healthy diet of
fresh veggies!
Stipend:
$400/month, room and board, transportation to and from Hamilton when
needed, internet, laundry, phone and have full access to all workshops
on the week-ends and after work.
Send us an e-mail:
sharedharvestdunnville@gmail.com
or call us at 905-701-7255.
Come grow, learn and live with us!