Employment Opportunities
Round Right Farm is currently hiring Farm Assistants and Apprentices.
Farm Assistants
Round Right Farm is a diversified vegetable farm following organic practices. We attend three weekly farmer's markets, have a 150 member CSA and sell to restaurants. We are also innovating new concepts in local food sales. For example, through our online CSA, our members have the option of customizing their box (share) each week. We are located near the tri-state intersection of MD, WV and PA, 10 miles NW of Oakland MD.
This is a seasonal position. We have hours available from early March to early December.
Farm Assistants' tasks are varied with the seasons but primarily include harvest and transplanting as well as cultural practices in the field (i.e. putting on row cover, mulching, tying up peas, etc.). As Assistants develop an understanding of our farming ethic and farm systems, tasks can also include seeding in the greenhouse, direct seeding in the field, irrigation/hoophouse management, running the wash/packing station, tractor operation, produce delivery and market sales.
It is required that candidates be inspired to farm.
Pay starts at $8/hr.
Part of Round Right Farm's longer term goals are to successfully raise and market pastured poultry and grass-fed beef. To facilitate this we are planning to hire a salaried Vegetable Operations Manager at some point during the 2012/2013 seasons. We are hoping to fill this position with a current or future Round Right Farm Assistant; this means Assistants have the possibility of being promoted to a salaried position.
A variety of housing arrangements can be found in nearby Oakland, MD for $400-500/month (less with a roommate) or closer to the farm for potentially cheaper. There is also a small off-grid cabin on Round Right Farm which is available for $100/month. The farm is situated in an area with diverse surroundings. It borders the Cranesville Swamp Nature Preserve where we often have the pleasure of watching bears from our fields. The farm is located in a rural farming community surrounded by state forests that offer great hiking as well as rock climbing and paddling. 10 miles SE is the thriving small town of Oakland which offers all the amenities of a modern American small town including a great farmer's market. 10 miles NE is Deep Creek Lake. The lake is a popular tourist destination both summer and winter and affords an opportunity to meet a variety of people from our larger region. We are also less than an hour's drive to Morgantown, WV (where most of our produce goes), which is a thriving city with a voracious appetite for local organic food. It is also home to WVU and a good place to see music shows and eat at world-class restaurants. Another area of interest less than an hour away is Thomas/Davis WV. These two side-by-side mountain towns offer great food and nightlife and are surrounded by a plethora of natural beauty.
Apprenticeships
We are currently seeking apprentices for the 2012 season.
Apprenticeship Length: We offer apprenticeships from April to mid October. A full season apprenticeship is possible after completion of 6-week trial period. If a full season is not desired or possible, we can agree upon a length ahead of time that will will be effective in achieving your goals.
Educational Opportunities: We believe the world needs more farmers, so we will prepare you as best we can to start your own farm. The apprenticeship will introduce you to and prepare you for the practical realities of professional organic farming. You will get a thorough understanding of our approach which will serve as a spring-board to an overall understanding of the dynamics and issues of contemporary ecologically oriented farming. It is important for apprentices to understand that this is not a typical school, but a place where you learn by doing. Farming covers a wide set of skills and disciplines. Knowing your main areas of interest, having specific goals, and being able to articulate them all help to insure a successful experience. As such, we hope you will make the most of your time with us by asking lots of questions and generally immersing yourself in farm life.
It is important to us that apprentices understand that good business planning and management is just as important to a farmer's success as knowing how to grow quality food and care for the soil, so you will have the opportunity to learn farm planning and accounting as well as all aspects of organic produce growing and marketing from seed to sale. This includes CSA and market management, greenhouse and high tunnel production, crop rotations, cover crop management, equipment care and repair, harvest and post-harvest handling and delivery to market. You will also have the opportunity learn basic marketing, farmer's market stand management, and CSA relationship building. Also, those who can demonstrate responsibility, focus and a safety first awareness can also get experience operating the tractors and implements. All these area may not be of specific interest to you, so we do our best to tailor the apprenticeship to your specific interests within the confines of effectively running the farm. This means that the most routine farm tasks, such as harvest and transplanting, will be a part of your weekly experience throughout the season but you will also have the opportunity to specialize in and grow your skills in other specific areas over the course of the season.
Skills Desired: Being inspired to farm is the only requirement. However, we are also looking for someone who has the stamina to keep up with the rigorous physical demands of farming and can prioritize activities and work efficiently. In addition, it is necessary that you feel comfortable interacting and working in the presence of small children, as we have two.
Stipend: $75/week, paid monthly, plus a $25/week bonus paid upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Housing: Off grid cabin with composting toilet, wood heat and propane gas stove/oven.
Meals: Food is included; you will become a member of the family and eat lunch and some dinners with us (depending on work schedule). You will prepare your own breakfast from food we provide. For your days off, basic staples and unlimited veggies are available for your use.
Work Hours: Approximately 50 hrs/wk. Apprentices work 5 days a week, Monday through Friday. We generally start at dawn and work till late afternoon/early evening. This agrarian time orientation means shorter days in spring & fall, and longer days at the height of summer. We also sometimes change our work hours to work around the weather, so flexibiblty with hours on workdays is required. Apprentices have Saturday and Sunday off.