APPRENTICESHIP and VOLUNTEERING
We welcome volunteers on the farm (usually on Wednesday afternoons) but we do need to make arrangements in advance.
Please call Suzanne at 401-466-5797 at least one day beforehand to confirm our schedule.
Educational Experience
Our apprentice program is a hands-on working/learning experience designed to expose motivated candidates to a wide variety of vegetable, flower, and fruit crops as well as laying hens and honey bees and many marketing options (CSA, restaurant sales, special events, farmers’ market.) The skills taught during the apprenticeship can be translated to a wide range of future activities: from intensive small scale gardening to larger scale production. After a season on Blazing Star Farm apprentices will have a realistic understanding of what it takes to plan, grow, and market produce and cut flowers commercially.
Most of your learning will take place “in the field.” Our method of teaching is: "I do. We do. You do." We will work together moving from demonstration of skills, doing them side by side, and then to independent work. Once a skill is mastered apprentices are expected to work to improve efficiency and speed as they are important skills for commercial growing. During July and August we are very production oriented but are often discussing the details of crops and farming as we work and questions arise. Orientation, farm walks, daily meetings, and in-depth discussions of topics of interest are other times scheduled for learning.
The Work Schedule
The season: May 1st through the third week of October.
Weekly work requirements: 40 hours/week Tuesday-Saturday. Eight hours per day starting between 6:30 and 8 am depending on the weather.
Housing and stipend provided.
General Work
We focus on high quality, high value products so attention to detail is very important in our harvesting, washing, and processing of crops. Work tasks often require repetition, bending, lifting, and carrying heavy objects. Most farm work is done using hand tools and techniques.
Apprentices are expected to have a professional, polite, and helpful attitude during work and when interacting with customers.
For more information on the apprenticeship please contact Suzanne at blazingstarfarm@verizon.net or 401-466-5797
Apprenticeship
Volunteering
