Thimbleberry Collective Farm Apprenticeship

Last Updated On: May 7th, 2026 at 07:38PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
29089 SE Kelso Rd.
Boring, Oregon, 97009

Primary Contact: Drew Renault
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 971-288-7943
    Email: drew@thimbleberrycollaborativefarm.org

Website: https://www.oregonfarmcorps.org/host-farms/thimbleberry-8ajc6

Internship information

General Farm Description: Thimbleberry Collective Farm is situated on 5 acres just outside Boring, Oregon - 30 miles east of downtown Portland, 57 miles from Mt. Hood, and surrounded by some of the best natural beauty and recreational opportunities in Oregon. Approximately ⅓ of an acre of our farm is in no/low-till, mixed annual vegetables, and another ¼ acre is planted to boysenberries which are currently leased and managed by a nearby Organic certified farmer. We have a large learning garden with several raised and in-ground beds, as well as perennial native plantings, blueberries, and herbs, and a small, mature orchard of apple, plum, pear and cherry trees. There is a large shop which contains our packing/storage/refrigeration, a seed propagation greenhouse, and a home which serves as our office/communal kitchen/meeting space. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization, and our produce is provided at no cost to the recipients through donations to local food pantries in east Multnomah and Clackamas Counties, as well as through a farm-to-table meal delivery program that we piloted for two years. With this program, patients of Wallace, a medical clinic in Rockwood, received weekly meals prepared and delivered to them by Milk Crate Kitchen, a non-profit production kitchen. We also set up a weekly, free farm stand onsite at the clinic where patients receive fresh produce to take home. Our educational programs are constantly growing, so field trips and workshops involving school-age children as well as adults are a regular occurrence on and off the farm. Finally, we have 4 laying hens and 5 ducks, which we hope to incorporate into the fertility plan of the farm by utilizing manure and “chicken tillage” of cover crop residue, as well as their pest management capabilities. So far, our farm crew consists of one full-time farmer (Drew), two staff on harvest and transplanting days as needed, a part-time farm assistant, and additional support from board members and volunteers during work parties and other events. Drew is the primary farmer/Farm Operations Manager at TCF. We are a small team of just 1 part-time and 3 full-time employees (plus an awesome Board of Directors), so on any given day each of us may be helping out in the field, learning garden, orchard, or supporting each other with other tasks not directly related to growing food. Though TCF was established just 3 years ago (2023 being our first season on our current land), Drew has 10+ years of farming experience, having previously owned his own CSA/market farm south of Eugene, Oregon, where he also grew using natural methods but with a more traditional tillage approach. Drew noticed that repeated tillage had a very detrimental effect on the soil and thus the crops, but didn’t have the resources needed to implement some of the exciting low-till methods we use here at Thimbleberry. He believes that farming and tending plants comes naturally to most people, so his general philosophy is that there is no “right” way to do something. That being said, through repeated trial and error he has developed preferences for how to approach tasks, and will expect anyone helping on the farm to utilize these techniques unless agreed otherwise. We have found that it is easy to become myopic in farming, so we encourage questions about the “why” of any given task or technique. Generally, we find farmers to be some of the smartest, most ingenuitive people around, and have no doubt that we can learn much from even the greenest thumb. We value direct communication, consistency, punctuality, hard work, laughter/fun, and camaraderie amongst the staff and community that surrounds us at TCF. One of our favorite parts of working at the farm is our weekly staff meal, prepared mostly with ingredients from the fields!

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 3/15/2026
Internship Ends: 11/15/2026
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: 3/15/2026
Minimum Length of Stay: 1 Season

Internship Details:

Apprentices will primarily be involved in the day-to-day physical operations of the farm, including, seed propagation, transplanting, weeding, cover crop establishment/management, drip irrigation installation and management, harvesting, washing/packing/delivering produce, small machinery/hand tool operation (BCS walk-behind tractor, mower, weed whacker, stirrup hoes, shovels, etc.), compost production, chicken/duck care, record keeping, and various other tasks related to the smooth operation of the farm. Occasionally, Apprentices may support other staff in activities such as field trips, workshops, or tabling at farm stands/farmer’s markets/events. In addition, Apprentices have the opportunity to engage in aspects of the non-profit side of the farm, such as supporting fund-raising events like our annual harvest celebration or community nights facilitated by local partners. Much of the farm management aspect of the farm such as crop-planning, seed ordering, and budgeting is done during the winter months, so exposure to learning experiences in these areas will be limited, though time can be set aside to discuss these aspects if desired. Since we are not a typical “market” farm, experience in the retail, direct to consumer aspects common with many small farm operations such as farmers markets and CSA programs won’t be provided, though our farm-to-table program will provide experience in setting up a farm stand and interacting with other nonprofits serving the community.

Typical start time is between 8-9am Monday-Friday, depending on the required task, and will generally end by 4:30pm, with Monday/Wednesday/Friday being harvest days and therefore requiring the most support. During peak season, harvest days may begin at 7am and end by 3pm. We do not generally work more than 8 hours on any given day. The majority of a prospective apprentice’s time will be spent supporting harvesting, washing, weeding, and transplanting crops. Essentially, every day is a “training day” in the sense that through repetition and working side-by-side with the Farm Operations Manager, the Apprentice will gain a thorough understanding of the day to day operation of the farm. Detailed training in other aspects of the farm will be determined through our regular check-ins and identifying gaps in knowledge or proficiency in real time. Questions about processes and techniques are encouraged to ensure work can be done safely and efficiently, and that the Apprentice ends the season with as comprehensive an understanding as possible.

Time off requests will be granted within reason and with 2 weeks advance notice, to ensure the workload can be covered by existing staff. At this time, we are unable to offer paid time off, and will need to limit time off to sick days and shorter duration absences. However, we are flexible and happy to work with prospective Apprentices to find a consistent schedule that works for everyone.

Occasionally, Apprentices may be asked to support staff during other activities that occur during irregular work hours, such as weekend volunteer days, evening events, etc., or in non-farming related events such as community workshops or field trips. These activities are an important part of TCF, and are integral to our function as a non-profit, educational farm serving the surrounding community.

Most instruction and learning will be through hands-on application of farming techniques in day-to-day operations. Support such as reading materials in specific areas such as soil test interpretation, low/no-till techniques, etc., will be provided throughout the season when appropriate. Regular check-ins with the Farm Operations Manager and/or our Executive Director will help narrow in on prospective areas of mutual growth and development, and additional support and time to focus on filling knowledge gaps will be provided. Depending on hourly availability, Apprentices may attend weekly staff meetings to stay engaged with overall operations when appropriate. Drew will be working closely with Apprentices on a daily basis in the field, so there will be ample opportunity to ask questions, explore and deepen technical abilities, and work together to ensure all learning goals are met. Regular evaluations and feedback will be provided on a mutual basis, both formally and informally.

Educational Opportunities: An Apprenticeship at Thimbleberry Collective Farm is part of Oregon Farm Corps' beginning farmer training program. Hands-on field training at the Host Farm is complemented by a series of classes, farm tours, discussions, and networking events organized by Oregon Farm Corps. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS Apprentices join other beginning farmers for an Educational Event Series facilitated by Oregon Farm Corps. The full event series includes: *Online classes and discussions focused on foundational sustainable agriculture concepts, skills, and the food system, with topics including Decolonizing Agriculture, Soil Health, Farmworker Justice and Disease Management. *7-11 in-person farm tours which showcase practical skills and individual farmers’ stories and provide insight into diverse production and marketing systems. OFC strives to make all educational events inclusive and welcoming to people from all backgrounds and identities. Classes, tours, and discussions are led by Oregon Farm Corps staff, agricultural professionals, and expert farmworkers/farmers. For more information on these events, please visit our event series page and 2026 class schedule outline: https://www.oregonfarmcorps.org/event-series

Skills Desired: Generally, a farm apprentice here at TCF needs to have a strong work ethic, good communication (direct and respectful), be punctual, and have an ability to be flexible and self-motivated to jump in and support wherever they are needed. An ability to work outside in various weather conditions, as well as tolerate days consisting mostly of physical labor and some repetitive tasks are essential. Consistency and attention to detail, as well as a desire to learn through trial and error are a benefit, and a desire to support our under-served community members is essential. A good sense of humor and ability to have fun while we work is one of the core values here at TCF, as well!

Meals: No

Stipend: Apprentices are waged employees of Thimbleberry Collective Farm. We can offer $18/hour and access to food from the farm. We would also reimburse for Oregon Farm Corps tuition.

Housing: Housing is not provided. Local housing options in case a placement is coming into the area and needs housing: Rentals in Portland are fairly expensive and can be difficult to come by, and would require a commute of 30 minutes to an hour, depending on location. The surrounding community of Boring may be somewhat limited as well due to its smaller size, but nearby Gresham may provide more affordable options and a quicker commute.

Preferred method of Contact: email