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Pumphouse Farm


Contact information
Dirección de la granja:
P.O. Box 85
20795 Kaya lane NE
Indianola, '--, 98342

Primary Contact: Louisa Brown
Secondary Contact: Damon Brown

Primary Phone:
    Type:
Cell
    Number: 3606218949
    Email: Louisa98342@yahoo.com

Secondary Phone
    Type:
'-----
    Number: 3606217653
    Email:

Website:

Internship information
General Farm Description: Our 6 1/2 acre farm is nestled onto a hillside above the beautiful puget sound in the adorable village of Indianola. Our farm uses organic methods but is not certified. We have about two acres under cultivation, which we utilize intensively to grow a whole lot of food. We use a walk behind tiller and hand cultivation to enable us to plant densely. Extensive use of our own compost and mulch help us to maintain fertility. We grow a very wide variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers, as well as having a flock of laying hens. We have temperate spring and fall weather, with some rain, no doubt, but the summers in western Washington are amazing. We have a charming little farm stand that supplies our town, as well as selling at local farmers’ markets, through a local food aggregator, and working with the food bank. We are located a ferry ride away from Seattle and are close to the exquisite Olympic mountains. We spend our days working hard, but in a relaxed atmosphere, and often end with a jump in the water to shake off the dust at the best beach in the Puget Sound region. I live in an intentional community and folks often appreciate the opportunity to get to know the neighbors.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Fecha de inicio de las prácticas: Staggered, 2 start May 1, 1 starts June 1
Fin de las prácticas: Staggered, 1 ends September 30, 2 end November 23
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: ASAP
Minimum Length of Stay: I would like commitment for the times slots listed above.

Internship Details:

We’re seeking three people to work on our farm this season. We work 30-40 hours per week. The job includes composting, mulching, soil preparation, seeding, transplanting, weeding, hoeing, watering, harvesting, vegetable washing and packing, selling at our farmers’ market, and basic upkeep of the grounds.  We also work with flowers and tree fruits. Because we are a small farm, everyone does the different farm tasks, though people tend to gravitate towards the things they prefer. The work is both varied and repetitive. When working on an independent project, you can listen to a book or music, so long as the work continues apace. You will be working side by side with me, the farmer, and I will be present to answer questions, explain why we do things the way we do, demonstrate  techniques, guide you as you learn about how this scale of farming works as a business. We work in all kinds of weather, you will need to provide your own rain gear, and we’ve been known to knock off work if it gets too hot. We work in a collaborative fashion, though often we split up on different tasks. We routinely have a very wide variety of crops in the ground, and the shoulder seasons are important in our climate, with its long growing season.
Please send a resume, especially highlighting any outdoor jobs held, work related references and a brief description of why you think that this type of farming would interest you. I am able to provide you with references of people who done this job in past years.


Educational Opportunities: This is learning by doing. Your level of interest and experience will determine the depth and magnitude of your education. I’m very happy to explain about soils, crops, natural history, my philosophy, how the business works, or just talk books as we work. You will learn about all aspects of farming and marketing at this scale. Over the course of the season, you get to experience the burgeoning of spring as the plants emerge and the harvest sheet gradually gets longer. During this time, we’re also getting all of our major crops in the ground. The rampant green of May gradually fades as the skies clear, the grass turns golden, and the sun seems to never set. During the height of summer, the babies we put in the ground months ago are in their full glory, there’s a lot of harvesting, while we continue to get all of our successions planted. At the peak, we’re also planting all of our fall, winter and overwintering crops in every little slot we can find. Then, as the daylight recedes, we continue to harvest, though the list gets shorter as items drop off and the constant planting ends. The rains finally return, we shake out the rain gear, and step off of the irrigation  treadmill. We have our last big markets just before Thanksgiving, a celebratory time that is also bittersweet as we look back on all that we have accomplished.

Skills Desired: Vegetable farming experience is preferred, but there’s a whole lot of hands on learning every year for all. A strong back, ability to lift 50 pounds, good knees and a good attitude are essential. The ability to share what you know, and to ask questions about what you don’t is a huge plus. I really appreciate it when people can see what needs to be done, and are a self starter. It’s important to be able to listen to verbal instructions and take in a lot of information as well as feedback. A personal car is a good idea, as public transport is infrequent in our town. You will need a driver’s license and many of our farm vehicles are stick shift. It’s great if you’ve ever used a weed whacker, lawnmower or rototiller.

Meals: We have the benefit of eating fresh vegetables in season. Folks have the opportunity to join in our community dinner rotation twice a week if desired.

Stipend: We pay $16.50 per hour

Housing: We have a cute cabin which might be shared, and a fairly large yurt.

Preferred method of Contact: Email, call, text