Little Wings Farm
POSITION: 2 APPRENTICESHIPS
FULL TIME (32-40 hrs/week)
APPROX START/END DATES: April - Oct/Nov
LOCATION: Eugene (Southern Willamette Valley)
NO ON-FARM HOUSING OFFERED
VEHICLE REQUIRED? Yes
ON FARM VISIT REQUIRED? Preferred.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English.
Little Wings Farm has been thriving for 6 years and is operated by partners Rosie and Adam. The farm is Certified Organic and grows a wide range of vegetables and fruit for two primary market channels. These include a 200 member CSA (Cropshare) and a vibrant Wholesale market consisting of natural food stores, restaurants and local food hubs. There is a mix of both tractors (gas and electric) and hand work for cultivation and the farmers take care during soil prep to minimize tillage to what is necessary while using alternative and creative means in the process. The farm does not use single-use plastic mulch in its production.The crew consists of 7 folks with half of them part-time.
The farm is located 6 miles North of Downtown Eugene just outside of the Urban Growth Boundary at the end of a gravel road. It is bordered by the Willamette River where they swim almost every day of the Summer. Little Wings grows on about 12 acres on 3 different pieces of property all adjacent to one another leasing ground from two of their neighbors who have grown to become like family. The area around the farm offers easy access to hiking, boating, fishing, biking, etcetera. It is a convenient commute for employees who want to live in town while working on the farm.
Rosie has been farming for nearly 18 years, having worked for 5 different farms where she gained the knowledge and experience to run her own successful farm business. Throughout this time, she has organized and managed various farm crews, learning how to maintain a smooth flow of productivity while still having fun. Her passion is growing high quality food and building community on and off the farm while doing it.
Adam has been farming for almost 10 years, working for two other farms before starting Little Wings. His focus has been on soils, cultivation, irrigation, and pest and disease management. He is stoked to be honing skills such as plumbing, wiring, welding, and carpentry and taking on projects like designing irrigation systems and modifying farm equipment to improve the farm operation. He also thrives on working with a team of positive hard working people.
“Often, we reflect back on why we started our own farm, rather than continue to work for others and it came down our desire for a positive work culture (which puts the humanity back into the workers) and an environmental ethic that we felt was missing on other organic farms (namely the growing practice of single use plastic as a primary tool for weed suppression). We knew that if we wanted to work on a farm that carried these two principles we would have to start it ourselves.”
Going into their 7th season, Rosie and Adam have also come to realize that running a successful and profitable farm business was also a very important ethic that is often overlooked when thinking about producing organic vegetables. After working 12-16 hour days during the first 5 years of farming, it became essential to value their own time monetarily. They also see how important it is to pay their employees competitive wages so that they feel motivated to work hard and stay engaged in farming. So, the farm’s profitability is something they are constantly reassessing. However, it isn't their only metric of success. They also look at their lives and the lives of their workers to determine: Is the work interesting and fun? Do we have enough time off to enjoy our lives off of the farm? Are we growing anything that is exceptionally hard on our bodies that we can give up?
TRAINING AND EXPECTATIONS
We are a highly diversified vegetable and fruit farm which means the work is always changing. Because of our smaller crew size each person on our crew ends up doing and learning a little bit about everything going on. We approach each job as a learned skill and have proper and efficient techniques for each job on the farm. It is exceptionally important that our crew maintains an openness and curiosity for learning and mastering each skill we teach.
The job entails sowing seeds and caring for plants in the propagation house, preparing beds for planting, fertilizing, planting beds, weeding and plant care (like trellising or pruning), irrigation (drip and overhead), harvest, and washing, packing wholesale orders and personalized CSA boxes, sharpening tools, general tool care, and organization and storage of materials on farm.
There will be opportunities for Apprentices to learn how to use some crucial equipment on our farm as well. This includes: BCS walk behind Tractor, Kubota 50 HP Tractor, Flame Weeder, Jang Seeder, and Vacuum Seeder.
Each week brings new crops harvested, new tasks to be performed and new challenges based on weather conditions. The work can be physically difficult at times but in general it is more about building stamina and the ability to move quickly. It is important that an Apprentice is able to stay alert and be mentally present with the task at hand, the rest of the crew and their general surroundings.
We offer days off to our crew members throughout the season. We ask that they schedule these at least 2 weeks in advance and coordinate with the rest of the crew so no 2 people are off at the same time. Apprentices will be able to accrue 1 hour of paid time off for every 40 hours worked.
We will begin each task with Apprentices with a tutorial on how we want it to be done, the skills that will be needed, the end goals, and tips on how to perform the task most effectively. We will then check in regularly to see if anything has come up for them or if we need to make any adjustments. It is essential that the apprentice is open to receiving and applying our feedback on any and all tasks and that they can effectively communicate their questions and concerns about the task. Apprentices will be working alongside the owners at times as well as alongside other experienced employees. During these work sessions we will encourage questions and dialogue about the project. We will also be conducting regular check-ins with each Apprentice. Our hope is that each Apprentice will gain skills and independence to be able to work without supervision and will be able to take on new skills and responsibilities as the season progresses.
COMPENSATION / ACCOMMODATIONS
Compensation includes:
$15-17/hr.
Paid Time Off - Accrual Rate of 1 hr for every 40 hrs worked
Farm Produce
Other Perks for Fun:
Themed Dress-Up Days
Mid- Season Crew River Float
End of Season Pizza Party and Awards
No housing offered. We are located very close to Downtown Eugene. There are a lot of rental options in and around Eugene.
QUALIFICATIONS
We are seeking a motivated, positive, and hardworking person. They should have the following:
1. A basic understanding of vegetable crops and have a familiarity with growing them. Although formal farm experience is not required, it is preferred.
2. Has experience with and has thrived when doing physical activity in both a work setting and in recreation.
3. Openly communicates and maintains a curiosity when receiving constructive feedback or directions. Our farm has a culture of clear and consistent communication. Each crew member gets a hand held radio to use throughout the day to ask questions, make decisions, and clarify directions.
4. Has experience and loves working in a team setting. This means having an awareness of others around them and seeking to assist others with tasks when appropriate as well as knowing when there are “too many cooks in the kitchen” and it’s time to personally move on from a task.
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
We foster a welcoming and open culture on our farm where we encourage communication and dialogue. We have regular check-ins to ensure each crew member is having a positive experience and can have safe spaces to communicate their needs. We will be offering a physical dropbox on the farm (which can be anonymous) for any comments or questions that the farm owners will review regularly and address.
When possible we donate food to local nonprofits in town and pop-up fundraising events. We also accept EBT payments for our CSA program.
Adam and Rosie.