Name of Farm:  LIFE Certified Organic Farm

Name of Contact on Farm: Jeff Evard / Bobbi Boos

Phone Number: 765- 528-2887 /  812-272-3656

Email Address: jeff@eatlifeup.com / bobbi@eatlifeup.com

 

 

Time Period: Open – May-July 1, July-October, May-November

 

Number of Internship Positions Available: Open 1-4


Describe the physical setting of your farm and the nature of the community in which you live (e.g., acreage, woods/fields, buildings, near town/remote area, recreation available, etc.):

The farm is set on a ridge at the end of the last glaciations. Artifacts of early settlement are common. The farm is in a wooded and remote setting. We steward perhaps fifty acres, 10 cultivated acres, 5 acres of farm habitat, balance in woods. We are located 45 minutes from downtown Bloomington, 45 minutes from downtown Indy, 45 minutes from downtown Terre Haute. We are near extensions of Morgan Monroe State forest land, and 20 minutes from Leiber Rec Area and Cataract Falls. All by Automobile.

Describe your farm operation (e.g., livestock, crops, bees, herbs, forestry work, greenhouse, orchards, building projects, haying, maple sugaring, meat processing, level of mechanization, products made, marketing, biodynamic/organic, etc.):

We operate a Certified Organic Produce and Seed Farm. Emphasis is on our CSA program and wholesale markets. We use two old tractors, a quad, mechanical transplanters and mulch layers. We maintain 25,000sqft of greenhouse crops and we use an innovative closed hydroponic growing system in two greenhouses. We are growing vegetable, flower, and herb seed for our sister business – Natures Crossroads Seed Company. We also have medicinal herb acreage composed of “At-Risk” eastern medicinal plants growing in the forest.

Describe the work to be performed and the skills to be learned by an apprentice (e.g., care of livestock, planting, cultivation, harvesting, selling at market, use of equipment, carpentry, food preservation, woods-work, etc.). Please break the season (or months) into 4 major tasks to be performed during each.

Expect commercial scale activities to be performed daily including, harvesting produce, mechanical and hand transplanting, Direct seeding, trellising, staking, harvesting our OP seed crops and processing for planting. Learn basic equipment operation and maintenance. All activities occur as needed.


What do you expect of an apprentice? (e.g., hours to be worked in a day, days to be worked in a week, heavy physical labor, time off, etc.):

An open mind to biological and mechanical solutions that puts food on our CSA members’ tables in a manner that allows our enterprise and people to prosper. Hours of Operation are Mon-Fri 8-4 on farm. Part time arrangements are doable with either a 8-12 or 12-4 shift. Harvesting may require carrying and lifting loads as heavy as 40lbs from field to harvest vehicle. Team lifting is encouraged.

Explain how you intend to provide instruction and training to an apprentice (e.g., work along with the apprentice, demonstration, apprentice working alone, training “classes,” reading to be done, extent of supervision by yourself or others, etc.):

Formal teaching will be limited to the questions asked of me. I will do my best to explain an answer in terms of technical, social, and business implications.  For routine tasks such as harvesting, transplanting, etc, I or an experienced crew leader will work with new trainees.


Are you a full-time farmer?  Full Time Farmer

Can you pay a stipend or a wage in addition to providing room and board?

Room and board is limited to primitive camping in our forest 1 mile from the farm. Long term campsites (platforms) are encouraged and building material will be provided. A wage will be provided for farm work during regular hours. We have a carpool system from Bloomington.

If so, what are you offering and under what conditions? (i.e., experience level, duration of commitment, graduated scale)
Starting wage is $8/hr

Do you require a prospective apprentice to visit your farm before a final arrangement is made?

Consideration will first be given to those who visit.

Do you require a trial period? You will be asked to discontinue if you are being paid for labor you are not fulfilling

Explain the existing room and board arrangements, or the possibilities for housing on the land:

No room and board. Primitive camping is available. Rides to town can be arranged.

 

Please share details about housing arrangements (e.g. cooking and/or bathroom facilities will or will not be shared with grower’s family, small children live on farm, smoking and/or drinking is allowed or not, etc.):

Facilities are what you create. Potable water is available. Materials to build solar showers are available. A year round stream flows through the forest.

Describe yourself, your family, background, farming experience, philosophy, goals & interests:

I have been growing and selling organically and biologically for over ten years. I have degrees in Agronomy and Horticulture. Our family is composed of myself, wife, daughter, and child to be born in early September of this year. I propose to create a 400 member CSA and develop Indiana local genotypes for as many vegetable, flower, and herb varieties as I can before I stop when I die. I enjoy fishing, brewing, eating.