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Christopher Farm

Indiana

MESA Notes – Public
Website :
http://christopherfarm.net
Blog, Online Newsletter, etc. :
https://www.facebook.com/our.christopher.farm
Public Contact Information:
[email protected]
 

About the Placement:

Detailed Placement Description

We are a certified organic (USDA and Real Organic Project) produce and cut flower farm located in east-central Indiana. Our farm is four acres, with about one and a half acres of bed space. We grow a very wide variety of vegetable crops. Building healthy soils and growing high quality produce for our community are of upmost importance to us, so we use no-till methodologies and grow year-round. The vast majority of our marketing is done through farmer’s markets and CSA’s. Because of our location in a rural area of Indiana, we are passionate about doing what we do here for several reasons. The number of organic farms in our area is very limited, and we believe that providing this model for people is important. We have amazing customers who deeply appreciate our products, and we are an integral part of a developing local food system in which we appreciate our customers as well! The farming that we do is extremely rewarding. We love the work of growing amazing food, building relationships with the people who eat it, bringing beauty into people’s lives with the colorful flowers that we grow, forming an intimate connection with the land, and helping to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis.
We employ the use of a strawbale greenhouse, both stationery and moveable hoophouses, and caterpillar tunnels to help with season extension. We have local people who help out on our farm, as well as interns and WWOOFers.

Primary Production :

Flowers, Vegetables


About the Internship:

Training Hours:

40 hours/week

Training Expectations :

We are looking for people who have experience with physical labor and hopefully agriculture or food production. We want curious people who are always interested in learning more, and who work to make the world a better place. Communication, responsibility, initiative, and motivation are imperative. It is important to be able to follow directions, work quickly and efficiently, and to be able to recognize that any criticism is not personal. We want you to do work that you are proud to take ownership of. We want you to be an essential part of the farm. And we want you to learn.
Our work week is Tuesday through Saturday. We attend a farmers market on Sundays, and interns have the opportunity to rotate through this market. During the work week, we rotate a lunchtime cooking schedule, (this is our main meal of the day), which we all share together. Interns are then provided food to cook the remainder of their meals.
Supervision will be provided both through on the job training, and through regular check ins with Wendy. We have a group meeting every morning to go over the week’s and day’s tasks. Many jobs are performed as a group, which allows for informal training and an opportunity for questions as we work.

On-Site Training, Steward’s primary activities :

Join us for a season of growing great food while living and learning on our organic no-till vegetable and flower farm. You will be immersed in the work and life of the farm, and can expect to gain experience in the following areas as they relate to a wide variety of crops.

Greenhouse Seeding
Transplanting
Soil Stewardship
Irrigation
Cultivation
Cover Cropping
Compost Making
Harvest/Wash/Pack of Produce
Harvesting & Arranging Flowers
Trellising Techniques
Pest Management
Season Extension
Indoor and Outdoor Growing
Moveable Hoophouses
Organic Certification Processes
Crop Planning and Rotation
Additional learning opportunities include the tasks related to living on a farm, such as food preservation, bread baking, and cutting & splitting firewood. It is our goal to help you learn what is of specific interest you, and to help you become a part of our operation in so that you feel a sense of pride in the work that you do.

Climate and Location Description

Our climate is temperate, with typically wet springs, followed by drier summers. In spring and fall we are increasingly seeing temperatures and weather patterns swing dramatically. We also are seeing an increase in heavy winds. We receive snow a couple of times a year in the winter. Our low temperatures in winter can dip below zero, and in the summer our highs normally stay in the 90’s, but 80’s is more common.
We are in a rural area that is dominated by large-scale conventional agriculture, though there are patches of wooded areas tucked amongst the fields. We are fairly close to a handful of small towns and 25 miles away from two small cities. There is a bus stop in one of these cities, allowing for out-of-state travel. We also commute two hours to a larger city for market on Sundays.

In Indiana our climate is quite variable. Weather ranges from temperatures well below freezing in the winter to quite hot in the summer. We tend to fluctuate between periods of heavy rainfall and dry spells. We are also adapting to increasing winds.

Compensation :

We have a grain bin that we have converted into housing. It has two bedrooms, full kitchen and living area, bathroom with shower, and clothes washer. We also have a camper that serves as an additional bedroom., Free, daily food, We provide both

Accommodations and amenities provided :

We have an old grain bin that we converted into living space for the farm crew and it is very cheery and comfortable. It has private bedrooms, and a shared kitchen, bathroom, and common area. We also have campers that serve as additional bedroom space. There is internet available in the house. There is a vehicle available for local travel.

Preferred start date :

April 1

Preferred length of internship :

7 months: April 1 to November 31, however there is flexibility at either end. And we are open to a year long stay.