Square Roots Farm

Email us a resume (including 3 references) and a letter explaining your interest in the position. We are particularly interested in hearing about why you are drawn to Square Roots Farm and this experience in particular. Once we hear from you, we will be in touch to schedule an interview. Although we are happy to interview remotely, we strongly encourage an in-person visit to the farm before beginning the apprentice ship.


We can't wait to hear from you!




Compensation

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A Square Roots Farm apprenticeship will provide the apprentice with the practical skills to take on a livestock manager position at a similar small-to-medium, pasture based farm, or to start their own farm.  Apprentices will come away with competence and confidence in a wide variety of concrete tasks, as detailed below, that involve the daily and seasonal care of livestock and pastures. She or he will also leave with a deep sense of the why's and how's of regenerative agriculture, including rotational, multi-species, management intensive grazing and humane animal handling.
 
We're looking for someone who is a fast learner and who is ready to take on responsibility. We enjoy teaching and helping people learn and perfect new skills. While this apprenticeship is designed to give candidates the experience and confidence necessary to pursue a career in sustainable vegetable production, it can also be a great experience for someone who is exploring agriculture or who is not yet on a settled path. 

Previous farm experience is great, but not required. We want someone who is passionate, energetic, and responsible. We want someone who can still smile after four hours in 40 degree rain, who likes the way their muscles feel when they are tired. We want someone who can lift 50lbs, asks good questions, and who has a drivers license.



Skills Gained

The Apprenticeship - 2021

  • Monthly stipend dependent on experience, starting at $1000/month
  • Housing - Cozy yurt or camper tucked into the woods below the garden, with wood stove and propane cooktop, and composting outhouse. (OR a room in the farmhouse.)
  • Access to laundry, showers, kitchen, and wireless internet in the farmhouse.
  • At least one meal/work day, unlimited "farmer" eggs and chicken. Discount on meats.
  • 2x per month visits to local farms through the CRAFT Program, including networking with other farmers and apprentices. CRAFT visits are paid work days.
  • $100 education credit, plus 2 paid professional development days
  • 5 paid personal days
  • Work side-by-side with and learn from experienced, small scale, sustainable farmers. See what this has meant for past apprentices on our alumni page.





Below is a partial list of tasks that we expect the apprentice will learn to regularly complete by the end of the apprenticeship:

Independently
All livestock chores
Move all classes of livestock, including tractor driving for layer moves as well as across-farm cow moves
Wash eggs
Tag and band calves
Troubleshoot waterers
Troubleshoot fencing
Build/fix waterline
Mow with bush hog, weedwacker
Operate a tractor for mowing, loader work, towing
Egg and meat delivery

In Group
Chicken processing
Catch chickens
Load steers
Load pigs
Build fence
Farmers market
Chainsaw work