Farm Hand

Hi,

I'm looking for an arrangement beginning in October of 2010, where I can give about 25 hours of work per week at a ranch or organic farm in New England in exchange for a place to stay, preferably with a private livingspace.  For the correct opportunity, I'd consider a different state.  I'd also be interested in a caretaker position for those who are unable to look after property. 

If there are activities which require skills other than the ones I mention below, we can talk about the details.   Some of my skills including the following:

Farming-
I was an intern on two organic farms in Maine from 2005 to June of 2010, one in Phippsburg & the other in Palermo, & have done some other work in a small garden as well.  I have experience with basic crop production from seed-starting to harvest & maple syrup production. 

Other processes that I’m familiar with include: small greenhouse maintenance, crop rotation, & composting.  I also have experience with small construction projects, light tractor operation, landscaping, & the creation of garden structures such as walls, fences, trellises, arbors, & other garden projects.   

An ideal situation is a place offering at least a 1-year commitment, that has year-round work, & would possibly like to become more self-sustainable.  The things I’d like to learn & participate in include: construction projects, alternative energy, & alternative building. 

Minor Maintenance & Repairs-
These will depend upon your finances, existing resources, & inclination.  If there are projects you've been considering which may require more specialized skills, I could assist you in reaching your goal by researching, learning, & either working with you or alone to complete these.  We can probably do most simple construction & repairs on our own, resulting in considerable cost savings for you.

PC Repair-
I can probably fix most issues on an IBM-type desktop or laptop.

Rustic Furniture Construction-
If you're interested in this style of furniture for yourself or others then we can work this into the arrangement.  This is my website www.RichEssence.com.

Energy Healing-
If you have medical conditions for which traditional approaches have so far not given you satisfactory results, I can offer you energy healing sessions, which will probably reduce your discomfort in some capacity.

I’m 38 years old & in good physical condition.  Before an arrangement is made, we can work together for a couple of days to see how things go.  If things seem OK, maybe we could make a conditional agreement for a period of time, then extend it if things continue to go well.  At that time I will also provide references. 

I'm currently living in Massachusetts.  The best way to contact me is at mboston72 (at) yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Mark,
      You need to check with Green Mountain College in Vermont. They were looking for a assistant farm manager not long ago.

Pat M

Hello from Nicaragua,
We are two writers who have a 15 acre piece of land in the Pacific Coast of rural Nicaragua. We are from Argentina and USA and just opened an Art and Yoga Retreat and have been running an educational foundation for seven years.
We are looking for a bilingual person willing to volunteer for one year as a Farm Manager or Head Gardener in our farm, with considerable experience in growing food organically, particularly in the tropics.
Why a volunteer? Because we do not have the money to pay a salary yet!
Ideally this person will be able to make the land produce to being able to earn money for paying his/her own salary if he/she decides to stay after the first volunteer year.
This position is ideal for someone with training in agriculture and a bit of experience of farm management with some other experience of managing people in a working environment Responsibilities include: Permaculture gardens: Plan, organize and construct growing areas; build soil fertility; plant, care for, harvest and sell produce, designing and applying systems to improve the sustainability of the farm and managing Nicaraguan workers.
What you get in exchange: A beautiful place to live, a 10 minutes walk from the ocean, in a Nicaraguan community, practicing Spanish and unlimited free yoga classes for the volunteer year.
Please notice that this is not a position for people younger than 21 years old or without experience.
Please visit our websites: www.equilibrioyoga.com and www.aprendernicaragua.org
Namaste, Gabriela