Hello fellow permies. I am in the midst of making a move and believe that I have enough experience to find a like-minded farmer who I can work with for a long time. I started farming in spring of 2010 and have been jumping around since then (NY, VA, HI, OR, FL) taking seasonal jobs with organic and permaculture farms, learning as much as I can from agricultural veterans. Since then I have realized that my passion goes beyond simplistic and wasteful row crop, tractor dependent, monoculture based organic farming. I'd like to be involved with an operation that uses as much hand work as possible on small acreage and incorporates polycultures, living mulches, intelligent irrigation solutions, sustainable soil fertility methods -- all that great stuff -- but is still of course on pace to be profitable. Donating surplus to food shelters, on-site workshops and tours, seed saving when possible, humane treatment of livestock et cetera is all important to me as well. I truly believe that sustainable agriculture/permaculture can be transformative within a community and that's why I want to be an integral part of a farm that shares a similar vision for sustainability and can help me grow in my craft.
Aside from varied experience as a farmhand and maintaining my own gardens, my most recent employment was as field manager for a 200 member vegetable and citrus CSA in Central Florida. In the following sixteen months I have created and maintained by hand a 1/3 acre market garden here in the same area. Attached to this post are photos of that garden. I've produced a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, and am now selling in bulk to a nearby Great Ape Sanctuary with which I have a consistent and profitable relationship. I've done almost all of the work by hand (used a mower and weed eater a few times-- no tractors at all), and incorporate both complex and simple polyculture guilds to maintain pest, fertility and disease control. I've developed a bountiful garden that many of the locals insisted would be impossible without pesticides and synthetic fertilizer application. The more experience I have growing food, the more possibilities I see and skills I have learned in crop planning, field work techniques, record keeping, crew management, irrigation, seed/variety selection, use of space, creative problem solving with onsite resources, et cetera. Unfortunately, the owner of the land I am growing on is moving, and my garden will be turned back into grass by December. It will be very difficult to part with this land, but I didn't want to live in Florida forever and considered it an opportunity to look for a more ideal situation and someone to combine forces with instead of doing all the work on my own. North Carolina in particular sounds good to me but I am open to anything. I've had enough of this nomadic lifestyle and would be very interested in one of three things:
1) Helping a young or inexperienced farm by assisting with management and labor in whatever degree or areas necessary. With my experience in many different systems and climates, I am able to adeptly approach a lot of scenarios and don't have just one solution to all of the amazingly persistent problems that occur on a farm, of which many I am familiar with. Not necessarily looking to take over managing an operation unless it works out that way. Being a useful second or third or fourth brain to help run things smoothly and make it successful would be fulfilling for me in itself.
2) Simply working as a farmhand for an awesome farm that needs a long term employee and is willing to treat me with respect.
3) Assisting an older farmer who is ready for retirement with the possibility of transitioning management in the future, or in exchange for help would be willing to cheaply lease farm land or offer affordable housing.
I'm willing to work on salary/stipend instead of by the hour, and put in as much effort as the farm needs to succeed. This is my passion. Vegetable production and fruit trees are my main interest, but wouldn't mind working with animals as well. In particular I am looking at North Carolin, but would consider any area with potential.
Thanks for reading and please send me a message if you are interested or could help connect me with farmers that you think would be! I have a solid resume and references.
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