Farm & Garden Apprenticeship

Overview

The Esalen Farm and Garden department offers three yearly apprenticeship sessions in our 40-year old biointensive, organic Farm and Garden. In 2012, we are currently accepting applications for two 3-month positions from October 28th to January 20th, 2013.

The Esalen Farm and Garden department is looking for people who want to experience working in a thriving sustainable agriculture and non-profit organization while living in community at the Esalen Institute. Our crew works hard to provide a large share of the Institute's produce for 200-300 guests a day. Applicants for the Farm and Garden Apprenticeship are to be open, flexible, energetic, hard-working, comfortable in groups of people, and able to manage a broad diversity of challenges at once. A good sense of humor, positive and enthusiastic attitude, and passion for voracious learning on the ground are essential attributes of prospective apprentices.

Farm and Garden staff and apprentices
Session Two 2011

Prior gardening experience is desirable, but not necessary. However, a strong drive to learn and a keen interest in hands-on gardening are essential. Farm and Garden apprentices will achieve competency in all aspects of farming and gardening, including propagation and greenhouse work, watering, bed preparation, composting, transplanting, sowing, weeding, harvesting, seed saving and processing, and occasional preparation for events and market sales.

An anticipated use or application for your apprenticeship experience is a big plus-we want to grow farmers and gardeners with a passion for taking their skills and knowledge back out into the world away from Esalen. Therefore we expect our apprentices to regard the apprenticeship program as the core of their experience at Esalen and interact with the Farm and Garden in a proactive, self-starting way. We also expect apprentices to read farming and gardening literature (provided by the Farm and Garden) and perform occasional extracurricular projects and assignments to round out the mostly in-the-field learning. We desire apprentices who can be comfortable and capable while working alone, but are interested in group work and process as well. Physical stamina is a must. We work outside rain, fog or shine!

Seasonal Growing Context

Esalen's location on the coast of Big Sur means the Farm and Garden grows year-round in a cool, coastal climate. Therefore the seasonal growing context is not exactly traditional for agriculture and should be considered when applying for an Apprentice Session.

Session Two 2011 Apprentices Doruk Babaoglu and Candice Isphording demonstrate their Independent Project on seed-saving

Session One (Winter): January through March is often our rainiest time of year, yet it also features some of the most beautiful sunny and warm days as well. in 2011, we had almost twenty inches of rain in February and March. We sneak early plantings of kale, collards, chard, late winter cover crop and direct-seeded leafy greens whenever we can. We tend and harvest the overwintered vegetables, which are the most delicious of the season. We build things, organize our systems and make merry in the rain. Late March into April begins our spring cycle of tractor work, tillage and soil preparation.

Session Two (Spring): The summer growing season gets underway slowly starting around February and ramping up around the time of apprentice arrival in April. Since the winter rains are often most intense in March, we look forward to the soil dry-down in April to begin our spring tractor work. We mow and incorporate the winter cover crops, start seeds in the greenhouse (a lot of them) then move them out of the nursery to transplant in the field. As the season proceeds, we enjoy a continuous harvest throughout the Spring and Summer months until September, when we begin to turn the long season summer crops over and plant our more compact winter garden. The last weeks of the Spring apprenticeship are focused on the winter soil preparation and overwintered veggie plantings.

Session Three (Fall): October is the time for final winter plantings of long season crops (i.e. kale, chard, collards, etc.) and also time for the planting of winter cover crop. Much of the first month will be spent attending to these two activities. The rainy season might slowly begin to appear, although we often enjoy summery, sunny weather in October and November here in Big Sur. Onward into November, December and January, wintery (i.e. windy and rainy) weather often appears. We take care of the plants in the ground and winterize the Farm and Garden. This is also the time that we can begin to tackle some of our infrastructure projects and organization for the coming year. The beginning of January of 2011 was almost rain-free.

Terms of the Apprenticeship

Apprentices are expected to work a total of 145 hours per month in the direct support of the Farm and Garden staff and/or programs-which averages to about 36 hours per week (hours vary week to week but are formally blocked--schedule will be provided upon arrival). An apprentice workday is from 7:00 am to 1:15 pm with a 35-minute breakfast break around 9:15 am. The apprentice is responsible for meeting this commitment five days per week. To round out their work commitment, apprentices are expected to participate in weekly processing sessions (6 hours per month), weekend duties once per month (8 hours per month), apprentice educational sessions (8 hours per month), independent study/development (7.5 hours per month) and hands-on working and training in the afternoons with F&G staff (6 hours per month). A calendar and schedule will be provided upon arrival, and at the beginning of each month.

Esalen provides shared and private accommodations for all apprentice positions. Use of the baths-including showers and hot springs as well as the rest of the site-is included. No pets are permitted. Three-month apprentices are responsible for paying $1,350 for their apprenticeship, which can be paid in lump sum or in monthly payments of $450. Six-month apprentices are responsible for paying $2,700 for their apprenticeship, which can also be paid in lump sum or in monthly payments of $450. These costs are required to cover educational aspects of this dynamic and unique opportunity. We pay for all utilities and your food costs. The entire community and those attending workshops share all meals in our main lodge, which serves healthy and, when possible, local and organic, meals three times a day.

In your free time, you can take advantage of the facilities and opportunities that exist at Esalen in our residential educational program and workshops that don't conflict with the apprenticeship schedule and as space permits. Apprentices are also eligible for scholarships, discounts and specific privileges that exist for this type of residency at Esalen.

Visiting the Esalen Farm and Garden

To be considered for the apprenticeship program, you are strongly encouraged to attend at least one garden volunteer day at Esalen to introduce yourself and get a feel for a typical day within the department. To be a garden volunteer you need to schedule this in advance using the contact information below. A volunteer day can be scheduled Monday thru Friday from 7 am to 1 pm, with exceptions made for particular circumstances. You need not stay all day, but are encouraged to use the time to get to know the Farm and Garden staff and familiarize yourself with the rhythm of the land.

After submitting your application, you may be asked to come for a working interview as part of our selections process. Such arrangements are at the discretion of the Farm and Garden staff and will not be extended to all of those who apply. Phone interviews will be requested for individuals unable to attend a working on-site interview due to access or geographic distance. These interviews will take place roughly six weeks before the start date, since we aim to make our final decision approximately one month in advance of the start date.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume to farm.apprenticeship@esalen.org in easily accessible digital attachments (.doc or PDF). Please clearly state which apprentice session you are applying for in both your cover letter, resume and the subject line of your email. In the cover letter, tell us about yourself, your interests and experience, and what you hope to get out of your time at Esalen that is specific to the Farm and Garden department. If you have been here before, tell us about your experience. Please include at least two work references and one personal reference with day and evening phone numbers. The apprenticeships are open until filled. If you would like more general information about Esalen before submitting an application, feel free to call our main office and they will be happy to answer any questions. Please contact the Farm and Garden directly for questions that are specific to the apprenticeship or the department. Email is the preferred method of contact for the Farm and Garden.

Please indicate clearly which position(s) you are applying for in the subject line of your email. Deadlines for applications are generally around two months prior to the start date of the desired apprenticeship, and the Farm and Garden endeavors to make apprentice selections at least one month prior to the start date of the apprenticeship session.

Limited scholarship funds may be available for qualified applicants with demonstrated need. Please express interest and request information about this process when applying.

Deadlines for Applications:

• 2012 Session Two (April 15th, 2012 - October 28th, 2012):
  February 1, 2012
• 2012 Session Three (October 28th, 2012 - January 20th, 2013):
  August 15, 2012

To Contact the Esalen Farm & Garden Program:
Email: farm.apprenticeship@esalen.org (email is preferred)
Phone: (831) 667-3078
Follow the Esalen Farm and Garden on Facebook for photos, updates and events: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Esalen-Farm-and-Garden/145972908823027