2009 SEASON: DESPERATELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS!

By late summer, the Organic Farm is a wonderland, with the various plots and gardens growing dozens of different vegetables, flowers and herbs. If it can be grown in our short seasoned climate on the Avalon Peninsula, you are guaranteed to find it on our farm!

If you are looking for a way to step outside your present life style into another world, we invite you to contact us, come for a visit and explore a volunteer role. Most people volunteer on some planned basis, a few hours a week or longer. Presently, we are seeking people to help transplant hundreds of lettuce, cabbage and other early plants into wonderful, organic soil. After the roots are tucked safely into the rows, we cover them with a warm blanket of floating row cover to ensure they are protected from our cold evenings (or days).

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Whether you are a “wannabe” organic farmer looking for practical experience, a student intern who needs to develop a specific project to meet curriculum requirements, a CFA (Come From Away) wishing to learn more about organics in our province, a WOOFER or someone who just can’t wait to get their hands dirty, you have found the right place.

WOOFERS AND FARM STAYERS

Limited indoor accommodations are available. We have space for two singles or a couple. However, there is lots of nice space for tents and we have found some people, both people from St. Johns and people from away, prefer staying in tents. There is a bathroom, shower, Wireless Internet and a microwave available in the support building. Volunteers who stay on the farm help plan and cook evening meals and have dinner, family style in the main house. We have had volunteers stay for only a few days; we also had WOOFERS stay for up to a year. Hostessing people from around the world makes our life on the farm much more interesting. We also enjoy showing all of the wonderful things in our province, including the music and culture; it is unique in Canada. Contact us. We are usually flexible!!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What do volunteers do?
In April and May, volunteers help transplant seedlings into grow pots, organize sheds, inventory supplies and plant the greenhouses. Later, when the weather cooperates, they help re-establish the herb and mint beds, spread soil and mulch, plant lettuce and edible flowers. This year they will help spread a ground cover as a weed barrier as a way of reducing labour costs for weeding.

By August, volunteers help pick gooseberries and beans, harvest potatoes, leeks and carrots and other wonderful vegetables. Usually, there is a special project on the go, which requires some extra hands, digging trenches, planting trees, hauling limbs for the wood chipper, maybe even help to build a cabin or chicken house. In late fall, we bring in the root crops and cover the fields with mulch, and put them “to bed” for the winter. And, usually, there is a harvest meal, inviting the people who have volunteered on the farm during the season.

What kind of commitment is needed?
We ask that volunteers make arrangements to come for a minimum of 2 hours per visit, after their orientation to the farm. We discourage ad hoc drop-in help. It works best if a regular time each week can be arranged, i.e. Saturday afternoons, Sunday mornings, Wednesdays after work. Of course, more often and longer period of times per visit is even more efficient.

Can I bring children?
We welcome children for visits to the farm, but have found that most children need to be supervised. Of course, this depends on the age and personality of the child. There are safe places for children to play on the farm, but when they enter the gardens or greenhouses, they must have one-on-one supervision with an adult or a farm employee. Some families bring their children and plan for one parent to ‘work” with the farm needs, while the other uses the farm as a natural wildlife environment for the children. This works well. There are trails, birds, bogs and other wildlife as well as wild flowers and berries beyond the actual garden production areas. Also, picnic tables, a bench swing and a couple of hammocks. If you want to make a day of it, bring a pop up tent and set up a pretend camp on a grassy area.

What about older children?
Children must be twelve years are over may apply to volunteer on their own. At times, we hire young people, fourteen years and older to do casual weeding. This has worked out well. They come a few hours a week, as needed.

How do I get vegetables and herbs?
In April and May, volunteers will be able to take home a bit of this or that, “whatever is on the go.” Later on, there will be a better supply and so it will be easier to give you a nice selection of product. Examples are: an ugly turnip, twisted and two legged carrots, “holey” chard, dwarf garlic scapes, and herb ends trimmed so herb bunches will fit into clam shell packaging. Some things will always be more plentiful than others, such as rhubarb, lettuce and later on items such as tomatoes, gooseberries and maybe winter squash. In late October, if we have enough, we try to give the volunteers who stick it out for the season an organic pumpkin to cook, not carve into a Jack-o-Lantern. (See Recipes/ pumpkin for ideas)

Can I Volunteer for Membership in the Veggie Coop?
A limited of four memberships in the Veggie Coop are available through bartering. Last season, one of our present employees began her relationship with the farm, volunteering one day a week, on Veggie Coop day to pay for her Veggie Coop Membership. Later, when a worker resigned in mid-season, she stepped into the role full time because she knew the farm and farm folks. This worked out well and she returned as a lead worker the next season.

How can I get to the farm?
The farm is located about 20 minutes outside downtown St. John’s, in Portugal Cove. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide transportation. Occasionally, we may know of someone who is coming from the city and can suggest a ride/ or we might be able to match you up with a volunteer who drives out on regular basis. It is worth an inquiry.

How do I get started?
An e-mail or a phone call will get your started. Before you make a decision, we invite you for a visit and a walk about. This will provide an opportunity to ask questions and explore the schedule and arrangement that best fits for you. If you decide you want to be a regular volunteer, we will ask you to fill out the volunteer information sheet, which includes emergency contact information. Then, you will be all set to get your hands dirty the next time you come.
Each time you come to help, you will help a lead worker and sign in/ out and log the tasks completed in the Volunteer Log Book.

If you have any questions or wish to schedule a visit, please contact Melba Rabinowitz: organicfarm@nl.rogers.com or by phone: (709) 895-2884.

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MORE ABOUT WOOFING!!

Several years ago, we opened the farm to WOOFERS, who are usually people from other countries around the world. WOOFERS work on the farm for around 25 hours a week in turn for room and board. Although we have limited accommodations in a farm support building, we have developed a place called “tent’ city, which is developed specifically for tents. WOOFERS and Farmstayers, who stay on the farm for a week to several months, take advantage of all of the wonderful things our province has to offer - from bird watching, whale watching, kayaking and other tourist things as well as hanging out downtown in the evening with local musicians. At least a couple of times during the season, we invite a few of our friends who play musical instruments for an old fashioned kitchen party with our workers, WOOFERS and other volunteers.