Q&A

DEAR NEW FARM:
I just found your site. I run a small farm in northwest Massachusetts and am looking to plan for the 2004 season. For me this depends entirely on finding four totally reliable and mature helpers willing to work hard in exchange for a place to live, a share of the harvest, and a small monthly stipend that won't make anyone rich. Perks include living in an area that is rich in natural beauty and culture (while close to necessary amenities) and opportunities for rest and relaxation during downtime.

Lucia (Lightwing Farm)
lightwinginfo@aol.com

DEAR LUCIA:
There are a number of places where you can list your farm and your specific needs:

North East Workers on Organic Farms (NEWOOF) (www.smallfarm.org/newoof/newoof.html) is a regional farm apprenticeship placement service sponsored by the New England Small Farm Institute (www.smallfarm.org). Apprentices generally sign on for the entire season and typically come with a deep interest in becoming farmers themselves. There is an $18 fee to list your farm.

Or, for a suggested $5 donation, you can list your farm at World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms-USA (http://wwoofusa.org), part of a global network linking volunteers with organic farmers in order to promote educational exchange and to build a community conscious of ecological farming practices.

Last but not least, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services offers a free regional listing at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/intern.html in order to help farmers and apprentices connect with each other. The site boasts more than 1 million visitors a month.

NF

Editor’s note: New Farm had a couple of interesting email exchanges with Lucia, who shared with us her vision for a frequent coming together of farmer and apprentices to communicate their perceptions and experiences in order to evaluate the lessons, challenges, and inspiration that each week of farm work brings. If this is the kind of apprenticeship you’re looking for, Lucia says you can contact her directly via email to learn more about the Lightwing Farm internships.