Employment
There
are also employment opportunities at Arctic Organics. Employees are trained in
specialized tasks, to play a key role in the entire effort of crop production.
Past outdoor work experience and good physical condition is desired.
Logistics
of living here
- On-farm
rental accommodations include a cabin (long-term only), a bunkhouse and a small
trailer ($50 refundable cleaning deposit, interns do not pay rent in bunkhouse
or trailer).
- Pets
are not allowed.
- There
are two outhouses, seasonal cold running water, a washing machine, a bucket shower,
a telephone for local calls, and wireless internet (using your computer).
- Communal
all-farm potluck dinners regularly.
- The
cllimate is warm and dry (65°F-75°F) in May and June, with daylight increasing
to 21 hours on June 21st. July and August are cooler and wetter, with decreasing
daylight. The first frost is expected by mid-September. September can be cold
and wet with temperatures ranging from 30°F to 55°F during the day, and
as low as 20°F at night. In spite of intermittent wet weather, the total annual
precipitation is about 16 inches, and the area is considered to be a desert.
- Mosquitoes
can be bothersome in May and early June, depending on conditions.
- “Farm-use”
vegetables are free to interns and employees as available, increasing with the
season.
- The
question of a significant other living on the farm with a farm worker will be
considered only for the cabin renter, on an individual basis.
Required
equipment:
- Bedding
- Rain
suit (coat and pants)
- Rubber
boots (for summer), winter boots (for fall, winter and spring)
- Garden/work
gloves
- Warm
clothes for layering
- Money
for extra food and living expenses
Suggested:
- Car and/or bicycle
- Phone
card or cell phone
Work
schedule
The
cycle of the season: March through June the focus is on greenhouse seeding and
potting. Mid-May to mid-June is a period of intensive field planting. July intensifies
with increased garden maintenance, transplanting and harvesting. The work season
peaks the end of July through the middle of August, after which maintenance and
transplanting is no longer needed. Harvest becomes the primary activity in late
August and September, along with garden clean up. The season ends in mid-October.
A
typical week:
Workdays
start at 8:00 a.m. The workweek is generally five days long, with regular days
off restricted to Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
Mondays
are planting days, seeding in flats and in the garden.
Tuesdays -
harvest for CSA members in the morning, field and greenhouse work in the afternoon.
Wednesdays - harvest for Anchorage CSA members in the morning, field
and greenhouse work in the afternoon.
Thursdays - field and greenhouse
work all day. Thursday afternoon will be dedicated to harvest at the end of the
season.
Fridays - harvest for Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday.
Fridays can be a very long workday, sometimes running as late as 9:00 p.m.
Saturdays - Anchorage Farmers
Market.
Application
Timeline
Applications
will be reviewed and selections made as early as possible to accommodate those
who will be travelling long distances. Starting and ending dates are determined
on an individual basis. Year round work is a possibility.
Internship
Areas of Focus
These
are suggestions for areas of focus. We will tailor your duties to your abilities
and needs, while taking into consideration the crew and overall farm needs once
you have arrived.
Winter
preparation: starting February 1
Early indoor seeding; garden mapping;
planting schedule; machinery maintenance; bookkeeping; CSA enrollments; winter
projects.
Greenhouse:
starting March 1
Mix
potting soil; seed; transplant; water greenhouses and hardening off area; weed
greenhouses; fertilize greenhouses; adhere to planting schedule; keep records;
harden off; plant, maintain and foliar feed greenhouse beds.
Field
Maintenance: starting June 1
Monitor and control weed growth throughout
garden; cultivate; irrigate garden; seed green manure crops.
Planters:
starting May 1
Bed preparation (i.e. apply compost and soil amendments,
rototill, form and rake beds); direct seed and transplant into garden; adhere
to planting schedule; keep records for seeding, transplanting and fertilizing.
Handy
worker: starting March 1
General farm maintenance including fencing, composting,
developing new ground; operating small machines (i.e. BCS 10hp tiller, log-splitter,
weed-eater, chipper/shredder); familiarity with tools; garden bed prep, soil and
fertilizer mixing, soil amendment mixing; install drip irrigation and row covers;
harvest clean-up; transporting seedlings, compost, amendments
Harvesters:
starting June 1
All interns are expected to participate in harvests as
needed.
Note:
Each job description is intended as a general guideline for the area of focus.
The individual holding a position is given responsibility for the tasks in the
job description, however, each worker is expected to be willing to help in all
areas of the farm, and frequently a crew will be assembled to tackle any of the
above tasks as a group. Interns may opt to rotate through all positions to gain
an overall understanding of farm operation needs.
Starting
dates listed are somewhat flexible, however, the earlier the better. Ending dates
vary within the month of October or as dictated by school schedules.
Click
here for the Intern/Job Application Page.
