Maryland
Three
Graces Farm & Backbone Food Farm, Max & Katharine Dubansky, 530
Lynndale Road, Oakland, MD 21550, 301-334-5633,
. Small farming family with organic market gardens growing wide variety
of market produce, some cut flowers and shiitake mushrooms. Four markets
a week plus a 50-family CSA. We also keep a few steers, replacement heifers,
laying hens, pastured poultry, and hogs. We have been working with horses
for nine years. Still have plenty to learn, as well as plenty to share,
and we love what we do. We have been working horses since 1996.
- Source of power: 2 teams of Percherons and a small tractor.
- Horses are used for: plowing, harrowing, cultivation, spreading
manure, haying, firewood pulling, and various other chores.
- Acreage: 540; 6 in garden, 4 in crops, 40 in pasture, 20
in hay, 100 in woodlot, remainder unused woodlands.
- Other livestock: a few steers, laying hens, hogs, and a family
milk cow.
- Skills offered in: how a team fits on a small-scale produce
operation/diversified alternative ag farm; draft horse basics harnessing,
ground driving and more, depending on intern's level of willingness
and competence; marketing skills, shiitake mushroom growing, animal
husbandry, hand milking, equipment repairs, and so on and so on; general
survival on a small farm with a self-employed family.
- Work hours: 40 hrs/wk.
- Terms: room & board; 1-2 apprentice at a time for the
length of the growing season, April through October.
- Stipend: $75/wk.
- Accommodations: small cabin with woodstove, no electricity
or plumbing; mostly home grown, all home cooking, vegetarian and meat
from farm.
- Apprentice must be: honest, reliable, flexible, able to communicate
openly, willing to do physically strenuous work, willing to dive in
and be a part of the family, able to take initiative and go with the
flow. We have a lot going on this time of the year so it's important
to be dependable. Good will toward small children and animals is essential.
We enjoy apprentices who are curious and engaged in what is going
on around them. We are fairly easy going as long as there is mutual
respect, communication, and understanding.
- Visit first: yes.
- Trial period: one week.
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