2018 positions at ridgedale permaculture
Applications Are now CLOSED
We have a totally new structure for apprenticing at Ridgedale
We have totally redesigned how we run the farm and have decided to change the way we work with people coming to the farm to learn and work for the production season. There are clear conditions for all people coming to the farm, and we ask you please read and consider all the information below very thoroughly. To be eligible for consideration you must be in agreement to ALL conditions fully, and complete the application form at the end of the page. Any applications outside the dates stated at the top of the page will not be responded to.
Why Are we changing how we operate?
We want to focus ever more precisely on supporting the people who can benefit most from the unique opportunities we have to offer. We mainly want to support people who are going to be starting up their own operation within the next 2 years. Ideally, people dedicating their lives to mixed enterprise regenerative agriculture in a similar climate. There are not many places like this around to learn the breadth of things that go on here, and we wish to be able to continue supporting the right people whilst creating a bit more time and space for ourselves. We are introducing a profit share model that supports people more and more if they return in subsequent seasons. We expose people to all aspects of what it takes to run this place, an educational opportunity like you can't find in many places. In return we expect hard and consistent quality work from people who are entirely focused on mastering the varied tasks at hand for the entire season. We've thought about it a lot and it's the most mutually beneficial arrangement we could devise. After 3 or more seasons with us, a diligent individual can learn literally every aspect of the business; including sales, accounting, planning, monitoring and all aspects of every farm enterprise. What's more, rather than having some educational debt, you'll have been paid for the last 2 years and leave with a deep knowledge of the entire runnings of this pioneering farm.
Introduction to All roles
All positions will now involve holding animal responsibilities and then working in the Market Garden or other farm projects for the larger part of the day. Everyone will be rotating through responsibility for pastured Broilers, Pastured Layers, Turkeys, Pigs or Cow/Sheep duties, taking on daily tasks for a number of weeks before rotating to another animal responsibility. From daily moves to feeding and monitoring, you'll be working with the animals within our Holistic Planned Grazing schedule. These are all very physical roles which involve anything from managing the chicks in the brooder, hauling broiler field pens, feeding animals, moving electric fences, collecting and sorting eggs, slaughtering poultry, hand milking and any other duties connected with the animals. You will need to be strong, fit and able to lift 25kg multiple times a day. You must be happy working outside in all weather. You need to be very communicative, observant, able to follow instructions meticulously and organised in your record keeping.
Besides animal duties, you will also be involved in many other aspects of the farms development and maintenance: from water systems to waste, carpentry using hand tools to using machinery. You will need to be able to think on your feet, use your initiative and make effective decisions on the fly. Our positions suit someone totally dedicated to farming as a full time livelihood. We will all spend a bunch of time in our Market Gardens. We run BioIntensive No-Dig gardens and produce high quality vegetables for restaurants and private customers. We have integrated the best Market Garden planning and tools with the best soil building approaches. This is the most intensive enterprise on the farm. Working together around the daily animal/ project work we will all hold, work in the market gardens includes bed preparations, transplanting, direct seeding, harvesting, irrigation, weeding and maintenance, vegetable harvesting/ washing/ packing and greenhouse work. You will get fit, learn a lot and enjoy the sweetest most nutritious vegetables you've ever tasted.
PLEASE NOTE all positions will be required in weekly poultry slaughter during the season. If this is something you are not comfortable with then please do not apply for a position.
Besides animal duties, you will also be involved in many other aspects of the farms development and maintenance: from water systems to waste, carpentry using hand tools to using machinery. You will need to be able to think on your feet, use your initiative and make effective decisions on the fly. Our positions suit someone totally dedicated to farming as a full time livelihood. We will all spend a bunch of time in our Market Gardens. We run BioIntensive No-Dig gardens and produce high quality vegetables for restaurants and private customers. We have integrated the best Market Garden planning and tools with the best soil building approaches. This is the most intensive enterprise on the farm. Working together around the daily animal/ project work we will all hold, work in the market gardens includes bed preparations, transplanting, direct seeding, harvesting, irrigation, weeding and maintenance, vegetable harvesting/ washing/ packing and greenhouse work. You will get fit, learn a lot and enjoy the sweetest most nutritious vegetables you've ever tasted.
PLEASE NOTE all positions will be required in weekly poultry slaughter during the season. If this is something you are not comfortable with then please do not apply for a position.
For 2018 there are 4 Positions open
Your 1st Season |
Your 2nd Season |
Your 3rd Season |
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benefits of the Apprentice roles
YOUR 1ST SEASON
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YOUR 2ND SEASON
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YOUR 3RD SEASON
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*Profit sharing details can be explained more thoroughly upon arrival at the farm. Everyone on a salary participates in this same model, with a % pegged on the total work assigned to them throughout the financial year. We all rise and fall together based on the outcome of the season. The season planning is complex, and something we invite people entering their 3rd season with us to fully participate in.
We invest a lot in the people, and we expect excellence in return
The Apprentice roles at Ridgedale are suited to folks who are dedicating their lives to a career in regenerative agriculture. Whilst this farm is a bustling hub for learning and practice, we expect high standards in both work ethic and your ability to work as a beneficial team member. We work, live, learn and play together in quite close quarters during the season, and your attitude and aptitude are the most important qualities behind getting the most from this experience. Please read the following conditions which we expect from everyone coming to the farm
Time off during the production season
- We aim to do rotations of weekend chores so everyone has weekends off each month, but this will only be organised once everyone is at the farm. Your weekends 'on' will involve working with 1 or 2 others to conduct all farm chores and prepare simple meals for the weekend.
- Leave during the season is limited to rotating weekends off and 5 week days off within the season. It may be possible that this can be scheduled to be connected to 2 weekends off, allowing for up to 9 days in a row for travel BUT this can only be arranged once you arrive at the farm in coordination with the whole team and scheduled events throughout the season.
- PLEASE BE AWARE these conditions are not flexible, and we cannot make arrangements until everyone is at the farm. If you have planned events you would be best to cancel them to avoid disappointment.
Daily Schedule
We expect everyone to be focused and diligent; we work very hard throughout the short production season. Morning chores begin at 6am and we end the day at 6pm for dinner. Lunch break is 12-2pm. Expect to work to benchmarks; we want to support people to push themselves to really know what they can achieve and become more efficient at task management. Farming has always been hard work and we see that working efficiently and diligently is key for those going on to start their own successful enterprises. We are hoping to work rotations of farm chores together so that we can all take some weekends as down time. That means you'll have some very busy weekends, and some weekends totally off, which is new for us at the farm. We will set this structure up upon gathering at the farm.
Receiving visitors during your stay
- All visitors are required to contribute 120kr per day to cover their costs
- There is a 50 kr fee for single meals if a visitor arrives for dinner or eats breakfast before leaving
- You will need to book taxi's to travel to and from the station (7km)
- Visitors are welcome during the weekend, and can only arrive Friday after 12pm and leave before Monday 9am, no exceptions
- Visitors will either live in your room or bring all they need for camping
- All visiting times need to be OK'd with the team at least 2 weeks in advance, please don't plan any arrangements before arriving at the farm
- No visits are allowed during courses, check the schedule on our Training pages
- You are responsible for all visitor fees and ensuring your guests understand the Ground Rules (below)
Vehicles
- There is not a farm vehicle available for private use
- We will assume responsibility to pick people up and drop them off when they arrive/ leave at each end of the season and for their scheduled holiday
- There are bicycles at the farm
- If you can bring a car then other members may appreciate it!
Contextual points you need to understand and fully agree to...
- We work hard in our short growing season. We expect a full working week every week, and it's physical work. You need to be fit and physically able, as well as very organised and proactive. Weekends are relative down time although there will always be animal duties and basic chores over the weekend.
- We are a meat-producing farm. All positions are required to be directly involved with regular poultry processing. If you are not comfortable with this, this is not the place for you.
- We serve 100% organic/biodynamic/beyond-organic meals, which are mostly cooked for you. We only produce and buy in epic ingredients, of a quality people are rarely used to eating 100% of the time. This includes farm vegetables, pastured meats, dairy, etc. Our chef’s work extremely hard to offer a very balanced rounded farmhouse diet. Meat free options can usually be offered alongside meat dishes, but other needs cannot be catered for. If you are gluten-free/ vegan/ lactose-free/ paleo or particular please budget for purchasing your own supplies as needed. Please note Sweden is very expensive, and getting to a store is logistical. A shared fridge is available for your use. Thank you.
- Room and board are provided and you have access to high speed internet. Rooms are either simple single rooms and shared loft accommodation which we allocate accordingly.
- We are a professional learning site and working farm. You are expected to present yourself in a professional manner consistently for the benefit of all. We are looking to support people who want to go into farming and designing for themselves and will make the most of learning by doing.
- People that get the most from their time with us tend to have the “get it done” attitude, are self-starting, communicative, teachable, positive solutions focused, dependable and take-responsibility for what they are managing. We are looking for very pragmatic folks that are good with their hands and tools, who are situationally aware and ready to get their hands dirty wherever needed on the farm. This is not a place for sitting around discussing ideas and concepts.
- You will get out of it what you put into the time and work here. We have high expectations, and in return we are offering a hands on immersion experience that you can’t find many places on our little planet. All roles require continual effort and sweat. We live in close quarters with each other, you need to able to get along with others.
- You will be sore at times and get tired. Long light hours in the summer mean we sometimes work late. Farm work is hard graft. But we love it. You’ll eat the best quality food in your life, meet some incredibly awesome folk and learn how to go off and start for yourself, hopefully saving you years…
Application form
If you have fully read, understand and agree to all the above, and see it could benefit you to join us for the season, then we welcome your application. All applications are collected and some time is needed to consider what is right for us and the team as a whole. We will not be in contact with anyone until early Jan 2018, and will not be answering any emails or questions about the process before then. Please note we will not consider any applications received after 31st Dec 2017.