2020 positions at ridgedale
Applications open until 29th Feb 2020
- 1 X PAID FARM MANAGER (1ST APR-30TH OCT)
- 2 X VOLUNTEER APPRENTICE FARM MANAGERS (10TH APR-30TH OCT)
- 1 X PAID MARKET GARDEN MANAGER (1ST APR-30TH OCT)
- 2 X VOLUNTEER APPRENTICE MARKET GARDEN MANAGERS (10TH APR-30TH OCT)
Welcome to Ridgedale, Europe's leading regenerative agriculture learning hub. 2020 is an unusual year for us, with Richard touring for most of the season, and Yohanna overseeing operations. Richard will be helping orientate people in the first weeks, and returning for the listed trainings and to assist with some of the poultry slaughter days. The team will be very much working together as a whole, and whilst people will have areas of dedication and responsibility, everyone will participate in food preparation, cleaning, weekly deliveries and general farm tasks as required. 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.
our core team roles serve as a farm accelerator training
A high proportion of our past core team have established epic businesses. 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 couple of years. Ideally, people dedicating their lives to regenerative agriculture in a similar climate. There are few farms like this in the world to learn the breadth of things that go on here. We expose people to all aspects of what it takes to run this place, an unparalleled hands on educational opportunity. 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.
FARM MANAGER roles
- Paid manager roles require very solid previous experience and current driving license. You will be in a leadership role, and responsible for constant team and task management. You will also be in charge of one delivery route each week. You will need to get up to speed quickly and liaise constantly with Yohanna.
- Primary care of pastured Broilers, pastured Layers and Cows/Sheep.
- Possibility to rotate through these roles within your team.
- Daily morning moves/feeding and monitoring/record keeping/working 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 and any other duties connected with the animals and general farm maintainence.
- Everyone will be involved with one REKO delivery per week.
- You will need to be strong, fit and able to lift 25 kg 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.
- PLEASE NOTE: all positions will be required in regular 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.
- None of our roles fit the '9-5' paradigm. With 2 support roles for each manager, there should be time for everyone to take rest, although we rotate roles to cover daily duties, so invariably we are not all 'off' at the same time. We work hard consistently through the short season, and the people who have got most from their experience with us are those who have thrown themselves in wholeheartedly.
- Everyone will be sharing cooking for the team on rotation with fully organic food.
- You will have a simple private room.
Market garden ROLEs
- Paid manager roles require very solid previous experience and current driving license. You will be in a leadership role, and responsible for constant team and task management. You will also be in charge of one delivery route each week. You will need to get up to speed quickly and liaise constantly with Yohanna.
- Primary care of nursery/ bed prep/ seeding/ weeding/ irrigation/ daily observation/ harvesting/ post harvest/ chiller management/ 3 packing days each week.
- Everyone will be involved with one REKO delivery per week.
- You will need to be strong, fit and able to lift 25 kg 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.
- PLEASE NOTE: all positions, including garden roles, will be required in regular poultry slaughter during the season. If this is something you are not comfortable with then please do not apply for a position.
- None of our roles fit the '9-5' paradigm. With 2 support roles for each manager, there should be time for everyone to take rest, although we rotate roles to cover daily duties, so invariably we are not all 'off' at the same time. We work hard consistently through the short season, and the people who have got most from their experience with us are those who have thrown themselves in wholeheartedly.
- Everyone will be sharing cooking for the team on rotation with fully organic food.
- You will have a simple private room.
Daily Schedule
We expect everyone to be focused and diligent; we work very hard throughout the short production season. Morning chores begin at 6:30 am and we end the day at 6:00 pm for dinner. Lunch break is 12:00-2:00 pm. Expect to work to benchmarks; we want to support people to push themselves to really know what they can achieve and become increasingly 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 aim to do rotations of chores at the weekend so everyone has sufficient down-time, but this will only be organised once everyone is at the farm. Plants need watering, animals still need feeding and moving and eggs collecting and packing every day. We will set this structure up upon gathering at the farm.
OUR MEAL POLICY
We eat a balanced diet of meat, dairy, eggs, vegetables and whole foods. We supply farm raised and grown produce and 100% organic whole foods that we buy in. Our courses are fully catered, and the rest of the time the team will take turns to cook and prepare meals. Bear in mind we are a meat producing farm that also slaughters animals here on the farm. We regularly use stock, dairy, eggs and meat in meals as well as eating sourdough breads we bake and other ingredients with gluten. Unfortunately we cannot cater for alternative diets. If you are not comfortable eating the rounded diet described it is probably not wise to apply.
Receiving visitors during your stay
- Visitors are welcome during the weekend, and can only arrive Friday after 12 pm and leave before Monday 9 am, and cannot be at the farm during trainings.
- All visitors are required to contribute 120 kr per day to cover their basic costs.
- You can use the collective farm car to pick up/drop off/ visit places (25 kr/km)
- Visitors will either live in your room or bring all they need for camping.
- All visiting times need to be agreed with the team at least 2 weeks in advance, please do not plan any arrangements before arriving at the farm.
- You are responsible for all visitor fees and ensuring your guests abide by the basic ground rules.
Vehicle
- There is a farm vehicle available for private use, everyone is responsible for maintaining the logbook and covering their costs (25 kr/km).
- If you can bring you own car then other members may appreciate it also!
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, watering and basic chores over the weekend.
- 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, meet some incredibly awesome folk and learn how to go off and start for yourself, hopefully saving you years and a lot of money.
Application form
If you have fully read, understand and agree to all the above information, 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 March, and will not be answering any emails or questions about the process before then. Please note we will not consider any applications received after 29th Feb 2020.