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Jobs & Apprenticeships
About Jobs & Apprenticeships We grow and harvest crops year round, selling direct, retail and wholesale. Our direct sales include three farmers markets a week and a Community Supported Agriculture project, or CSA, serving approximately 500 member families. We are located in a narrow valley only a little more than an hour outside Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. There are four partners who own and operate Full Belly. All of us live on the farm with our families which include six kids and teenagers. A lot of the work on the farm is done by our crew of hourly workers, most of whom live nearby in the valley and work year-round. The members of this crew are almost all Mexican immigrants, so Spanish-speakers will feel right at home! We also have up to five apprentices living on the farm. Although we call these positions “apprentices,” there is no formal teaching program, but more a “learn by doing” experience. Apprentices share quite a few different responsibilities, and the work varies with the season. In general, there is usually one farmers market or delivery per week. This may involve getting up before the sun (like at 4AM for example)! There is also usually a day or more in the packing shed, washing, packing and organizing produce. Other tasks include weeding, taking care of the animals, writing the weekly note for the CSA boxes, special projects and field work. The rhythm of the farm varies with the seasons. From June through October, the days are very long, often with trucks to load after dark and many hours during the day spent packing tomatoes. This is not a job for someone who is uncomfortable around hard work! It gets hot here in the summer, but it is dry heat, and we can always cool down in the creek that runs along one border of the farm. We encourage our apprentices to make a commitment of at least a year if possible. While we will consider people who are not available for that long, a shorter stay will mean that the view of the farm is not well rounded. Only by seeing the changes of the seasons and the different rhythms and smells and experiences that each new season brings, will an apprentice get a sense of what farming is about. It is especially difficult for the farm if someone wants to leave in the middle of the busy period. Shorter stays only work if they span the summer, for example from June through October. Payment to apprentices includes room, board and a stipend. Those of us who live on the farm share at least one meal a day. In fact, one of the jobs for apprentices is usually to cook lunch once a week and clean up afterwards. The food is STUPENDOUS, a big perk of living here. There are living quarters at the farm, a washroom with a shower, a laundry and a community kitchen, so it is important for prospective apprentices to be comfortable sharing their living spaces with other people. If you are interested in a Full Belly Farm apprenticeship, please fill out the following application and send it to us. We will want to talk to you over the phone as well. It's best if you can visit us at the farm, meet with the partners and talk to current apprentices to make sure that the experience will suit you. We enjoy the experience of opening up our homes and work life to people who want to learn about sustainable agriculture and contribute to our community. Although it can get pretty hectic around here, we always appreciate a new set of hands, a fresh perspective, and the good times and fun that our apprentices bring! Contact Us How to Apply |
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