614135672
Come January, the ads start piling up thicker than a Saskatchewan snowdrift: “Livestock farm seeks full-time apprentice,” “Intern needed for five-acre market garden,” and more.
With few formal educational programs devoted to organic agriculture, internships or apprenticeships are often the way would-be sustainably minded farmers get their start. Done right, the arrangement benefits both farmers and interns. Interns learn about the craft of farming first-hand from those who do it daily. Meanwhile, farmers are able to share their know-how about growing food and get some extra help around the farm, typically at a lower cost than hiring a farm worker. Even outside the organic sector, internships offer practical ways to gain new farming skills.
“The farm is really the ideal classroom to learn about agriculture,” says Lucia Stephen of the Atlantic Canada Organic Regional Network (ACORN). She co-founded and coordinates the Network’s Grow-a-Farmer Program, which matched apprentices with ten hosts in 2013/2014. What better way for aspiring farmers to hone their skills than rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty?
Lucia Stephen of the Atlantic Canada Organic Regional Network (ACORN).
There is no one-size-fits-all internship structure. Some last for a month or two, others for a whole growing season. Some farmers simply provide room and board, while others offer a stipend or an hourly wage. Interns can live off the farm, in the farmhouse or in separate accommodations on-site.
Whatever the arrangement, following a few best practices will help things go smoothly and ensure both the farmer and the intern feel satisfied at the end of the day — and at the end of the season.
1. Question your motives
First and foremost, consider whether taking on an intern or apprentice is the right fit for your farm. Do you want to train a would-be farmer or just gain some cheap labour? Adrian Stocking of Willo’ Wind Farm, a mixed organic livestock and vegetable operation in Ontario’s Uxbridge Township, advises farmers to really consider how much extra time training and teaching interns will demand.
Stocking certainly sees value in teaching the next generation of people who are going to feed the population. And yes, the 15 interns he has hired over the past six years have helped him grow his farm business. Just don’t expect them to be as efficient as a hired hand, he says. If what you’re really looking for is additional labour, Stocking suggests, it’s better to hire someone and just say, “Go pick beans for 10 hours and I’ll pay you.”
2. Follow the rules
If you decide you have the time and motivation, your next step is to look into provincial labour laws governing internships and volunteer agricultural workers. Although many farmers don’t pay their interns, tread carefully.
In 2013, for example, a B.C. farmer found herself forking over thousands of dollars after a couple, who agreed to work for free, contacted B.C. Employment Standards and requested back pay. After consulting several labour lawyers, the farmer learned that no one in B.C. can sign away their rights to minimum wage. Meanwhile, in Ontario, the Ministry of Labour lists specific criteria defining an unpaid internship versus an employee protected under the Employment Standards Act.
“We believe it is very important for farmers to understand the many differences between hosting an apprentice versus having farm staff,” says ACORN’s Stephen. It’s also important for hosts to make sure their insurance will cover interns.
3. Find the right fit
Once you’ve got all your bureaucracy-ducks in a row, the next step is hiring. You can opt to find an intern through organizations that provide intern-farmer matchmaking and training support. These include ACORN, the Canada-wide Stewards of Irreplaceable Lands (SOIL) program, and Ontario’s Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT). Alternatively, you can advertise and hire independently.
Looking at resumes, checking references and interviewing prospective interns helps avoid troubles later on. Consider your preferred level of experience: are you willing to take on someone who has never hoed a row of carrots, or do you want someone with a season of farming under their belt? Willo’ Wind’s Stocking recommends looking for prospective interns who show commitment. “People leaving or quitting mid-season can really hurt a farm,” he says.
Don’t forget about personality. While quieter individuals may be comfortable working away in solitude, extroverts will be happier on a farm with other interns or a chance to run a market stall.
Found a good candidate? Before the internship gets underway, Stephen suggests an initial trial period — from a few days to a month — to make sure the situation is a good fit for both parties.
4. Put it on paper
While not everyone opts for a contract filled with legalese, some kind of written agreement can clarify what both parties expect to gain. Consider spelling out roles and responsibilities, hours and days of work, what is being exchanged for labour (i.e., accommodation, wages or stipends, food, etc.) and an exit strategy if the internship doesn’t work out. “Without establishing a mutually clear and respectful agreement from the onset, there can be significant consequences,” says Stephen.
If the intern will live right on the farm, don’t forget to discuss elements such as meals and household tasks. Steve Ross, who recently completed an internship on a livestock farm in Saskatchewan, suggests providing separate accommodation for interns if possible. “It can make things so much smoother and keep things clearer,” he says. “I think it can be easier on the farm family too if they can have some breathing room.”
5. Create a good learning environment
“Apprenticeships are first and foremost about education,” says Stephen. Explain the how, but also the whys. “I was always really grateful if we had to weed an entire bed and the farmer was working beside me and we talked about soil structure and why it was useful to maintain that,” says Bernard Soubry, who has completed internships in B.C., Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Bernard Soubry, who has done internships across Canada, suggests interns pinpoint what they’d like to gain from an internship before they begin. Do you want to hone your greenhouse skills? Manage machinery? Handle livestock?
Provide plenty of feedback so your interns don’t have to guess what they are doing well and where they could do better. As well, consider organizing weekly field walks or occasional expeditions to neighbouring farms to give your interns a broader perspective.
6. Communicate
Once an internship gets underway, open and ongoing communication is key. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up, so create a forum where it’s easy for interns to raise concerns. While some farms have morning check-ins, others may have weekly or bi-weekly meetings to make sure everyone is on track. Like regular weeding, ongoing dialogue can catch problems before they spread.
7. Say thank you
Don’t forget to show gratitude, especially when the season ramps up and everyone on the farm is working at full throttle. “A little bit of appreciation goes a long way,” says Stocking. The seasoned intern host has organized trips to the movies, a treat at the end of the day and even a superhero dress-up day to boost farm morale. Welcome and good-bye parties can help make sure interns feel valued. Finally, debriefing sessions at the end of the season also provide insights into what can be improved upon the following year.
According to Ross, a good internship provides benefits to both parties. Interns come away with the hands-on experience they can’t find in a book or classroom. Farmers gain energetic, enthusiastic workers and the satisfaction of training a new generation of food producers. “They both walk away from the agreement being delighted in their way forward,” says Ross.
On the other side of the fence: Five tips for farm interns
Starting an internship? We tapped two seasoned veterans for their tips on getting the most out of the experience.
1. Know what you’d like to learn — and how
Aspiring farmer Bernard Soubry, who has done internships across Canada, suggests pinpointing what you’d like to gain from an internship before you launch in. Do you want to hone your greenhouse skills? Manage machinery? Handle livestock? Even if you’re completely new to farming, having an idea certainly helps.
Meanwhile, Broadfork Farm owner Shannon Jones, who acquired her farming knowledge through six years of interning, recommends choosing farmers that have similar learning styles as you.
After six years of interning, Shannon Jones, who now runs her own farm, suggests interns try to pair with farmers who have similar styles
2. Know what you’re getting into
It’s no secret: farming is hard work. Consider spending at least a weekend — and preferably longer — on a farm before committing to a whole season. Can you handle working when you are exhausted, swarmed by bugs, roasted, frozen or drenched in the rain? “There’s tons of times things will suck,” says Jones.
3. Be open to experience
Sometimes the toughest moments of your internship will turn out to be your most valuable, says Jones. Or perhaps you’ll come in keen on market gardening but discover your real passion is rearing chickens.
4. Keep a journal
Soubry recommends keeping a record of your experiences to make sure you are learning what you’d like to. Plus, all those notes will prove invaluable if you ultimately start your own farm.
5. Speak up!
Farmers aren’t mind readers, so don’t be afraid to ask questions or to speak up if you’re not gaining the kind of experience that you want.
- Mary Wales