Apprenticeship Opportunities
There are two active farm apprenticeships in Atlantic Canada. Below you'll find information on the programs, as well as participating farm.
Farming in Atlantic Canada is a terrific experience–the people are welcoming, open and eager to help you learn. The communities are friendly and welcome new farmers. Local organic food is thriving here and farmland is more affordable than almost anywhere else in Canada. Once you're here, you'll wonder why you didn't come earlier!
The New Brunswick Organic Farm Apprenticeship Program is a 6 month (May-October) on-farm training program for the next generation of organic farmers. Each month, the apprentices are invited to workshops which are held on various farms. Topics range from Organic Soil Management to Organic Pest Management to Organic Livestock Husbandry to Marketing of Organic Products. The program is open to all ages and levels of experience. The program is coordinated by the Falls Brook Centre.
SOIL Apprenticeship Program
Are you interested in learning about organic growing and sustainable farming?
ACORN has partnered with Stewards of Irreplaceable Land (SOIL) farm apprentice opportunities in Atlantic Canada. Come East and enjoy the laid back Maritime life.
Below are the farms with available positions. for 2008. To apply or for more information, please click here.
If you are a farm that has an opportunity, you can apply directly to ACORN or through SOIL.
Farm #1 - position filled
Farm #2
This Nova Scotian farm is beautifully set on the mudflats of the Bay of Fundy / Cobequid Bay along the Glooscap Bike Trail. The market garden specializes in vegetables and culinary herbs for restaurants and a farmers market. Learn all aspects of growing in the greenhouse and field, as well as harvesting for quality, direct marketing, and international cooking. A warm welcome to apprentices who enjoy hard work, fresh-air, good food, and living with a diverse group of people. We accept apprentices from March through to November, and for shorter stays as well. Live with the family and share meals.
Farm #3
Orcharding is the focus of this couple who work on over 5 acres of apples and garden. Join them in the fall for harvesting, tree maintenance, cider making, and preserving, as well as potatoes, garlic, honey bees, and farmers markets. Apprentice could live in a spare bedroom and share vegetarian meals with this family who aim to leave their land in better shape than they found it.
Farm #4
Garden and grow along with this farming family who work on grain, hay, chickens, beef cows, market garden, and a new orchard. This is a special opportunity to learn organic farming principles from planting, cultivating, and harvesting to baking and other small scale processing with a flourmill and bakery on the farm. Live in a separate space and share meals (and household chores) with the family.
Farm #5
Learn from a very Eco-committed approach with some biodynamics practiced at this large riverside family farm amongst rolling hills, woods and fields, 1 hour from Halifax. Work with draft horses on self sufficient and commercial market gardening, manual labour for vegetables, and Saturday farmers markets. Flexible living arrangements can be discussed.
Farm #6
This hilltop farm overlooks the Avon River in beautiful, scenic Nova Scotia. Be part of a mixed farm that includes cows, chickens, pigs, pleasure horses and a market garden. Meat, eggs, flowers, herbs and vegetables are raised for a weekly Farmer's market. Hay and grain crops are also produced on the farm. These farmers of 15 years offer hands on experience in all aspects of production. A warm welcome for those who enjoy hard work, wonderful food and living the good life. Apprentices live and share meals with family.
Farm #7
Take this opportunity to learn from two teachers who farm 27 acres of vegetable rotation, 1000 acres woodlot, plus a small beef herd and pork, 17km from Sussex NB. Join the active and experienced couple with commercial market gardening, herb cultivation, forestry management, cattle, pigs, haying, marketing at the farmers market and to up-scale restaurants and local retail outlets. Apprentices live in a camp and eat meals with the family.
Farm #8
This is a great opportunity for someone to learn to do it all from a highly experienced farmer, artist, bookbinder, costumer, community organiser and teacher. On this oceanside 3 acre farm they grow vegetables, herbs and garlic, raise laying hens and meat birds and bake dog biscuits! Produce sold at Farmers market and custom orders. Lots of fun to be had with Katie the dog and a daily break to swim at the beach. Apprentice cabin being built, some meals shared, non-smokers preferred.
Farm #9
This old family farm produces organic beef, hay, feed and eggs as main crops as well as self-sufficient gardening, conventional honey, lamb and goat. They have a few hundred acres of mixed farmland, old orchard and wood lot in the Annapolis Valley with lots of opportunity to learn new skills such as animal birthing, vegetable growing, livestock care, marketing, and food preservation. They are looking for 1-2 flexible apprentices and are willing to help the apprentice(s) in their special areas of interest. Live and eat with the family. Their goal is to be able to make a living from the farm but also to make the farm a better, healthier place for everyone.
Farm #10
Live a dream on 150 acres located in the rolling hills of central Prince Edward Island. Help restore this neglected farm to its glory days while following organic principles working a garden(vegetables and herbs), fencing, clearing trails in the woods, and light carpentry. We will teach you what we know and learn along with you. The apprentice will live in the spare bedroom. There are plans to add a bunk house to the second floor of the machine shop sometime in 2005. Meals will be provided. The apprentice will be required, on occasion to prepare their own meals. You get a chance to do some homesteading and to have some fun. It’s a chance to make a real difference. Stipend available depending on experience.
Farm #11
Live on a 4 acre certified organic farm in Grande-Digue is a rural fishing and farming community located on Shediac Bay 20 minutes from Moncton. The farm overlooks the bay and Shediac Island. Work with Rowena who is also an organic farm inspector and Dave ho has an engineering background. They are in their second year of farming and looking for opportunities for growth. In addition a former NB Organic Farm Apprenticeship Program Intern is on staff for 2008. Help cultivate mixed vegetables (roughly 100 different types at the last count), an area of wild blueberries, two greenhouses, an old orchard and an additional field in year 2 of transition. There is an additional 30 acres of 'wilderness' woodland, bog and alders with trails. Take part in selling produce at the Dieppe market, through a CSA (box program) and to restaurants and a health food store. Also there are opportunities in minor processing of produce. You will live in a trailer approx 1km from the farm house (located in a beautiful area overlooking the farmhouse, farmland and the bay).
Farm #12
Be part of a team on this beautiful 10 acre farm near Hartland New Brunswick along the beautiful Saint John River. The farm is situated on a hill with amazing views of the Saint John river and surrounding land including views of the longest covered bridge in the world. The property is waterfront (where canoes and kayaks can be docked). You will live with dedicated farmers with over 9 years experience, producing much of your own food and helping managing an organic herb farm. This farm is busy providing self guided garden tours, walks, access to herbal education, advice on starting your own herbal, vegetable, or flower garden, flower-cutting gardens, designer perennials, many veggies, some assorted fruits, fresh & dried herbs (culinary, medicinal, aromatic), herbal tea blends, to the public. You will take part in soil building, general gardening and landscaping, farm markets and farm gate sales, food preparing, food processing, winter storage and cooking on this beautiful homestead property. If you spend a season on this farm you can learn about land stewardship, self sufficiency, the magic of herbs and if you are looking to focus on building repair/maintenance and small construction you would be most welcome.
Farm #13
Live in a separate farm house next to this experienced and welcoming farming family on 120 acres of cleared land and 100 acres of woodland. This farm is located about 10 miles from Petitcodiac. The farm has a big farm house, machine sheds, grain bins, pig barn, and miles of walking trails. You will also enjoy the company of other visiting apprentices and WWOOFers–there's always new people to meet.
Be part of farrowing 18 sows, marketing most of the finished pigs directly to customers. Help raise chickens, turkeys and some pigs on pasture and produce 120 acres of certified organic hay and grains. Learn how to drive a tractor, sell at a farmer’s market, carpentry, building and machine maintenance and about woodlot management. There is a real diversity of skills you can learn. Stipend is negotiable.
Farm #14
Live on a 57 acre heritage farm, originally settled 150 years ago just 35 miles outsides of Fredericton in an area characterized by rolling, forested land with a scattering of lakes and streams. The nearest community is Harvey Station, population of 300. The farm is beautiful, people open and friendly, and food terrific. If you enjoy outdoor pursuits such as fishing, hunting, canoeing and hiking, you will love this place!
The farm has had a certified organic market garden for about 13 years with 1 1/2- 2 acres and a 30’ by 96’ greenhouse. Mixed vegetables are sold from April to November, at the vibrant Boyce Farmers Market (Fredericton) and the St Andrews farmer’s markets. The farm also has a conventional 60 ewe flock which produces 85-100 lamb per year. The pastures are not certified organic, but receive no synthetic chemical inputs.
You will have an opportunity to participate in all farm activities, including plant starting and transplanting, soil preparation, harvesting, marketing, pasture management, animal husbandry and small projects such as fencing and helping to erect the greenhouse this spring/summer. Learn from a farmer who has been active member of Maritime Certified Organic Growers in various capacities for about 13 years, and the NB Sheep Producers Association for about 15 years.
Farm #15
A 75 acre farm with lowland dykes on the Saint Croix river (NS) and large upland meadows. 1/3 km off the road, great views, and wonderful walking. Large garden plot with sweet potatos and raspberries for this year! Cherry trees, small apple orchard, rhubarb, ponds, cats, horses on farm with ocean swimming, flea markets, music jams all close by.
Work activities range from garden planting, weeding and harvest; to wood shingling, picking cherries, clearing brush, turning compost, installing windows, fencing, planting sugar maple and watching the stars!
Great potential abounds, but its an old farm fairly recently acquired, needing lots of tlc to make productive again. Apprentice could come for the year with you family and live in separate residence or come for the summer and live in the main house. Great food, comfortable beds, good company! Lots to learn and experience.
Farm #16
This 300 acre organic farm is located in the small village of St. Nobert, NB (just 20km from ocean beaches). While learning the basics of farming–taking care of the livestock, seeding, plowing, harvesting, planting and cultivating in the vegetable gardens–you'll have the opportunity to walk in the woods, go for a bike ride, and really get live the life of an organic farmer.
The farm has cattle, goats and chickens, but the main focus is on the market garden; the vegetables are sold at the farmer’s markets in Dieppe and in Moncton. There is a small green house on the farm, and plans to build a bigger one this summer. There's also a few apple trees and extensive woodlots.
One position is available from May to late-October, where you will be living in the farm house with other apprentices who are coming from Germany. Languages spoken are English and German, or practice your French with community members. Web access is also available. We've had apprentices for several years now, and it's been a great experience with many staying involved with the farm beyond the season.
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