Quail Hill Farm Advanced Apprenticeship #

About the Peconic Land Trust and Quail Hill Farm #

The Peconic Land Trust , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1983 by John v.H. Halsey and a small group of local residents to ensure the protection of Long Island’s working farms, natural lands, and heritage. Since its founding, the Trust has worked with landowners, communities, municipalities, and partner organizations to protect more than 12,000 acres of land, conserving more working farms on Long Island than any other private conservation organization. In Amagansett alone, the PLT has preserved over 700 acres of land contiguous with Quail Hill Farm. All Quail Hill staff and advanced apprentices are employees of the Peconic Land Trust.

Quail Hill Farm is a project of the Peconic Land Trust. The farm is located in Amagansett, New York, on land donated to the PLT by Deborah Ann Light. Since its establishment in 1990, Quail Hill Farm has grown to 35 acres serving over 250 families through our CSA program, as well as providing produce to local restaurants, farmers markets, and food pantries. Each year, Quail Hill Farm signs on to NOFA-NY’s “Farmer’s Pledge”: “to sustain the land in healthy condition for future generations.” Quail Hill is known for its incredible commitment to crop diversity, growing over 500 varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and grains each year.

The Quail Hill CSA is primarily pick-your-own; farm members and families come to the farm every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season to harvest their own vegetables right from the fields in the Valley and on Birch Hill. Two other fields are used to grow primarily wheat, dry beans, and storage crops (Town Lane North) and market and wholesale vegetables (Town Lane South.)

The Quail Hill Farm Staff #

Scott Chaskey is the Farm Director at Quail Hill and was part of its founding in 1990. He has been focused on farming this land and building community for over 25 years. He is a well-known and respected farmer in the Northeast, having served as the president of NOFA New York and frequently giving keynote addresses at conferences and events. Scott is also an accomplished poet and author of two books, This Common Ground and Seedtime. A wonderful leader and role model for aspiring farmers, Scott has trained hundreds of apprentices over the years at Quail Hill, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in agriculture and food systems work.

Layton Guenther is the skilled and meticulous Farm Manager, returning for their 5th season in 2017. Prior to Quail Hill, Layton worked for many years at Red Fire Farm (a 1,500 member CSA farm in Massachusetts) before graduating from the CASFS program at UC Santa Cruz in 2012. Layton excels at tractor work, crew leadership, and mentoring beginning farmers as well as cooking hearty stews, squirreling away vegetables and other items for winter, and singing beautiful harmonies.

The Advanced Apprenticeship Program #

The goal of the Quail Hill Farm advanced apprenticeship is to create an ideal setting for

young and beginning farmers to hone their farm management skills and understanding of organic farm systems. We have designed this program in the interest of bridging a perceived gap between first or second year farm apprenticeships and the skills required for more advanced farm management positions. We recognize the growing need for advanced training opportunities that focus on all aspects of a full season (in our case, March through December) of organic, mixed vegetable farm management on a field scale. Our program is designed to allow each member of our crew to experience every aspect of our farm management system, learning through the course of a full season on a diverse, multi-species fruit and vegetable farm.

For an individual to advance to a crew leader, or farm manager position, at minimum they would be required to spend at least 8 months fully involved in a farm’s operations. A “full season” experience ideally includes season planning, seeding, perennial crop care, infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, tillage, transplanting, cultivation, field crop care of the 50 or so species of vegetables, fruit, and flowers that we grow. The list goes on and on, including harvest standards and postharvest handling, marketing, CSA management, cover cropping, composting, soil fertility management, and equipment maintenance. As QHF farmers, the best we can do to train the next generation of farm owners and managers is to offer as comprehensive an experience as possible.

Each advanced apprentice will work closely with the staff and be intimately involved with all aspects of the farm throughout the growing season. The hands-on experience will be supplemented with a direct learning program (detailed below) consisting of an intentional discussion series, weekly farm walk topics, a rotations program, tractor and skills training, and an independent project.

Responsibilities and Expectations #

The advanced apprenticeship program starts in March and concludes in December; specific dates depend on the year. The work schedule will vary based on the time of the season, normally following a bell-curve. In the shoulder seasons (early spring and late fall) the crew will work closer to 30 hours/week. The crew should expect to work 5 ½ days during the peak season (June – September) with a standard day starting at 7:30am and ending at 5:30pm, though some days may be longer if needed (55 hours/week or so). Lunch is prepared by a crew member each day. § The crew is expected to cover weekend shifts. For those not working the Farmers Market on Saturday, shifts are 5 hours: Saturday & Sunday, 7:30-12:30, and 12:30-5:30. These shifts can be shared to accommodate different needs within the crew, but it should be anticipated that each apprentice will work at least one shift per weekend. Any known conflicts, particularly those between June and October should be communicated to the farm staff as early as possible. We have shared use of a Google Calendar to coordinate time off.

1. Advanced Apprentices will work closely with staff and be trained in many aspects of farm management, including, but not limited to:

• Seeding and greenhouse management
• Soil health and fertility management
• Field and bed preparation
• Mechanical transplanting and cultivation equipment
• Pest and disease management using cultural controls
• Harvest standards and postharvest handling
• Livestock management
• Irrigation systems (all overhead: using a Water Reel, and 30” Rainbird sprinklers on pipe)
• Growing for a winter CSA
• Multi-species cover crop management
• Production planning, record keeping and basic on-farm accounting
• Field crew leadership and management skills
• Basic tractor maintenance, hand tool maintenance and developing a preventive maintenance program

2.  Crew member expectations include, but are not limited to:

• Arriving on time every day ready to work and learn
• Following all safety precautions, as instructed by staff
• Being respectful of co-workers, staff, CSA members, volunteers, visitors, animals, plants, and land
• Being present and committed to listening carefully and working efficiently and consistently.
• Limiting cell phone use to work communication and emergencies if needed at all during working hours.
• Participating in QHF events and workshops
• Addressing grievances, concerns, improvements, or problems with staff at appropriate times

We expect each crew member to be excited to engage in both the physical nature of farm work and the intellectual demands of assessing and analyzing the many complex aspects of the farm ecosystem. Working an entire farm season is incredibly demanding on body and mind, it is important to arrive prepared and to pace yourself.

Direct Learning #

The direct learning component of the advanced apprenticeship is designed to supplement the field work, allowing time for a more thorough understanding of the science, management, finances, and crop cultures. We consider the Direct Learning component a cooperative learning model, whereby all crew and staff will be welcomed to learn and share their expertise in a structured, intentional setting.

Intentional Discussion Series #

The intentional discussion series will occur most Wednesdays from 1pm – 2pm. The goal is to share and build knowledge together, benefitting from the different experience and expertise of the crew. Much of the curriculum will be flexible to be able to adapt to the crew’s interests. In addition, each crew member will be responsible for leading at least one discussion on any topic of their choice; crew members who wish to take a more active role in facilitating group discussion on additional topics will be encouraged to do that as well.

Farm Walk Topics #

Farm walks will occur once a month, led by Scott or Layton, and will be a pertinent topic for that time in the farm season. Crew members are encouraged to suggest topics.

Rotations #

The rotation system is designed to allow a fair distribution of one-on-one information transfer on specific management responsibilities while also making sure the farm runs smoothly. Please see rotations document for more detailed descriptions of responsibilities.

The Harvest Coordinator will assess crop harvestability, create harvest lists, create wholesale lists, and perform invoicing and accounting tasks.

The Propagation and Irrigation rotation will focus on best practices for greenhouse management and irrigation systems.

The Chickens rotation will be responsible for the feeding and watering of the chickens, opening and closing the coop, collecting and washing eggs, cleaning egg boxes weekly. This rotation is combined with the Shop & Kitchen rotation.

The Shop and Kitchen rotation will keep the shop and kitchen tidy, keep an inventory of the purchased-in products that we sell in the shop, and account for the sale of those products through our in-house accounting system.

The Crew Leader and Maintenance rotation will be responsible for organizing the correct tools and vehicles for field work sessions and manage the priority list and record keeping. They will also be responsible for weekly checks on our tractors and farm trucks, as part of an overall preventive maintenance program.

Independent Projects #

Each crew member will be expected to have some sort of finished project or “farm thesis” by the end of the season. Crew members are encouraged to start thinking about this early and working with staff to make sure time and resources are available when they are needed. The ideal project will be one that provides value or information to the individual performing it, Quail Hill Farm, and/or the local small scale diversified agriculture movement.

Additional Learning Opportunities #

East End CRAFT Program #

The CRAFT program, run by the Amagansett Food Institute, is a series of farm tours and workshops designed for young farmers to gain valuable exposure and knowledge to the diverse businesses and nonprofits working in the East End food system. These tours happen after work hours and often bring together the local farming and food system community for potlucks and other social events as well.

NOFA Summer Conference #

Registration, food, and camping permits are provided for the NOFA Summer Conference typically held in August at UMASS Amherst. The conference is an opportunity to attend many fruitful workshops and classes on an incredibly wide array of agriculture related topics.

Farm Library #

Advanced Apprentices are encouraged to check out books from the “farm library” – a vast collection of books collected by Scott over 20+ years.

Evaluations and Check-Ins #

Evaluations #

Evaluations will be given at the beginning, middle, and end of the growing season to assess crew member skills and growth as well as provide feedback for the farm, staff, and advanced apprentice program.

Check-ins #

Check-ins with staff may provide time for open communication around feedback, individual learning goals and progress, personal and scheduling needs, and any other topic that needs to be addressed.

Housing, Compensation and Time Off #

Housing #

Off-site housing is available for advanced apprentices. Crew members will have their own bedroom and shared kitchen and communal space. All housing is within biking distance to the farm.

• Heat and power are included.
• Phone and internet must be purchased by the crew in their own name if they so desire.
• The houses are expected to be kept clean (interior and exterior) and in working condition. Any issues should be reported to staff immediately.
• Visitors are allowed with consent from housemates; long term visitors (more than 4 days) should be OK’d with the staff.
• Each crew house is equipped with a washer and dryer

Crew members are financially responsible for any damage occurring due to abuse or neglect, and are expected to leave the crew houses in the condition they were found in.

Compensation #

An hourly wage of $__ an hour will be paid to the crew. Timesheets will be submitted every two weeks and payment received one week following. Workers compensation is provided to all crew members for work related injuries or illness.

Time Off #

3 paid personal days during the peak season will be allotted for each crew member. Please give as much notice as possible. Any major events such as weddings or family reunions requiring a number of days off should be communicated by June 1 stat the latest.

Sick days should be taken when necessary. (unpaid)

National holidays during the peak season will usually be honored with a half day or upon completion of that day’s harvest and chores.

Safety Policies #

Defensive Driving #

In keeping with the Peconic Land Trust’s policy, all Quail Hill Farm staff and apprentices are required to complete a defensive driving course before they are permitted to operate any vehicles owned by the Trust.

Farm Vehicles #

Farm vehicles are for farm business only and should never be used for personal reasons. The farm is a public space with many visitors and children often on the farm. Vehicles should be driven slowly, safely and distraction-free at all times.

First Aid Kits #

Kits are located in every farm vehicle and in the bathroom at the farm shop.

Tractors #

All crew will be required to attend a tractor safety course. After completion, the QH Manager and Director will introduce the crew to the many tractors and implements on the farm. Staff will determine when crew members are ready to operate tractors. Crew members are expected to be extremely mindful of the safe and effective operation and maintenance of tractors and tractor implements if they hope to gain experience and competency.

Keeping Hydrated #

Due to the nature of farmwork, one is often working outside, under heat and sun and wind, for many hours at a time. We do not have a source of potable water in any of our fields. Quail Hill staff will provide a large water cooler for farm crew to take around in the trucks from field to field. Each crew member should arrive at the farm with at least one water bottle, preferable more (Plastic or metal please, no glass). In addition, keep in mind that hydrating at night during off hours makes a world of difference towards coming into the farm work day well-watered.

Footwear and Clothing #

Proper footwear, attire, sunscreen, etc. should be worn at all times to work safely and efficiently in all weather conditions.

Lyme Disease #

Lyme disease, often tick-transmitted, is a problem worth noting for many North East communities, in particular the east end of long island. Check yourself for ticks every night. If you do not have your own health insurance, the PLT will pay for you to get tested for lyme disease at the Wainscott Walk-In Health Clinic.