Mary Dirty Face Farm
Menomonie, WI
Apprenticeship Mentor Farm
Agroforestry Systems:
Silvopasture
Farm Information
Mary Dirty Face Farm is a certified organic orchard, with apples, pears, plums, currants, raspberries, blueberries, and some other fruit on 5.5 acres, as well as a new orchard with about 6 acres of apples coming into production. Rachel and Anton own and operate the farm, which we established in 2009. Besides fruit, we raise pastured hogs and poultry, which all spend time in and around the orchard, and custom graze cattle in the summer.
This year, we are preparing to do some grazing in our woods and have begun to establish silvopasture strips in our pasture. We market through a CSA-style fruit share and direct-market meat shares, as well as going to a farmers market in Minneapolis and selling to our local co-op and other small wholesale accounts. Our farm is primarily focused on sustainable fresh fruit production, incorporating regenerative ag practices to achieve this. Over the time we have been farming here, we have experimented with a lot of different species and methods and are always learning and changing. However, we do not make dramatic changes mid-season and will remain focused on production during the apprenticeship. We are very involved in sustainable farming organizations and Wisconsin Farmers Union and are excited to be able to share what we’ve learned.
Farm Information
Acres: 12
Established: 2009
Located: Menomonie, WI
Apprenticeship Opportunities
Apprentices can expect a 40-hour work week, mostly in 8-hour days, with occasional adjustments based on weather and urgent work needs. We usually have one or two other seasonal part-time employees who don’t live on-farm. Most workdays, the apprentice will work alongside Rachel and/or other employees and will need to be able to work independently at times with direction. During evenings, we are generally unavailable due to the needs of our kids, so apprentices living on-farm will need to be comfortable with some solitude. (See Remoteness, below – we are located very close to a town with a lot of amenities.) Apprentice will learn organic management of perennial fruits; pest and disease scouting and preventative practices; marketing of uncommon fruits; on-farm fruit processing; use of hand tools and orchard-specific tools; rotational grazing, fencing, and set-up of water lines; livestock management; and whole-farm resource management. We try to involve apprentices and employees in all aspects of our farm business when possible and are open to extra mentoring on specific areas of interest – but we also need someone who is willing to do the farm tasks that need doing and to work efficiently. At times that means repetitive tasks. Apprentices may have access to garden space, but we are not open to new permaculture projects.
Availability: Open
Availability Needed: June to October; flexible start and end dates
Qualifications
- Able to work from June to October, flexible start and end dates
- Must have an interest in learning about organic management and fruit production
- Must be willing to do repetitive tasks at times, though work will vary throughout the season
- Must be able to lift and carry heavy loads and work in occasionally unpleasant weather
- Must be willing to work efficiently, take instruction, and learn on the job
- Willingness to work with livestock
- Preferred: some farm or other agricultural work experience
Benefits
- Pay: $11/hour with on-farm housing, $14/hr without
- Housing: Prefer applicants who do not need on-farm housing. Basic accommodations are available in the form of a camper with running water, electricity, stove-top cooker. Outhouse located nearby, with guest bathroom/shower also available for apprentice use. No Wi-Fi provided in the camper, but it’s available for use at any time in the packshed.
- Food: Can provide lunch during workdays and produce from the farm and vegetable garden, as well as access to gardening for those who want it. The farm has laying hens for the family and lots of eggs available and will provide some basic kitchen staples.
- Remoteness: About 8 miles from a small city/college town, with food co-op, coffee shops, restaurants, breweries, excellent library, farm store, thrift stores, etc. Also about 5 miles from a state bike trail that parallels the Red Cedar and Chippewa Rivers, and close to other outdoor recreation opportunities.
“We are interested in having an orchard system that mimics a natural ecosystem to the greatest extent possible. We’ve started implementing some agroforestry principles as a way to achieve those goals.” Rachel Henderson, Mary Dirty Face Farm
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