Living Soil

Listing Information

Currently Hiring

Yes

Number of Workers Sought

Type of Farm

Small Animal (pigs, rabbits, poultry), Vegetable

Marketing Strategy

Community Supported Agriculture, Restaurant, Education, Other

Marketing Strategy (Other)

Living Soil Farm and Gardening Services marketing avenues consist of CSA's, resturaunts, caterers, as well as advising other farmers, and home gardeners on regenerative farming practices and manages 4 -6 other farms/ gardens per year.

Paid

Yes

Pay Rate

15$ for inexperienced workers the first month. Raise after a month depending on skill, responsibility, and work ethic.
16$ + for experienced farm worker. Raise after a month depending on skill, responsibility, and work ethic.
No housing available (But I will do my best to help you find whatever possible, living arrangements, etc.)
Summer CSA is provided to full-time workers who stay all season. Some produce is given at the end of each day depending on what's available.

Do you have a website, social media account, or job posting anywhere else?

Yes

Describe yourself, your family, background, farming experience, philosophy, goals and interests

My name is Cameron Skinner, I’m 33 and have lived in Montana since I was a kid. My Dad refinished furniture and my Mom is a therapist, so I was not raised on a farm but I always loved working on the land. I fell in love with farming because of the diversity. Farming allows you to learn constantly and think on your feet, it's outside, it is a good mix of nerdiness and physical labor. Above all, it is a part of the ecosystem and community where I can feel like I can make a difference.
I got a degree from MSU–Bozeman in Sustainable Crop Production with a minor in Horticulture and have been helping other farmers and gardeners manage and regenerate their ag land to meet sustainable goals for the last 9 years as well as on my farm for the last 4. Doing all that with the goal of at my farm, to be a model of an efficient, regenerative, and diverse working farm that benefits the community and the land, and as an advisor, helping more clients, regenerate larger landscapes, to create healthier soil, animals, produce, and people.
My passions include ecosystem health, mental health, and all things Montanan, like hiking, biking, hunting, skiing, fishing, etc.

Describe the physical setting of your farm and the nature of the community in which you live

The farm is located in a beautiful and remote setting, 10 miles outside the town of Big Timber, MT, at the foot of the Crazy Mountains. The cultivated land is approximately 3/4th of an acre and growing. The land includes 2 - 14' x 50' high tunnels, multiple adjacent chicken coops, a shop, sheds, and other buildings, and is surrounded by a creek. Big Timber is a small (1500 +), and growing community and with its close proximity to multiple mountain ranges and the Yellowstone River, hosts a plethora of outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, hunting, fishing, boating, etc. Large Montana cities are not too far away, with Livingston being a 30-minute drive, and Bozeman and Billing an hour.

Describe your farm operation

Living Soil concentrates on growing organic, nutrient-dense produce using regenerative and holistic farming practices to nourish people, land, and the community. The farm strives to be an example of how working with the ecosystem and community can be a fun and efficient way of doing business that can benefit the community and the land in multiple ways.
Farm products include eggs, microgreens, flowers, herbs, berries, and all the vegetables possible in Montana sold to both restaurants and CSAs. Living Soil currently has 3 CSA's. A bi-weekly, fresh market CSA, a bulk winter storage vegetable CSA, and an egg CSA. The farm uses all regenerative and organic practices, although not certified, and has a wide array of tools, from tractors to tillers and hoes. No-till is practiced as much as possible, but not always feasible with labor and time restrictions, so currently minimal till is used outside the high tunnels and no-till inside, with relay cropping either cash crops or cover crops as much as possible and cover cropping paths. High-quality compost is made constantly with the addition of biochar and various rock dust, etc. The farm is always expanding, and trying new things.

Describe the work to be performed by applicant

Interns' work will be quite varied and will eventually be tailored to what they want to learn, are good at, and their responsibility level. Generically work consists of everything done at a small diversified vegetable farm and will mostly consist of; Bed prepping/ flipping, planting, cover cropping, harvesting, packing, washing, irrigation, soil testing, taking care of chickens, microgreen cultivation, compost piles maintenance, organization, maintenance of the farm, and cleaning of tools, work stations, etc. Depending on skills and what the intern would like to learn, the farm is expanding and working with multiple agencies so other tasks would include learning how to work with other agencies, carpentry (new raised beds, high tunnels, walk-in cooler, wash stations, etc), marketing, planting and maintaining trees, shrubs, and flowers, etc. Depending on the task this work will involve some use of mechanical equipment such as tillers, weed whackers, mowers, drills, saws, etc., and common use of multiple hand tools like shovels, rakes, and hoes.

What do you expect of a worker?

Work will consist of 5 - 8 hour days with diverse tasks that will require a good amount of physical labor and heavy lifting.

Describe the learning and educational opportunities available to a worker

Living Soil Farm is a unique place to learn all things small-scale-regenerative agriculture since we also advise other farms and homesteads with different contexts and goals.
The usual work week would consist of a mix of work with the owner and alone and will also be tailored to the worker's preference and responsibility level.
Whatever the intern would like to learn, the farm will do the best it can to help facilitate that goal and let the intern be involved with the farm as they would like.

Describe what other occupation(s) you have

I also work through multiple grants as an independent contractor working with the NRCS and local Conservation District on Irrigation Water Management and other tasks that involve our water resources. Being an independent contractor the majority of the work with NRCS/CDs is in the winter allowing me to have my summer free to farm.

Explain the room and board arrangements or describe options in your area

I do not have any room or board accommodations at the moment but may have a room available in my house or a colleague's house at the time of application. Regardless, I would do my best to help a potential intern find any accommodation that they might need.