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Be an organic veggie farmer
Going organic to the extreme.
Qualifications/ Experience needed:
To grow organic vegetables you need a lot of passion for beauty, creativity and hard work. As for experience, many places teach you as you go. Look into various farms and go to www.wwoof.org to work on farms all over the world.
Growing vegetables is a job that is filled with learning, because each season there are new experiments to try, and new ways to do things. If you have experience, it may give you the opportunity to take on more responsibilities. For example, if you like to write, you could create a newsletter for the farm, or if you like to cook you can share recipes. If you can drive a tractor or make bouquets of flowers, there you go!
My Typical Day:
There is no typical day, which is one of the perks of the job. My workday starts with a cycle ride and then a gathering of the crew of three. We discuss the day, whether there are any volunteers coming and what to do when! There are lots of seeds to plant in the greenhouse early on, soil to prepare, starter plants out in the field, weeds to kill and then the harvest comes before long, finishing up with seeding all the land back into a cover crop. The day ends with a satisfied feeling, that is typical.
What I love about my job:
I like how farming is contributing to the well being of my community. The people who come to the farm eat from the land close to their homes. This food is not shipped around the world, adding to further unsustainable practices of oil consumption. The people who come to the farm light up to be there and they love to see the process of growing food. Some of them have farming in their family history that it connects them to. I like to be doing something that I can believe is bringing about some positivity.
What I hate:
There are these worms called cutworms that reek havoc in the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. These are some nasty creatures.
How does a young person get started in farming?
To get started, you could try to plant a bit in your yard, talk to your parents or grandparents to see who has a square or circle of dirt they will let you throw some seeds down on. Have some fun creating a plan for planting and pick out some seeds that are suitable for your climate. Try growing something weird. Or, if you have some time over the summer, explore the many opportunities to work at organic farms anywhere in the world on a volunteer basis. It can be a fun way to travel and meet other cool folks interested in growing food sustainably.
Qualities you need:
What helped me was that I was excited to learn and to be close to the land. I was determined as well.
Advice for Wannabes:
Imagine an ideal situation, a small flower farm, a big vegetable farm, an organic animal farm, a lively farmers market-going farm, etc… and then you will find it.
Useful links:
