About us We're a creative husband and wife team, involved in music and visual arts. We are located on a 195 acre mountain site with off-grid solar and hydro electricity above Redwood Valley. We have 2 acres deer-fenced with annual and perennial vegetables, orchard trees, and shrubs. There are two ponds and seasonal creeks on the land. We practice permaculture We have been creating perennial plant guilds in the vegetable and orchard areas and learning what actually works well and what does not. Our specialty is a 40-ingredient herbal, floral and greens salad. We conduct classes about the properties of the ingredients and how to grow them effectively. Interns are welcome to attend/ assist with these. We currently sell at Farmers' Markets as well as limited restaurants. We're proud to say that our past interns have gone on to start garden projects in cities and in rural areas. We hope you'll consider joining us at Floodgate Farm!
Ukiah Farmer's Market
2017 Special Projects
help finish a cabin with earth plasters and a rocket mass heater
build a greenhouse (using post and beam, poles and cob)
build an earth dome building
work on an upper-pad gazebo
implementing a bioreactor no-till composter
Educational Opportunities: Interns will learn organic and ecological farming principles, how to create rainwater harvesting on the land and also including roof water catchment, making balanced composts, identifying and using edible and medicinal plants, season extension, farm ecology, natural building, designing and setting up drip irrigation systems. There are numerous edible landscape, permaculture and farming books to read. We have internet. Once a month we host a Farm and Garden Show on KZYX radio. Interns may be a part of this and learn about radio production if interested. Work Details: The work varies by season. Since we are a small operation, interns will be involved in many aspects: compost making, harvest, weeding, bed preparation, seeding cover crops and main food crops: squash, beans, corn, carrots, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, garlic, onions, culinary herbs, flowers, et cetera, transplanting seedlings, pruning, light carpentry, maintaining and improving irrigation, selling at Farmers' Market. Options include more building and working with cob. Interns with have the option to operate a tractor and smaller machinery as well as work with hand tools. Preferred schedule is 4-5 work days per week.
Day off at the lake!
Skills Desired: The people we're looking for are folks who enjoy working hard outdoors, love to learn and apply their knowledge in the world, folks looking to make a difference. At minimum, you should have good physical condition and stamina; some experience gardening; and some experience living on your own. You are expected to keep your accommodations clean and tidy, we often rent out these for extra income to supplement our farm income. Thanks! Meals: Food, except luxury snacks and drinks, will be provided. We will eat from the gardens, supplemented with food from natural food stores and coops, local producers (we can shop together or you will receive a food allowance). Interns can prepare their food, which we will provide, in our kitchen and we will make some meals together -- one of us eats an omnivorous, wholesome, organic diet and the other is a raw vegan, so we can accommodate any wholesome food regime. Housing: There is a 400 square foot cabin with loft bed and woodstove. Camping sites are also available, with a shared kitchen and bathroom facilities in the main house. A past intern helped build a compost toilet off the cabin which is available for anyone. Stipend: None aside from room and board. We can discuss a limited amount of paid work for extra hours. Other Important Details:
Interns are welcome all year round. We prefer multi-month or full season. Minimum stay is 2 weeks.
We can pick you up at Ukiah (Greyhound stop). We are just over an hour from the ocean, and about forty minutes from Orr Hot Springs and Montgomery Woods (redwoods), and about 25 minutes to Ukiah (museum, Mendocino College, restaurants, music and plenty more).
We speak Spanish as well as English.
We do not cultivate medical or other marijuana.
Due to fire danger and focus required there is no smoking of any kind while on the farm.
Some of our Summer 2017 Interns!
Ukiah Farmer's Market
Day off at the lake!
