Farm Manager Apprentice (4 Positions) 23rd Apr - 15th Oct 2016 Investment 9000.00 SEK Each season we have roles for dynamic, committed, team orientated & self motivated people dedicated to regenerative design for the benefit of all. Positions are 6 month commitment where you pay only very basic food costs and we provide simple accomodation. In exchange for your hard work and dedication you will learn a huge amount, and have the opportunity to take part in 3 weeks of trainings. You will be working in a small and dynamic core team of Apprentices in a bustling learning environment. We are looking for all round wizards; pragmatic and with good visualisation skills, you will be responsible for establishing, maintaining, tweeking, managing and documenting all manner of systems work at the farm. Each Farm Manager Apprentice will hold a key animal responsibility, but work around the farm will also include perennial plant systems, water systems to waste, building infrastructure and using your hands to using machinery, you will learn the runnings of ridgedale PERMACULTURE better than anyone. A dependable go to for others at the farm you will be core to the smooth running of the farm overall. Fluency in English language is essential as participants from our trainings come from every corner of the globe. Åsen 20 Västra Ämtervik Sunne Sweden 686 95
www.ridgedalepermaculture.com Farming, innovating & educating for the benefit of all...
Copyright ridgedale PERMACULTURE 2014/5
Are you; • Wanting the learning journey of a life time? • Wanting to know how to design, install & manage Regenerative Agricultures? • Hard working and have the “get it done” attitude? • Ready to step in to be of benefit to the whole? • Pragmatic and good with your hands & tools? • Comfortable participating with regular poultry processing? • Ready to take on a management role with diligence & persistance? • Good as part of a dynamic team? • Ready to get your hands dirty wherever needed on the farm? • Committed for 6 months of awesomeness? • OK, then read on... November brings frost and incredible low light to this amazing farm...
2016 brings big changes to our structure & operation at Ridgedale. Here’s why... We’re changing a bunch of things around in 2016, including running our last 10 Week Internship Program. As much as we love to run epic education we also want to focus on scaling up production and build local community. Next year will see the doubling of current productions, as well as initial experiments that expand our range with pastured possibilities; ducks and turkeys, possibly pigs and pigeons as we hear back from local restuarants that want top notch local ecosystem benefitting products. Our Apprentice Farm Manager team have an unparralled learning opportunity, seeing the whole production season from the tentative budding in spring, the shooting forth of late spring growth and life exalting in the pagent that is autumn. Due to Swedish Tax regulations we are not able to offer volunteer positions so we require a small fee to cover basic food costs during your stay. This covers only the cost of organic food purchased in that the farm does not supply, and is probably far less than you spend on food at home during this period. We also do Farm food like no other project/ site we’ve been to in our work around the world. Quite simply you’ll eat better than you ever have in your life. Having this small fee also helps ensure we end up working with committed & dedicated folks who are committing themselves to future proof design & regenerative enterprises. In return you will learn a huge amount and work closely with Richard throughout your stay.
Overview of the Farm Site Specifics
This is a brief overview of the design concept at ridgedale PERMACULTURE to orientate the reader to key considerations. The farm is situated 3 hrs drive from Oslo, 4 hrs from Stockholm & 3.5 hrs from Gothenburg.
of 16.1 ° C (60.98 °F). •February is the coldest month (slightly cold) having an average temperature of -4.7 ° C (23.54 °F). •Average 120 days frost free (1- 30 day variance) •Southerly Aspect •Swedish Climate Zone ¾ •Latitude: 59°50’15” N, Longitude: •Wind, predominantly S but quite 13°08’34” E, sheltered by surrounding forest •Land area of 10.6 ha (26.1 ac) •Soil: Moderate Clay loam. Depth •Perimeter 1892m between 10- 30 cm with both sand •Elevation between 120 – 167m (upper ridge) and clay subsoils 20above sea level 300cm+ •Cold Temperate/Humid Continental •1.5 ha 90yr+Spruce plantation Climate •0.2 ha 25 yr Spruce/ Larch/ Birch •Approx. 634 mm of rainfall per year, or 52.8 mm per month. •Average 147 days per year with more than 0.1 mm of rainfall or 12.3 days with a quantity of rain, sleet, snow etc. per month. •The driest weather is in February when an average of 31 mm of rainfall occurs. •The wettest weather is in August when an average of 73 mm of rainfall occurs. Contextual location of ridgedale PERMACULTURE •The mean temperature is cool at 5.4 Local wind data °C (41.7 °F) •Mean monthly temperatures have a variation of 20.8 °C (37.4°F) The average daily temperature range/ variation is 7.9 °C (14.3 °F). •The warmest month (July) is very mild having a mean temperature
Climate Zone map of Varmland
The result of 6 months work implementing our design in our first season in 2014
Context... Managing our farm holistically
At ridgedale we believe that financially sustainable and socially beneficial livelihoods are founded on regenerating the world’s biospheres. We believe these three aspects that make up our triple bottom line are totally inseparable and so our decision-making consistently reflects this. To ensure our success we use testing questions to ensure our decision making at the farm is consistently aligned with our Holistic Goal. Below are 12 of the key outcomes we are managing towards related to our triple bottom line; 1. Build topsoil via intelligently integrated planting/Keyline layout & animal disturbances 2. Maximize photosynthetic energy captured on site 3. Restore water, carbon and nutrient cycling on site by mimicking natures processes 4. Create habitats that fully support organisms physiological needs 5. Increase diversity of wildlife species and natural “feedback” loops 6. Demonstrate socially just and sustainable profit with an open farm gate policy 7. Support world-class education in all aspects of regenerative systems design and holistic decision making 8. Develop local food resilience & facilitate access to beyond organic food by connecting people to local farmers 9. Prevent wasting of fiscal, human and ecosystem capital 10. Utilize regenerative technologies to minimize oil dependence 11. Create & demonstrate robust decentralized energy production 12. Continually reassess our holistic objectives and management process with decision makers
Read more about the design here http://www.ridgedalepermaculture.com/design-at-ridgedale. html
Birds eye view of ridgedale PERMACULTURE
ridgedale PERMACULTURE is a ridgedale PERMACULTURE’S primary
family owned pasture and perennial crop based beyond organic local food producer and educational hub in Värmland, Sweden. A flagship multi- income diverse small farm, ridgedale is Scandinavia’s first Keyline designed farm and a leading European education provider in the field of Permaculture and Regenerative Agriculture.
responsibility is regenerating landscapes, ecosystem processes and soils through replicable, scalable and profitable symbiotic farm enterprises. Our secondary responsibility is to educate, facilitate, inform and empower people into action through regenerative design, enterprise and holistic decision-making that fosters and stimulates local community, economy and resilience.
The role
Opportunity
The role we are seeking to fill begins full time on site April 23rd 2016, where you will be resident in a small & simple room in the old magazine or another structure. You will be sharing this space with the other long term Apprentice crew. We will be hosting trainings where there will be up to 40 people on site at busy times, but generally with a crew of between 10- 20 throughout the year. You will be working along with course participants as we implement the synergistic and integrated systems that make the farm function holistically. You will be a go to person responsible for day to day farm tasks and you will be responsible for establishing, maintaining, tweeking and documenting all manner of systems work at the farm. From animal systems to plant systems, water systems to waste, using your hands to using machinery, you will probably learn the runnings of ridgedale PERMACULTURE better than most. You will be working hard to ensure the smooth flow of practical projects, working with other staff and intern’s to support and lead projects. You hold a key role at the farm and will need to be very reliable, consistent and passionate. In 2016 we plan to further scale up pastured egg and broiler production as well as construct pond systems, plant more trees, trial other animals for branching out our productions and a lot of other diverse & exciting projects, it’s going to be another epic year! We expect a full week of hard graft Mon- Fri, as well as basic tasks at the weekend; we ourselves often work 70 hrs during the summer. Farming here is intensive in the short growing season, and depending on your responsibilities you will likely spread this time throughout long days. Farming does not work on a 9- 5 basis! Weekends, aside basic tasks, are down time to relax, go to town, work on design or explore the forest.
You will be a core member of the runnign & management team at ridgedale and will also get to develop a wide and diverse range of skills in other areas of design, management and site implementation. We will be meticulously recording & documenting everything that happens at the farm, allowing you to build up a stunning mixed media portfolio of all your work. This role lends itself to a deeper immersion into detailed design, project management skills & decision making. You will also have opportunity to participate in 3 weeks of trainings, and will be a central figure within practical exercises on the trainings and in the overseeing of day to day running of the farms systems. This is a great portfolio building role. This is also a great way to build up material that can contribute to further accredited learning, such as a Permaculture Diploma, etc. You will need to be self- starting, highly motivated and with strong communication skills. You will need to be confident with a diverse range of practical tasks. We work and play hard here and these Apprentice roles are a huge and hard to find learning opportunity in this field for the right people.
Farm Manager Apprentices will be regularly involved with poultry slaughter and animal duties. DO NOT APPLY for these roles if you are not comfortable with this...
Work Ethic Generally we are looking for someone who is seeking an inroad to the field of professional systems design and who has the right level of professional skills for the position we are offering. Whilst this will be a dedicated and sometimes challenging role we are excited by the mutual benefit this position offers. The position requires professional presentation in both output as well as personal conduct. You will be working as part of a dedicated team who have committed their lives to educating & demonstrating regenerative and integrated design to the highest standards. As a core member of a public venue and functioning business you are expected to reflect this at all times, for you become part of the “face” of this farm during your stay...
Looking back & looking forward 2015 in brief & looking forward to the year ahead... 2015 has been EPIC! We’ve done a LOT on the farm. We planted thousands more trees; Savannah nut plantings, windbreaks and riparian plantings. We built a tree nursery for 20,000 trees that will support various functions including growing out a hedgerow that we’ve planned to replace the metal elk/deer/wolf fence in 15- 20 years time. We made a cold climate vineyard. We’ve also built the cheapest approved slaughtery of it’s kind and run a lot of premium pastured broilers and Egg Mobile eggs that have had an awesome impact on our pastures already in one season. We’ve developed our own currency to pre sell birds and scaled up production to support a family just from the land. We’ve sold everything we’ve produced and built up markets, buying clubs and local connections. At the same time we’ve run 3 PDC’s at home, one in Poland and a farmer/rancher training in Mexico and run 2 x 8 week Internship programs as well as host many groups and open farm tours. Life is rich and full here. We’ve also improved a lot of infrastructure, built up new and improved facilities and a whole bunch of other things. We just love how this place is geared both to serious landscape regeneration and profitable farming as well as the highest quality of education available in this part of the world. 2016 sees our last Internship, for as much as we love to run epic education we also want to focus on scaling up production and build local community. Next year will see the doubling of current productions, as well as initial experiments that expand our range with pastured possibilities; ducks and turkeys, possibly pigs and pigeons as we hear back from local restuarants that want top notch local ecosystem benefitting products. We’ll be planting out more perennials, constructing ponds and building soil whatever we do. Rest assured you’ll receive a very in depth experience of what it takes to design/ install/ manage & monitor awesome regenerative systems at Europe’s only dedicated Farm Scale Permaculture & Regenerative Ag farm & Edu hub...
What can you expect to gain from this experience? A 6 month stay at ridgedale PERMACULTURE will lead you through all kinds of experiences. Living and working in close confines with a diverse range of people will inevitably bring up a whole range of situations for you. Some prior experience living in a community setting is definately a bonus, as it simply isn’t for some people. It does, however, represent an incredible learning opportunity and we will be fostering a supportive learning and working atmosphere at the farm. If you’re committed to your development personally and professionally then the experience will no doubt enrich you greatly. You can expect us to be up early and working on the farm for long hours during the week. Weekends are down time at the farm, aside from basic tasks, and people will be exploring the forests and surrounding ares, continuing projects they are working on or working on personal projects.
You are encourgaed to keep a Learning Journal throughout your stay, as the Intern’s will be doing. This helps synthsize the intensive learning that will be happening as well as begin documenting your experience to build a portfolio. By documenting your work and the trainings you participate you can build up recorded experience that can serve you in future assignments, profession or study, such as the Permaculture Diploma. Intern’s will also be spending time each week working on their own design, a longer term more detailed assignment to allow regular mentoring and peer reviewing. We welcome you to take this on yourself, you can benefit from the feedback of a professional designer and build up a clear portfolio.
Most of all you will be a core member of a pioneering team engaged with a flagship project. You will be exposed to all aspects of Permaculture design and gain tangible field based experience. This is invaluable if you are looking to develop a career int his field. Permaculture is really learnt by the actual implementation and monitoring of systems we can design and put together.
Other information you need to know for your stay at ridgedale PERMACULTURE Dedicated to the benefit of all... Site Policy
Accommodation & Facilities
ridgedale PERMACULTURE is a family home as well as a professional learning center. We cater to people from many cultures and nationalities so to help maintain a comfortable stay for all, visitors are asked to follow our simple code of conduct during their visit.
A simple room will be provided, and you can also bring a tent if you like to. Rooms are very simple and in close quarters to each other. We can supply a simple mattress & duvet, but you will need to bring a sleeping bag to ensure you are warm enough at either end of your stay.
Catering
Participation in Trainings
Our courses are fully catered from We really value what you can bring to our practical farmhouse kitch- the farm, and as part of our exchange en with our full-time farm chef. we would like to invite you to participate with as much as possible thats We provide as much basic fresh food from going on at the farm. We would like the farm as possible, vegetables, fruit, to meticulously document all aspects dairy, eggs, meat, etc. At some times of year of the site development, and our open For the benefit, comfort and wellbeing of all We have simple dry composting toilet we may also have wild meats, berries and farm gate policy means we will share staying at the farm there is a strict no drugs as a means to close our nutrient cycles. mushrooms available too. All bulk prod- the ups and downs and ins and outs policy. Transgression will result in you being ucts we buy in are organic and the meals of all aspects of the farm with our asked to leave immediately, forfeiting your Washing facilities are a large communal sau- we serve are of a wholesome farm menu course participants and interns to stay/ training, etc. Please don’t involve us. na/ washroom with a couple of private stalls type, which include preserved, fermented help support the regeneration of soils, for bucket showers. We ask people to bring and dried surplus products from the farm. communities and local economies evConsumption of alcohol is also only purely ecological soaps as they drain into our We can offer an option of our meals with- erywhere. Whilst this is a challangpermitted on Friday/ Saturday eve- plant systems. Please also bring a swimming out meat products for vegetarians, any ing role for you to take on, it is our nings. This is a working farm and costume for the sauna/ washroom. Whilst variations to basic meat or vegetarian diet wish that you get to participate in 3 we work hard everyday of the week. this is not exactly traditional by Swedish stan- we are not able to cater for, so students weeks of trainings during your stay. dards we must point out that we have people with specialized diets need to supplement We do not tolerate any form of anti-social from all over the world attending our train- their meals with their own food purchases. In order to maintain efficient runbehavior/conduct and our commitment to ings from very different cultural backgrounds. nign of all aspects of the farm we will deep ethics and the benefit of all form the Please let us know if you have medical discuss the details of this when the basis of our working and social relationships. Conditions are simple here, we are es- allergies well in advance of your visit. Core Team have all assembled. We are running our last 10 Week Interntablishing a farm from scratch! ships in 2016 and haven’t decided the Internet Access Autumn program yet, but there will We have invested into a community 1GB/Sec Fibre Optic instal so everyone can have awesome connection speed for research and be ample opporunity to participate staying in touch with your loved ones. You need to bring a computer or tablet to make the most of trainings & resources available. in the training you are interested in.
HERE’S WHAT PIONEER FARM MANAGER APPRENTICES DANIEL, THOMA & ALIZA HAD TO SAY... “Returning to Australia with the skills and knowledge I developed as Farm Manager Apprentice and part of the Pioneering Team at Ridgedale, I feel like a consciously designing weapon of mass construction. Annual garden building, the great ‘poly tunnel’ erection, pastured broiler hotels and a kick ass egg-mobile, Keyline design, caravan saunas & cob pizza oven manufacturing, meat chicken preparation, perennial cropping, holistically managed animals and soil regeneration.... oh and high tension elk/wolf/lynx/ electric fencing installation just to name a few of the skills I can now employ to benefit my local community and future regenerative enterprises back home on the sub-tropical Sunshine Coast. Inspired by Richards contagious enthusiasm and boundless wisdom, I have set about creating an efficient, cheap and actionable Master Plan for the Bellbunya Sustainable Community where I live, and have commenced concept development for an entirely new model in the facilitation of design education; One which incorporates the cutting edge strategies we practiced at Ridgedale and expresses the latest discoveries of leading global experts. I cannot emphasize the enormous benefit the Ridgedale experience provided for me as a beneficial contributor to the future of this world.” “Ridgedale! My personal growth and learning through experience far surpassed what I initially envisioned possible, in what now seems like a blink of and eye. For me it is the people, their energy and drive that made the experience. Richard and Yohanna are the strong driving force. They are warm to be around and are very clear with their direction of where they are heading with the farm (holistic management benefits are clearly experienced when immersed in the practice). Their experience is something they are so willing to share and from this came my most valued learning. The Education taught was diverse, well rounded and from their direct experience which made it so much more potent than theory based. Practical and theory are well balanced and provide a scope on all facets of which ever subject it maybe, allowing your own inquisitive learning to allow you explore what seems most fitting to you in a encourage self learning style. Spectacular views on and around the farm make every moment beautiful. The area is amazing, it is a quiet place in which it really felt fitting to switch of from the everyday hoohar and really focus on the reasons I was there. Responsibility over various duties from animals to trees to fencing really allowed to get the knowledge & experience I was looking for. It is time to walk the road to getting my own place up and running.” “Ridgedale Permaculture is not just a farm; it’s an intensive learning center where Richard and Yohanna’s incredible breadth of knowledge permeates daily life. From soil microbiology to the uses of every plant in the vicinity to the random wisdom of two people leading eclectic lives; I learned so much by proxy, let alone being allowed the freedom to peruse my own projects. xAs a farm manager I performed daily maintenance and animal tasks, led Interns in their daily asks and worked on long term projects such as designing and building chicken coops, gardens, and a cob oven. I enjoyed the intimate role with animals and observing the entire growing season afforded by a long-term position at the farm. As a core team member I learned countless skills from the whole frost to frost cycle, in my leadership roles with courses and Interns, and working in a tight-knit team. The days were totally full, but there was ample time to conceive and conduct independent projects or experiments. Richard and Yohanna are supportive in a benign neglect manner; they encourage one to be independently motivated, but provide all the tools for success”
www.ridgedalepermaculture.com
Farming, innovating & educating for the benefit of all...