Farm Internship & Apprenticeship

About the Program

The Program

Summer Internship application going live on 4/17/2024, check back here for the link and position information.

The 2024 Beginning Farmer Apprenticeship is CLOSED. Check back in Winter 2025 for applications for the 2025 apprenticeship cohort.

This is a temporary position running from April 1st to November 14th working Monday through Thursday 32 hours a week. The pay rate is $16/hr.

Our Goals

We seek to train an inclusive next generation of farmers. Nationwide, 95% of farmers are white, 85% of farmers are men, and the average age of a farmer is 60-years-old. Many other groups are underrepresented. This apprenticeship program seeks to decrease these disparities in representation  caused by systems rooted in white supremacy, colonialism, racism, capitalism and sexism. Therefore, we encourage Black, Indigenous, and people of color, women, LGBTQ2SIA people, religious minorities, recent migrants/refugees, people with disabilities who can meet the responsibilities and qualifications, and people from different generational and economic backgrounds to apply. This farm apprenticeship program is designed for people with little or no experience farming. 

Farm apprentices spend much of their time closely mentored by our two farm operations staff Surabhi and Kristie. Both have experience in farming and bring different life experiences to their management styles. Zenger Farm is a multi-racial space, and we are deeply engaged in conversations around issues of identity and belonging.

We seek to model an economically-viable alternative to “conventional agriculture” while  centering  food justice work and developing practices that build soil health. Farmers should be responsible and accountable members of their communities. Farms should improve community resilience and self-reliance. Farms should foster connections with the land. We seek to reform conventional farming practices that depend heavily on machinery, chemicals, exploited labor and exploited soil. Conventional agriculture damages land, air and water; harms the health of communities that consume the produce; and harms the workers who feed our communities. 

Farm Apprentices care for four acres of diversified vegetable crops and fruit orchards. Zenger Farm is certified organic. We grow over 150 varieties of vegetables on just over two acres where we spend the vast majority of our time. We are also farming a second site called the Furey Field that is 0.5 acres for a winter CSA program. Farm Apprentices will get to learn the no-till practices utilized at this second site but will not be responsible for overall production. Apprentices will also be helping with blueberry and grape plant pruning and maintenance.

We seek to operate a farm that models social justice and economic viability. We earned $92,000 from the distribution of produce in 2022. 95% of our produce went to our CSA, with 70 shares picked up by members at the farm and 65 shares distributed to patients at the nearby Multnomah County Mid County Health Center. The rest of our produce goes to other programming, local restaurants and grocery stores. Our farming operation allows us to model innovative practices. This next year we are starting to incorporate no-till practices into the production model. We will be farming 0.5 acres in a no-till production method to develop our winter CSA program. We also cultivate partnerships that prioritize underserved communities in getting access to fresh food in the Foster/Powell neighborhood. We prioritize culturally specific organizations to help conduct outreach for our CSA program, restaurants and buyers who are aligned with our values, and networking with other small-scale farmers who experience barriers in the food system.

The core of the Zenger Farm Crew consists of two farm operations staff and four full-season farm apprentices. Four short-season interns will join the crew 2 days/week for 8 weeks in the Summer and again in the Fall. Farm apprentices spend much of their time closely mentored by our two farm managers. Similarly, farm apprentices will work closely with, mentor and teach the farm interns when they join the crew. Additionally, farm apprentices will lead volunteers and other work parties.

Education of the body is the core component of this apprenticeship. We teach apprentices the underlying ergonomics of farm work. Proper ergonomics are essential for an economically-viable farm. Your speed, stamina and efficiency will allow you to operate your own farm and compete when other farms lower their costs with machinery, chemicals, and exploited labor.

We provide an immersive and comprehensive education in farming. Farm apprentices will have direct experience in all aspects of our farming operation and will take turns leading projects that are applicable to future farm jobs. The farm apprenticeship includes over 40 hours of classroom instruction in topics such as crop planning, irrigation, seed saving, soil fertility, enterprise budgeting, etc. Farm apprentices will be provided additional opportunities to attend classes and tours at other local farms. While apprentices will occasionally participate in other programming at Zenger Farm (youth education and community engagement), the vast majority of their time is spent farming.

We seek to provide a compassionate education. Zenger Farm recognizes that many people, disproportionately Black, Indigenous and Latinx folks, have historical and current traumas related to land access and agricultural work. We also recognize that training future farmers to operate an economically-viable farm focused on production within a capitalist system hinders our ability to create a healing environment to address that trauma. We strive to create as much of a supportive environment as possible through prioritizing preventative care, open feedback, routine check-ins, and communicating expectations. Apprentices will examine the root causes of injustice in our food system through facilitated discussion with the team prompted by readings, videos, and talks. We make space for apprentices to develop connections and network within the small farming community in Portland to see firsthand how small scale farmers are innovating solutions. Through immersive field work, conversation, and creating space, we hope apprentices can start to see themselves as part of a solution for change through agriculture.

2023 Alumni 

These four spent their time connecting with and stewarding this land and producing the amazing veggies, fruits, flowers and herbs we are able to offer our community. These alumni are incredible people who put so much love into this work. Cant wait to see all they do next!