Who We Are
At Ethos Farm we implement human scaled agriculture and often prefer to invest in people over mechanization. We strongly believe in educating and training the next generation of farmers who will feed their communities nourishing life-giving foods while using regenerative growing practices. We are passionate about creating a better food system by building healthier soils, providing meaningful employment, and by producing nutrient dense fruits & vegetables for our local community. We hope to inspire a way of growing food that has a smaller ecological footprint with a greater connection to the land, crops, and local community.
On the farm we grow organic fruits and vegetables on about two acres. We have a total of eight high tunnels which helps us to extend our growing season. We are a small crew of three, looking to add two more full-time growers during peak season mid-April through mid November. We practice ecologically minded growing practices in addition to being chemical free. Most of our work is done by hand & with our walk behind BCS tractor. We currently sell through our on-site farm store & donate surplus to local organizations who are working to address food insecurity. We also work with local organic growers to supplement our offerings at our market such as mushrooms, grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Project Background
At Ethos Farm to Health we implement human-scaled agriculture. We currently produce organic vegetables & strawberries on about two acres. Located on over 300 acres of preserved agricultural land surrounded by a rural landscape of farmlands and rolling hills.
We are a non-profit started by Dr. Weiss a primary care physician specializing in lifestyle medicine. We are a farm-based healthcare system, where health emanates literally, from the ground up. From the 2500-year-old Hippocratic teaching, farm-based healthcare recognizes that food is the most powerful medicine.
Ethos Farm to Healths focus is on the regenerative production of whole plant foods grown in healthy soils. These “living medicines” are the essential tools utilized by the lifestyle primary care physician to prevent and reverse the chronic diseases that plague our society today.
Farm Setting
Ethos Farm is located in the small quaint town of Long Valley, NJ. We are surrounded by farmland and rolling hills. The farm encompasses over 300 acres with about half being wooded. The woods are a great place to hike and go foraging for wild edibles such as mushrooms & ramps. There is also a 100 acre field that we’ve planted in native grasses to help restore the soil from decades of conventional farming from previous owners. The field is currently in a five year study with Rutgers University and Rodale Institute researching the restoration capacity of native warm season grasses after chemical intensive systems. They will be measuring the grasses ability to sequester carbon, and changes in microbiology in the soil. There are several smaller fields in addition to the 100 acre field. Our production area is a 12 acres field with a 8’ deer fence surrounding the perimeter.
Apprenticeship Description
As a crew member you will play a key role in our farms operation. You will learn and be involved in most of the tasks on the farm in a fast-paced but fun environment. We will explain the reason behind our methods and why we do tasks a certain way. We also enjoy feedback and strive to create an open-minded environment.
Your week on the farm will typically be Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. We typically take an hour lunch break around noon. Our weeks will vary but generally have the following flow.
Monday: team meeting & discussion, seed starting, cultivating, pruning & trellising fruiting crops
Tuesday: Harvest Day. We will spend majority of day harvesting in the field and washing and packing vegetables in our barn
Wednesday: Bed Preparation. We will be removing previous crops and planting succeeding crops
Thursday: Harvest Day. We will be harvesting the last of our crops before our weekend market
Friday: Market Day. Half our staff will work market and the other half will be finishing up other weekly task Ex. Pruning, cultivating, & planting
Saturday: Market Day 8am-4pm. Half our crew will work our market and the other half will be off for the weekend
We will have a rotating weekend irrigation schedule. This will include running irrigation in fields if needed and watering seedlings in our greenhouse. We don’t anticipate each member working more than a couple weekends a month and we’re flexible! We also only expect crew members to work 40-45 hours a week. We do believe in a work-life balance. As a crew member you will be involved in most aspects of the farm including:
Irrigation
Greenhouse management
Weeding
Transplanting
Seeding
Operating small power equipment, including our BCS tractor.
Harvesting
Washing & packing
Working our farm market
Pruning/trellising
What we are looking for
Hard work-ethic & passion for growing food
Ability to follow direction & take constructive criticism
Attention to detail & staying focused during repetitive tasks
Occasional weekend work for events, irrigation, and farm market staffing
Ability to withstand long hours of physically demanding work in all weather conditions
Team player, works well individually and as a group
Good communication skills
40-45 hours a week of meaningful and productive work
Preferred but not required
A season working on a production farm or landscaping, trail crew or similar work
Experience with small power equipment (string trimmer, mowers, walk-behind tractors)
Benefits of working at Ethos
Positive & encouraging work environment
Additional educational opportunities at various local farms
Weekly share of farm produce
Access to Ethos Primary Care & farm events
100+ acres of woodlands to hike, explore, & forage (Ramps, edible mushrooms, watercress)
Opportunity to take ownership & management of certain aspects of the farm
Constantly varied tasks & participation in all growing practices
What we’re offering
Hands on experience & training in small scale market gardening
On farm housing
Farm fresh produce and bulk food staples legumes, grains, cooking oil, spices, etc.
Monthly stipend: $1,500
Application Instructions
Please send us a resume with 3 references.
Submit a cover letter (about a page) describing your interest in working with us and why you think you would be a good fit at Ethos Farm.
Email resume and cover letter to nhodgson@ethosfarmtohealth.org
Feel free to reach out with any questions or to introduce yourself! You can give Nick, field manager, a call at 240-688-8820 or email nhodgson@ethosfarmtohealth.org