The Cane Creek Incubator Farm
is for growers who are beginning their career in farming, have some experience under their belt, and are ready to move up to the next level in establishing their farm business. The Incubator farm will provide land, infrastructure, training and mentoring for three years to help get a farm business up and going. The starting point is participation in the Organic Grower Training Program taught in the winter/spring. The course starts in March and will meet the second week of each month on either Thursday afternoon or Saturday morning through November. Soils, plants, crop management, composting, cover crops, crop rotation, crop planning, certification, record-keeping and business planning will be covered.
Farmers in training will be matched with appropriate land after an assessment and joint discovery period. Access to infrastructure such as greenhouses, coolers and packing shed will also be available. Land lease and infrastructure fees will be collected quarterly or semi-annually. Weekly check ins and monthly meetings will be held with the farm manager. Occasional workshops will be held on relevant topics. Produce can be sold to the CSA at Cane Creek Farm, or other markets.
The ideal candidate would have at least two seasons experience working on a production farm and should have a vision for their farm business. A business plan is not necessary to start, but will be developed during the first year of the incubator experience. Farmers in training must be able to work their land at least 20 hours a week during the growing season.
Some housing options are available. Download the Cane Creek Incubator Farm application or contact Lynn at lynn@canecreekfarm.net for more information.