Home Our CSA Apprenticeships Animals Flowers and Crafts Farm Events Our Markets 2007 Photos Recipes and Cookbooks Links and Resources Contact Us				Apprenticeships We are now accepting applications for Apprentices for 2008. Please read this page carefully and Contact Us if you'd like to receive more information and an application. Apprentices play an integral role in the functioning of our farm. The diversified nature of the farm allows apprentices to be involved in all the different things we do; growing vegetables, raising animals, Community Supported Agriculture, farmers markets and more. Most learning is part of our daily work, hands on and fairly informal; more structured educational opportunities are possible but often depend upon an individual apprentice's initiative. The option of a second year apprenticeship allows for a more in-depth and significant understanding of both Luna Bleu specifically and organic farming in general, as well as further responsibility and leadership roles. Living on the farm gives apprentices the opportunity to understand farm life in a more holistic way; plenty goes on outside of work hours, much of it crucial to the farm's operation. Apprentices are welcomed into the family, as well as the larger community. We know plenty of people involved in various things and can usually connect apprentices with folks who share similar interests off the farm. With Vermont Law School right in South Royalton and Dartmouth in Hanover, as well many other cultural and educational groups, there is plenty going on in the area, often much more than we have the time or energy to take advantage of. Of course hard work is important part of any apprenticeship. A successful Luna Bleu apprentice must also be willing to make mistakes and learn from them, be a deliberate, careful and thoughtful worker, as well as have patience and initiative. And as we like to say, a sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd are certainly assets. The nature of farming seems to make much of what we do feel like a work in progress and our apprenticeships are certainly something that we continually strive to improve. Unfortunately we are also constantly making compromises about how best to use our limited resources and energy, which tends to mean an individual apprentice must be willing at times to be their own advocate for their learning needs while understanding this overall balance. The quality of an apprenticeship at Luna Bleu depends a lot on what one is willing to give and how much energy they chose to put into making it work for them. We believe strongly that having a positive apprenticeship depends a lot on finding the right place and likewise for a farm to find the right person. Therefore it is important for a prospective apprentice to understand what they want to get out of an apprenticeship and make sure the farm they chose can fit those goals. With all the very different farms and farmers out there, a thorough search and awareness of goals will hopefully give you a good chance of finding a situation that will work well for everyone. If you are interested in more specific information on apprenticing at Luna Bleu please call or email and we can send you details and an application.
Luna Bleu Farm 96 Boles Road, South Royalton VT 05068 802 763-7981 lunableufarm@verizon.net