Garden Manager Apprentice (2 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 to cover organic food we buy in for you 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 day to day planning & management of our fresh vegetable & herb production in our gardens & polytunnel as well as field crops and coordinating with the Farm Chefs to plan harvesting and keep the many mouths fed with the highest quaity of food available. 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; • Passionate to manage beautiful kitchen gardens throughout the whole growing season? • Interested 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 alongside the rest of the Farm Manager Apprentices? • Ready to take on a management role with diligence & persistance? • Good as part of a dynamic team? • 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 the basic organic 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 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 The role we are seeking to fill begins full time on site April 23rd 2016, where you be resident in a small & simple room in the old magazine. You will be sharing this space with the other long term core- 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 students & intern’s as we create incredible edible kitchen gardens and plan a Jean pain compost heated sunken growing space to develop later in the year. You will be a go to person responsible for day to day maintainanace, planting and harvesting and saving seed.
Opportunity We want to establish a secure farm fresh food supply immediately, so the gardens will be the initial focus of the year alongside ground prep for tree planting and preparing to introduce our animals. You will be a core member of the pioneering team at ridgedale and will also get to develop awide 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.
You will need to be very organized and pay attention to detail to successfully fill this challenging role. Key aspects; • You have worked with PC systems before • You have previous food gardening experience • You are familiar with cool/ cold temperate climates • You are excited to make Compost Teas and use Biofertilisers • You like making good quality compost • You can plan well in advance •You are effective at documentation • You can work to a clear budget • You are familiar working with groups or in a team • You are punctual and dedicated • You are a clear communicator • You are happy to participate with regular poultry processing alongside the Farm Manager Apprentices when needed We are looking for people who will throw themselves at this with passion and flair! The kitchen gardens make up zone 1 and are central to daily life at the farm. We want to produce a lot of healthy, nutritious in a beautiful setting. We will also be experiementing with various perennial crops, broader scale annual cultivation and experimenting with some very unusual plants. Your work will be a clear demonstration of PC principles in action and your ability to communicate and work with groups is important.
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.
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 long hourse during the week. Weekends are down time at the farm, 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 the 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. By managing your time effectively you will have lots of opportunity to join in with what is going on at the farm. We will also have a full time Graphics Expert and so would like to showcase your work in preparing, experiementing and preserving by making regular short films and blog posts, which can help to build up a portfolio for your work. If you want to blog about your work that would be AWESOME!
April 2014
July 2014
We grew tons of amazing produce to feed the farm in 2014 in No Dig contour beds & our Polytunnel; instant gardens!
The empty beginnings in Spring 2014 and the abundant gardens in July 2015 The extended garden on our neighbours land. Lots of potential for total self sufficiency for up to 10,000 meals we serve in the open season
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.
Accomodation will be camping, and you need to bring a good quality tent. We have a shared communal loft space for reading & relaxing as well as large yurts and other spaces. We can supply a simple mattress & duvet, but you will need to bring a sleeping bag to ensure you are warm enough during 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 of the site development, and our open For the benefit, comfort and wellbeing of all year we may also have wild meats, berries farm gate policy means we will share staying at the farm there is a strict no drugs We have simple dry composting toilet and mushrooms available too. All bulk the ups and downs and ins and outs policy. Transgression will result in you being as a means to close our nutrient cycles. products we buy in are organic and the of all aspects of the farm with our asked to leave immediately, forfeiting your meals we serve are of a wholesome farm course participants and interns to stay/ training, etc. Please don’t involve us. Washing facilities are a large communal sau- menu type, which include preserved, fer- help support the regeneration of soils, na/ washroom with a couple of private stalls mented and dried surplus products from communities and local economies evConsumption of alcohol is also only for bucket showers. We ask people to bring the farm. We offer an option of our meals erywhere. Whilst this is a challangpermitted on Friday/ Saturday eve- purely ecological soaps as they drain into our without meat products for vegetarians, ing role for you to take on, it is our nings. This is a working farm and plant systems. Please also bring a swimming any variations to basic meat or vegetarian wish that you get to participate in 3 we work hard everyday of the week. costume for the sauna/ washroom. Whilst diet we are not able to cater for, so students weeks of trainings during your stay. this is not exactly traditional by Swedish stan- with specialized diets need to supplement We do not tolerate any form of anti-social dards we must point out that we have people their meals with their own food purchases. In order to maintain efficient runbehavior/conduct and our commitment to from all over the world attending our trainnign of all aspects of the farm we will deep ethics and the benefit of all form the ings from very different cultural backgrounds. Please let us know if you have medical discuss the details of this when the basis of our working and social relationships. allergies well in advance of your visit. Core Team have all assembled. We are running our last 10 Week InternConditions are simple here, we are esships in 2016 and haven’t decided the tablishing a farm from scratch! 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 GARDEN MANAGER GABI HAD TO SAY... “The experience at Ridgedale has been the biggest accomplishment of my permaculture activities, bar none. Although I arrived without much expectations, I quickly became exposed to and learnt a set of various skills that have already proven very useful, 3 weeks after getting back home. After being greeted around a huge fire and listening to the farm’s amazing echo, next day it started full speed. Working in a group, along a great team and an amazing coordinator, I became involved in farm and garden management (my official position) from the second day of my stay. Here I learnt and got experience with agroforestry systems, Keyline design and Holistic Management, as well as attended a PDC and practiced veg growing, bioferts, soil building etc. The theory had always been supported by the field work, and that is where real experience proves its value. Decision making on the spot, confidence in the tasks, group management and communication, efficient work-flow are all abilities useful for being a farmer, and I was exposed to all of them. I also had the chance to expand my portfolio through the opportunities that the farm offers, to further pursue my design and farming endeavors. I’m super happy for making this choice, for Richard is a great teacher and he’s always shown his support.”
www.ridgedalepermaculture.com
Farming, innovating & educating for the benefit of all...