Clagett Farm

Will trade help at pick-up for veggies

We could use some help at our CSA pick-ups on the farm:  Wednesdays 3-7pm and Saturdays 1-4pm.  We're looking for someone outgoing and friendly who can lift bins of up to 40 pounds, and can come reliably as often as every week or as seldom as once a month.  We'll need help setting up before the pick-up starts, welcoming the CSA members, re-filling baskets, and putting things away after it ends.  We can exchange one week's CSA share for each week that you work.   

Thanks everyone!  We think we've found enough help for our pick-ups.  But we're always eager for more help during the harvests (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) and doing other field work on other days (except Sundays).  No commitment is necessary, so join us when it works for you.  -Carrie

(Image via krossbow on Flickr)

 

U-Pick signs

We're on the lookout for the following items:

• A laminating machine; it doesn't need to make big signs, but they do need to be stiff enough to withstand some rain and wind--flimsy won't work.  (If you have access to one, but don't want to donate it, that's good too!  See below...)
• Roadside or yard signs made of corrugated plastic.  They often have two little metal legs, and you see them advertising housing developments and politicians.  We would like to re-purpose them as our u-pick signs.  We're hoping to velcro the laminated signs over top of the old message, so we can direct you to your u-pick kale, lettuce, and so forth. We're not suggesting you steal ones that are in use, but if you see some that are no longer needed, please pick them up for us. 
  

We're also looking for one or two people:

• Someone who likes to u-pick, and wants to help us post signs as needed to make the crops easier to find.  The sign posting is pretty easy!  It just requires some walking around each week to put a few up and take a few down.  If you have access to a laminating machine at home or at work, that could save us from finding one of our own. 

If you've ever tried to u-pick at the farm, you've noticed that it can be hard to find what you're looking for.  Bear with us!  We're know we have a problem, and we admit we need help. 

Thanks!

-Farmer Carrie

Want to Volunteer at the Farm Tomorrow?

 

Want to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather tomorrow on the farm?

We're in need of a few volunteers who want to come out and help transplant tomato plants to the fields. We're trying to get them in the ground before the next rain, which is looking likely for Monday. 

Transplanting tomato plants is a fun and easy job -- volunteers will ride on the back of the tractor. If you're able to volunteer, call Farmer Carrie at 301-646-0282 and she'll give you all the details. 

Happy Saturday!

 

 

Photo above via TheBittenWord.com 

Need a Tuesday afternoon helper

We have a great opportunity for someone who wants to be a regular, reliable, weekly worksharer, but doesn't want to mess with working outside in the dirt.  We need someone to help us display and give out shares to our members at our farm on Tuesday afternoons, 2pm until 6 or 7pm. 

This person must be able to lift bins that are up to 40 pounds, have a friendly personality, and be able to set up a neat, attractive display.  In exchange, we're happy to offer one week's CSA share for each week worked.  If you think this might be you, send us a note (clagettfarm@cbf.org).     

We look forward to hearing from you!

 We're still looking for a helper for this job. 

Job openings--Farm Crew, March through November

Haven't you always wanted to be a farmer?  Well you only live once! 

Clagett Farm is accepting applications for our farm crew for this summer.  We have a couple positions open--full or part-time.  We pay $10/hour for the first season ($12 for the 2nd, and up from there).  We'll need people who can work on Saturdays, work well with volunteers, and endure heat and humidity with a smile.  The job runs from March (or April) through November (or October--your choice).  We give special preference to people who have worked with us before, so that means you, worksharers!

If you're interested, send us an e-mail to clagettfarm@cbf.org with a resume and a few times when you're available for a working interview.  We'll respond with an application for you to fill out.  Interviewing with us is fun, because we sit around and chat while seeding trays of broccoli and cabbages. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

-Carrie

Top photo is Megan Caine, taken by Kolya Vishnevsky in 2006.  Bottom photo is Kristin Carbone, taken by Carrie Vaughn in 2007. 

Herb and flower beds--volunteers needed

 
Do you raise flowers at home?  Do you have a knack for landscape design? 

We are looking for someone who would like to help choose the flowers and herbs for the you-pick beds behind the washing station.  We need help designing which herbs and flowers to go where, choosing varieties, planning when and how they will be planted, and directing other volunteers each week to do the bed preparation, planting, weeding and other maintenance.  We can exchange each four hours of work for a share.  If you're interested, send an e-mail to clagettfarm@cbf.org.

In addition to a person taking charge of the beds, we can also use weekly help maintaining them.  The bulk of the work will be forking up new beds and weeding the established ones.  You can name which days and hours you would like to help, but we need people who will work quickly and effectively even when we are not there to help and encourage.  
 
Photos by Deborah Starobin Armstrong 

Now hiring field workers for this summer

April 4, 2011:  We're finished our interviews for this season and are no longer accepting new candidates.  We'll start over again February 2012.  Give yourself a leg-up now, by doing a "workshare" so we can get to know you. 

We are in the process of lining up our staff for the 2011 growing season.  If you know anyone who is interested raising vegetables in the fields with us, please direct them to our job posting: http://community.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=542.  This year, we are paying $10 per hour plus one CSA share.  We have openings for both full and part time, April through November.  We do not offer housing.  It's a lot of fun, but it's tough work.  Only people who love working outside and have an even, friendly temperament should apply.
 

Worksharer wanted to help manage Saturday CSA pick-up

We will need help checking in CSA members, filling bins and answering member questions at our Saturday pick-up this year.  If you would like to make a regular commitment to this job in exchange for a weekly CSA share, please contact us:  clagettfarm at cbf dot org. 

We will expect this person to begin working between 12:00 and 12:30pm each Saturday, and stay until about 4:30pm.  Or we can work with two people who can alternate Saturdays and fill in for each other when needed.  A farm staffperson will be there throughout the pick-up as well.

We're looking for a genial person who can lift bins of produce that are up to 40 pounds (usually more like 20 pounds), and has some skill with setting out produce in a pleasing way. 

Saturday routine for worksharer at CSA pick-up:
noon - 1:00pm: help us set up and label produce
1:00-4:00pm: sign in CSA members, re-fill bins from the cooler, answer questions
4:00-4:30pm: put remaining produce in the cooler, clean up