On any given day there’s visible growth at Rainshadow and its one reason the land lends itself to learning on many levels. Past years have brought on expansive increases in annual/perennial growing area as well as an array of diverse groups collaborating in events on and off the farm. As of just a couple moons ago the farm welcomed five greenhorns as part of the central Oregon chapter of Rogue Farm Corps.
Team transplanting tomatoes
Through on-farm education and weekly classes on topics related to land stewardship and animal husbandry, the program ‘offers hands-on experience on a diverse network of commercial family farms in Oregon to beginners and advanced students of agriculture.’ 2016 marks the second year Rainshadow and Rogue Farm Corps have collaborated to educate the next generation of organic farmers and ranchers.
Responsibilities vary day-to-day, although each intern is expected to cook three meals per week and share in housekeeping duties. A typical work week entails harvest for market/CSA, integrated pest management, greenhouse maintenance, seeding/transplanting annual crops, plenty of weeding and at least one instance of the unexpected.
Another aspect of the Rogue Farm Corps program is an independent project each student is required to work on throughout the season (mid-April thru October). This project intends to be mutually beneficial for both the intern and respective host farm and culminates in a year-end presentation to other Rogue Farm Corps interns from the region.
One independent project centers around regular updates from the field and kitchen via this here blog, penned and posted by Nick C. from Austin, Texas. His experience in newspaper writing has not made it any easy to refer to himself in the third person. Nonetheless, in coming weeks we will meet the other interns and continue to record our experience as a whole. We will include trials in taming pests, homemade treats from our kitchen (and yours!), our projects around the farm and adventures through Central Oregon and beyond.
It’s shaping up to be a productive summer, and we encourage your support and insight throughout the season! We are always on the hunt for tasty recipes that can feed a hungry bunch..
Dried mint ready for tea
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