Are you an aspiring regenerative farmer looking for hands-on experience on an organic herb farm? Chickadee Farm is offering an apprenticeship that may be the one for you!
About Chickadee Farm
Chickadee Farm is a second-generation family farm located near the community of Flatbush, Alberta, on the banks of the Pembina River. They grow herbal teas and culinary herbs and raise sheep and chickens (for home consumption). They have been certified organic since 2003. Chickadee Farm also wildcraft medicinal teas in the forests around their farm and community.
Chickadee Farm is on a journey to incorporate regenerative practices at the scale of a large commercial garden. They have integrated practices like cover cropping and reduced tillage and are always learning new ecological methods to incorporate into their farm production. They are inspired by small-farm educators like Richard Perkins (Ridgedale Permaculture), Jean-Martin Fortier (Market Gardener Institute), Jesse Frost (No-Till Growers) and others, to continue to improve our farming practices and their work/life balance. Their goal is to nurture healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people.
Website: chickadeefarmherbs.ca
Facebook: @chickadeefarmherbs
Instagram: @chickadeefarmsherbs
About the Apprenticeship
This is a unique apprenticeship opportunity to work on a herbal tea farm. The apprentice will be able to learn about all the steps in producing dried herbal products from seeding and transplanting to garden tending and harvesting as well as processing and packaging for final sale. On farm they gather leaves, flowers, roots and bark depending on the herb. Chickadee Farm grows or wildcrafts 50 different species of herb plants as well as having a large kitchen garden that produces food for the family all season long. The combination of the commercial garden and the farm animals will provide a fully rounded small farm experience including animal care, hay making, fencing and farm maintenance.
About the Farm Mentors
Eckehart has been farming all his life and helped his parents homestead the farm. His mom, Monica, has a deep knowledge of animal husbandry, gardening and living sustainably and shares her wisdom readily. Eckehart’s wife, Elizabeth, rounds out the team, bringing her skills in bookkeeping, social media, HR, home making and keeping up to three active children.
Skills this farm has to teach
The following skills are being offered by Chickadee Farm. While you’ll get exposure to many of these areas, apprentices will work to identify the skills they want to develop to a learning plan with their mentor.
| dRIED HERBS & TEA BLENDING | Animal husbandry (chickens & sheep) |
|---|---|
| commercial scale market gardening | Retail processing & packing |
| assessing soil health | Biodiversity & RegeNErative AGRICULTURE |
| Greenhouse seeding & transplanting | commercial-scale market garden |
| watershed management | compost/compost tea brewing |
| Farmers Markets & customer care | irrigation set-up/use |
| basic farm maintenance | tractor operation & handtools |
Skills Required of the Apprentice
Chickadee Farm is looking for people with a keen interest in small-scale farming whether you would like to start your own farm or homestead or would like to gain hands-on experience on a working small farm. The ability to live in a remote rural setting with limited ‘connectivity’ is also a big asset, as well as to be able to work positively with a variety of people including the multi-generational farm family, WWOOFERs and local volunteers, youth and farm labourers.
Housing, Wages, and Duration
This apprenticeship runs May to October; 40-50hr week; Sunday off. Wage and cost of room and board to be determined.
A Class 5 driver’s license and vehicle are not required, however, the farm is located two hours drive from the nearest city (Edmonton) with very limited public transit options. Pick up from Edmonton is available.
Housing is provided at the farm in single and multi-person RV trailer units. Wi-Fi available. Breakfast is prepared individually (farm-fresh eggs available). Lunch and supper are usually communal.
About the Community
Chickadee Farm is located a 5-minute drive from the hamlet of Flatbush, Alberta. The farms in the community are mostly mixed with cattle and cash-crop farming. The Flatbush area is at the edge of large forest areas to the west and north and at the confluence of two larger rivers, the Athabasca and the Pembina. Flatbush has a well-stocked general store and larger service centers are 45-60 minutes drive away (Westlock, Athabasca, Salve Lake and Barrhead). There are outdoor recreation opportunities at nearby provincial and wildland parks.
More Details about this Apprenticeship and How to Apply
Applications for this apprenticeship due: January 31, 2025
Interested in an Apprenticeship but this isn’t quite the right one? Check out other Young Agrarians Prairie Apprenticeships being offered in 2025 here.