This document provides guidance on finding, hiring, and managing farm apprentices. It discusses advertising open positions, conducting phone and in-person interviews, focusing on attitude and work ethic when hiring. The document also covers organizing daily work, providing housing, managing finances transparently, and ensuring legal compliance regarding wages. The goal is producing a rewarding experience for both farmers and apprentices.

1. Apprenticeships: Becoming & Being The Boss
You can find this presentation for free by
visiting: www.slideshare.net
Type in search box: jennyjackfarm

3. The Search Phase
• Advertise on “ATTRA”, “Good Food Jobs”,
& Website
• We request a resume & 3 references
• Setup a Phone Interview
• Why do you want to work here?
• Any physical limitations?
• Questions about past AG experience?
• I unload details of job, structure, what it
would be day to day, expectations, etc.
• Setup time for on-farm work interview,
setup parameters for good times & then
allow interviewee to contact you.
• On Farm Work Interview
• 5-6 hour commitment
• Farm Tour & Basic farm task (3 Hours)
good to schedule w/current apprentices
• Lunch & Serious, Sit Down Talk( 2 HRS.)
• Visit House, Answer Final Questions

4. The Hiring Phase
This is the person we want to hire:
• Attitude is EVERYTHING!
• Steady but strives to be a little better
• Takes initiative
• Communicates effectively
• Resilient, Can withstand ALL the unsexy
sides of farming in the south.
• Flexible
• Can take daily, constructive corrections
with comfort and grace.
• Is approachable and seems customer
friendly
• Compatible; We think we like you

5. Transparency In The
Hiring Phase
• Many future apprentices arrive at the
interview completely naïve & unaware of
the realties of farming & more specifically
farming with you. Sometimes, they do
not know the questions to be asking.
• Be Detailed with:
• Your management style
• Share challenges/successes you have
experienced with past apprentices
• Most are coming to learn. How much
education is actually being transferred?
• Offer contact info from a couple of past
apprentices.
• Remember, this person could be with you
8+ hours/6 days a week. We want most of
those hours to be enriching, not
miserable.

11. Get Organized!
• Start the day with a morning meeting
laying out in detail what is expected to
be done by day’s end.
• In order for this step to be effective the
farmer must carve out time the day
before to make the list.
• Make lists and Be available for
questions throughout the day. (In
person > screen)
• Apprentices should be educated on
farm systems and tools. Knowing
where to find tools, how to use them,
and then where to return them will
boost efficiency and save so much
time! (cleaning tools/bins part of end
of day chores)
• There is always an open flow of
dialogue, questions and answers,
discussion. Encourage communication.
• Crop Walks

12. Greenhouse Work Bench Farm Map @ Headquarters

13. Avoiding Unhappy Apprentices
• Work should not exceed 50 hours/week &
closer to 40 is ideal.
• Farmer(s) should be working alongside
apprentices at least 50% of season
• Provide comfortable housing
• Apprentices should cycle through every aspect
of farm; avoid specialization
• Be organized; avoid bad surprises
• Work in pairs or groups when completing field
tasks that take longer than 2 hours.
• Schedule routine, formal check-ins to evaluate
apprentice perspective
• Choose your battles. Apprentices bring energy
and depth to your farm; let the small stuff
slide.
• Occasionally include apprentices in off-farm
life, remember birthdays, show appreciation

14. Housing
• Foreclosure; paid $54,000 2 years ago on
Auction.com.
• $6,000 down and monthly loan payments
are $315 for 15 years.
• 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, invested $6,000 for
new floor, A/C Unit, and appliances.
• Pros:
• Apprentices leave farm to go home
• More privacy/separation all week
for both farmer & apprentice
• Future investment
• Comfortable
• Cons:
• Drive to work
• Debt and higher interest rate
• Roommates who don’t choose one
another & must live under 1 roof
• No one on the farm to tend
weekend chores but farmers
• Ties up money; prevents other
“farm” investments temporarily

15. Money, Money, Money
In the Books
• Labor Costs(2017):
• $42,000 total=31% of Gross Sales
• Cost of Apprentice(Monthly):
• House: $300
• Utilities: $105
• CSA: $100
• Lunch:$100
• Stipend: $700 = $1305.00/EA.
• $1305.00/180 HRS.(MO.)=$7.25/HR.
On The Farm
• Within the apprenticeship context, farmers
should always be willing to show the farm’s
books & discuss profit, debt, expenses, etc.
• Transfer specifics on how much money you
started farm with. What was your strategy?
• Did you receive financial help from others?
Take out loans?
• Most of us are farming because of love & luck,
share with apprentices how hard work and
connection to resources have spurred success

16. Lunch Hour: Bonding Time Over Really Good Food

17. The End Is Really
Not The End
• If the Apprenticeship was a
worthwhile experience, the
relationship continues long after
the season’s goodbye’s
• References
• A connection into farm world
• The never-ending list of
questions when starting a new
farm.(This should certainly be
considered a continuation of
the apprenticeship’s
educational component)
• All things friends do….

18. The Law
• Labor has always been a persistent and
uncomfortable issue for farms. Cost of what
we sell food for VS. ability to pay fair wage
• There is no specific law for this type of AG
labor relationship so its’s murky and grey
and we have to piece it together. Figure out
how much risk you are willing to take.
• Apprentices are employees, not contract
labor.
• Must issue W-2, taking out at minimum
social security and Medicare.
• Employees are required to be paid minimum
wage, there are no “apprenticeship” labor
guidelines.
• No one can sign rights away to a minimum
wage
• Potential for risk management: Write
monthly pay check for minimum wage &
invoice apprentice for living expenses, lunch,
education, etc.

19. In Conclusion
References:
• www.farmcommons.org, a free
legal “to-do” list to sign up for
plus several articles on the
legalities of labor
• www.slideshare.net, to find
this presentation type
“jennyjackfarm” in Search box
• The Lean Farm, Ben Hartman
• www.jennyjackfarm.com