Preferred counties/regions
- Washington County
Desired acreage
- 5 or fewer
Farming Status
Emerging farmer: 2 years or more of on farm work experience
Not currently farming
Primary reason for farming
Hobby or for personal use
Farming status, plans, and practices
I am seeking a greenhouse to grow Luffa Sponges. Luffa can be used throughout the home in place of plastic sponges and composted when ready to replace. I have had previous success growing luffas in this zone (see photos). I would to find a farm with an open greenhouse (or part of a greenhouse) for use in a rent / work exchange condition from June - October. Ideally the greenhouse will have an existing watering system or access to water nearby though we could collect rain water as an option. Depending on the condition of the soil, we would create a soil mix. A place to start seeds indoors in March of next year would also be great.
This could be a great project for a greenhouse space that is no longer in use or needs to be revitalized.
I am open to any guidance, advise, ideas, and general conversations about this idea as well.
Farm Experience & Education
- Farm internship/apprenticeship
- Farmer training or workshop
- On farm work experience
Hello! I am glad to have found this resource. I have quite a varied array of formal education and hands-on professional work experience.
I have an MSc in Biomimicry (nature-inspired design) from Arizona State University. The focus of my degree work was often habitat revitalization, improving human waste and materials systems for sustainability, and exploring nature-friendly architecture and design.
I've worked in land conservation in an administrative role for the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy in Marquette Michigan, assisting the board of directors in managing thousands of acres of protected habitat and community recreation trails.
As a naturalist and certified NYS wilderness guide, I guided many educational groups (including school groups, retreats, and nature enthusiasts) to learn about New York habitats.
I completed an intense internship at the Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison Texas. I learned about caring for a range of animals including Equine, Exotics (Tigers, Ostrich, Tortoises, etc), Wildlife, and Farm Animals. This work centered around caring for animals with special needs - as they had issues stemming from being kept as pets, used for entertainment, abuse cases, or being released from laboratory settings.
From the beginning of Covid onward I situated myself to work on farms - taking a special interest in growing tomatoes. I worked at a certified organic farm full-time from 2020-2022 in Vermont - across serveral seasons and capacities (including setup, seeding, planting, pruning, harvesting, and selling at farmers markets).
Farming Plans and Practices
Farming method or practice
- Organic (not certified)
- Regenerative/Sustainable
Primary crops
-
Vegetables
Primary livestock
None
Farm business plan or farm resume
Farmland Needs
Infrastructure required
-
Water access
Greenhouse, access to water and use of any water systems or tools (if any), a place adequate for starting seeds in March/April
Desired Tenure
I would like to have access to shared or full greenhouse use for the 2024 seasons. I would be willing to pay a small fee to rent but ideally I would be willing to clear out a greenhouse that is no longer in use, or arrange a work exchange agreement.
