2020 season volunteer Sophie harvesting cucumbers.

As our farm moves into our 2021 season, Common Roots Farm is looking for volunteer field hands to help us throughout the season. We hope to find one or two people who are interested in our social mission and eager to learn about farming. Our field hands will have the opportunity to learn about a diversified market farm approach to small scale agriculture and experience all aspects of our farming operations. Tasks can include bed preparation, planting, irrigation set up, greenhouse care, weeding, harvesting, washing and packing produce, bouquet making, helping with our CSA, and, of course, working COVID-19 safely alongside people with developmental disabilities to do the farm’s daily work. Live-in accommodations, fresh produce and eggs, and a small stipend are available.

While this isn’t a formal farm educational program, we offer an enriching experience for our volunteers. As farm manager, I love to share knowledge and will train and orient you to our farm systems. These are hands-on opportunities for lessons on various topics as the season progresses.

We are looking for folks who can make a commitment of five to six months between May/June and October/November. We will continue social distancing and masking when working within six feet from another farmer. Our climate and setting make safety during COVID-19 less challenging than indoor environments. This is a great opportunity for students looking for work experience who are curious about ecological methods of growing food and flowers on a small scale farm.

With his can-do attitude and some help from other scouts in his Mountain View Troop 80, Tim came to the farm on weekends and planned how to strengthen the pen’s frame, add a gate, attach fencing wire, and — perhaps most important for the goats — build a covered roof over their sleeping area.

Last month, Tim declared victory! Our new goat pen is now ready for its new inhabitants, and Tim can be proud of the work he has done and the contribution he has made to our farm.

We plan to get two or three dwarf Nigerian Dwarf goat wethers to add to our farm family. These goats will not only eat down our weeds (we hear they are particularly effective with bindweed which is a noxious weed on our farm), but will also provide our farmers with disabilities the opportunity to learn more about animal husbandry. We expect they will also add a lot of entertainment and, if Doug from Imagine is reading this, some escape artistry as well!

Come see us on April 10 or 17 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at 301 Golf Club Drive in Santa Cruz. Browse while you’re here or pre-order your plants and we’ll have them set aside for you to pick up. Visit our website at the end of March for pre-order options.

Bring your mask and be sure to leave time to stroll the farm if you are needing a stretch break and some infusion of spring hope. Cover crop will be blooming, birds are back, and we will have begun some planting out of our crops. You can get a peek from a distance at our next door neighbor’s progress on Coastal Haven’s new pocket neighborhood coming soon! Mother nature might even provide a few fresh strawberries for sale. Our value-added products like strawberry jam, hot sauce, and shrubs will also be available for purchase.

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