Courtesy of Roxanne C., Philadelphia PA Reporters who really dig into the local food movement ask, “Will this time be different?” We don’t know the answer. But those who do the research find that the long term track record of volunteer-based gardening efforts is not good, and the amount community...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Urban Market Garden, Saskatoon SK Labor is the single biggest expense in any farm operation. Big ag’s reliance on migrant labor has been a source of controversy for a while, but use of unpaid help by small scale farmers is also starting to gain attention....
SPIN’s business model does not rely on unpaid help, though it does tap into the “inhouse” labor pool of friends and family now and then. So the legal status of volunteers and interns in the US should not have have any operational effect on SPIN-scale farms there. But the culture...
Courtesy of James K., Virtually Green, San Francisco, CA In most states in the USA it’s illegal for a for-profit farm to utilize volunteers, or interns, to handle routine farm work tasks that would ordinarily be done by paid workers. Many small organic farms have been using farm work volunteers...
Courtesy of Wally S., Wally’s Urban Market Garden, Saskatoon, SK You don’t have to have a bad experience with volunteers. They can be very productive if managed properly. The key is to use them in focused work sessions of around 3 hours. Many volunteers are willing to participate once a...
