Greentree Naturals Apprentice Programs

Our apprenticeship program began in 1997 and has proved to be very successful. Having apprentices at our farm has been a mutually beneficial arrangement. Diane is accredited through University of Idaho as a Farmer Mentor with the Cultivating Success program. She has developed an extensive on-farm curriculum with options for college credits through UI and WSU.

An apprenticeship is a valuable and rewarding form of on-the-job education received in exchange for labor on the farm. Our goal is to provide this alternative education experience to as many people as possible in order to stimulate a renewed interest in organic production, rural communities, and small farm agriculture.

Apprentices gain the practical skills of organic farming through daily participation in farm tasks – from planting to harvest, marketing through sales at the farmers market, a small CSA program, and sales to restaurants. There are many activities on the farm that are described throughout our website that include apprentice participation. We have two rustic camp trailers for housing on the farm, or we have a couple of off-farm, low cost rental situations through other farms in the area that may be available.

There are opportunities to have a shared apprenticeship with other local farms to broaden perspectives and experience. The chef that prepares food for all of our on-farm events that involve refreshments for us has provided a one day a week apprenticeship for students that wanted to learn culinary skills, organic food processing, and organic bread baking.

An apprentice will learn all aspects of organic production practices. In May and early June, the focus is on planning the garden, preparing the soil for planting; direct seeding & transplanting; season extension, companion planting, intercropping & crop rotation, planning for succession planting, assessing soil health, organic amendments, compost, manures, organic matter & foliar feeding.

In late June, we begin to focus on weed control techniques and pest management. We assess pro-active pest control practices, identification, natural pest formulas, catch-cropping and plant-pest relationships for natural pest control throughout the growing season. As the growing season progresses, we focus on harvesting techniques for optimum yields for vegetables, herbs, cut flowers and post harvest handling; how to get the most out of your garden harvest. Once the gardens are mature, we concentrate on seed saving and cover all aspects of seed selection, hand pollination, collection, and saving seed.

For information about Cultivating Success visit www.cultivatingsuccess.org

Contact us for an application or more information about Greentree Naturals apprenticeship program!

Apprentice Perspectives

I asked our apprentices from recent years if they wanted to share their viewpoint of personal experiences spending time on the farm at Greentree Naturals. I wish that I would have thought of this many years ago. Be that as it may, years ago, I never would have thought of having a website or the opportunity to share such anecdotes. I feel it is important to note that a number of young men have apprenticed with us over the years as well. It just happens that the young women are the ones who have chosen to share their point of view with you on our website. The following perspectives are what our most recent apprentices wanted to share with you.

Ryan Arnold Summer Intern 2008

Email: ryanarnold@vandals.uidaho.edu

I came to Greentree Naturals with a lot of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and goals of what I wanted to learn, how I wanted to apply this knowledge in my personal and business life, and I think most importantly how I wanted to use this experience to enrich my life and perhaps change my perspective. Looking back on my time with Diane and Thom, I can’t imagine spending my summer any other way and are so appreciative for them sharing their knowledge, experience, support, and laughter for the four months I had the honor of being with them.

It’s been said that the three most stressful times in your life are graduating college, finding a new career, and getting married. The summer of 2008 was the summer when all of this was going on in my life. My time at Greentree Naturals gave me a sense of calm during this exciting time of my life, a new appreciation for food, wildlife, and the complexities of the earth, a new lifelong skill and appreciation for growing food, and perhaps some necessary counseling and mentoring from two of the most caring and understanding people I have spent time with.

I believe that I came to Greentree Naturals for the many of the core reasons that people are attracted to organic farming in general: The appreciation of food, the love of the earth, and the yearning to connect those two somehow within your own life in a meaningful way. I found this everyday working with Diane and Thom. I learned to be at pace with nature, and in turn, be at pace with myself. I learned to appreciate the small things, and the simple things, but also came to realize that nothing from the earth is as simple as it seems, and that natures complexities can be quite humbling everyday. Finally, I learned the labor of Love, and that not only do good things happen to good people, but good things also come from good people as well. I feel there is no better representation of this than the wonderful organic foods being grown by Diane and Thom at Greentree Naturals.

For those of you considering being an apprentice at Greentree Naturals I can only try to convey my experience to you in the way I remember it, and will always appreciate it, hoping my words do this special place justice. I cannot tell you will have the same experience that I did, but I can lend you my advice. Whatever reason you are considering an apprenticeship at Greentree Naturals, go in with an open mind and an open heart, and your summer will be one you will always remember and cherish.

Erin Bohm: Summer Intern 2007

Email: erinkaarina@yahoo.com

"Doing an internship" can mean many different things, but what I experienced at Diane and Thom's farm was, in my opinion, the highest expression of the internship concept. It was what all internships should be: a concentrated period of education, mentoring, experimentation, reflection and fun! It was an exceptional example of how fulfilling a trade can be; I feel like the labor I offered was repaid a hundred times over every day that I spent at the farm. For every row weeded, planted and harvested, my hands, ears, eyes and mind took in seasons upon seasons of valuable knowledge, distilled down by Diane and Thom into a fun conversation or a story that became a lesson. ;History class, biology class, life skills class, oh and of course horticulture class, were always going on. But, instead of sitting in a chair in a classroom I was kneeling in the soil on my kneepads scribbling away on my grubby pocket notebook made of stapled scrap paper. Dozens of tidbits of information, giant in their value, trickled out of every task and needed to be jotted down somewhere right away as there were too many in a day to be remembered. Each one represented volumes and they were given freely, mine to keep. It has all been hard-won and yet is happily and patiently shared. The nature of our shared time is a piece of a larger oral history, as vital to an education as any text.

And then there was lunch! Watching my body respond to being fueled by such healthful food, air, water and, did I mention, FOOD, was also an education. What would happen if we all ate fresh food everyday? What might change in our minds and bodies, our cities and towns, our relationships and lifestyles? An overwhelmingly attractive concept that I learned for the first time at Greentree was the implications of having, or not having, local food systems. Diane and Thom's clarity and passion around this holistic concept was brought home in my everyday experience at the farm. I am taking away with me a taste of what it could be like to truly live a life that is sustained locally. Achieving such independence from manipulative commercialism and building a foundation of self-sufficiency is not only a personal goal, but it is my activism. By spending time with Diane and Thom my goals and ideals found footing in tangible knowledge and I got a chance to feel what it is like to have my visions for the future enthusiastically supported!

Emily Levine / Summer 2006

Email: emily.levine@gmail.com

Beans! When I think back on my summer at Greentree, the first thing I think of is beans. Long, daunting rows of them, loaded with crisp French filets waiting to be picked, bagged, and dispersed to CSA members all over town. Though a small backache ensued, picking beans was a labor of love, as was every garden chore this summer. It was truly a blessing to be involved in such a beautiful process from seed to plate, and to provide such a wonderful and necessary product to the community.

If I learned one thing this summer, it is that I could do this every year for a century and learn something new every day. From catching and identifying pests to finding new ways to package and market produce, this apprenticeship was invaluable. No matter how much or little you know about growing food or flowers, nothing but a full summer (or many more!) of working on a commercial farm can prepare you for starting your own.

Emily decided to stay in the Sandpoint area and developed a Local Food Challenge within our community for 2007.

Christine Malek / Summer 2006

Email: male8729@uidaho.edu

Greentree time. It is difficult to imagine living in a 12x15 camp trailer with no electricity or water but it was great. My time on the farm of Greentree Naturals was magical and fantastic. I did not realize the amount of marketing that went into farming. That was one of the most invaluable parts of the experience for me. If you are a farmer in a new area or an old farmer in your tenth season you need to take a look at the other farms around you. Fill the gaps. I am looking to move to the Olympia, Washington area and the first thing I noticed when I visited their Farmer's Market was that there were no Golden Beets. I automatically thought, “If I moved here I could corner the market on Golden Beets.”

It is very satisfying to wake up in the morning and go down and put your hands in the earth. It is more than the act but the planning behind it. There are months of work and though behind a garden. I will always follow the advice of starting small. It took decades for Greentree to get as large as it is. I don't see them stopping anytime soon but at first it was just the circle garden. It is like being a parent. You must first have a baby before a teenager. Plants are a lot of work. Thankfully the work at Greentree was fun and educational. I will apply the education from there to my future gardens and farms. My summer and six credits from the University of Idaho at Greentree Naturals gave me a practical and enjoyable view of sustainable agriculture. I wish everyone were so lucky.

Christine graduated from University of Idaho and moved to Olympia, Washington where she is working at a local food Co-op..

Anastacia Kampe / Summer 2005

Email: anastaciakampe@msn.com
My name is Anastacia Kampe. I found Greentree through a website recommended by a professor at University of Montana last spring. I drove up north to Sand Point to get further acquainted with people and surroundings and to my delight, was offered a position. I worked as a full time apprentice at the farm for the 2005 season.

It is going to be difficult to accurately put into words the experience that unfolded at the farm. The farm is so much more than a piece of land that produces delicious organic vegetables and flowers, some so brilliant that they are almost hypnotic. What makes Greentree so special are the people who live there and create the hospitable atmosphere.

Diane and Thom live, play and work hard on their land with a dedication, care and intention that is incomparable. Other folks; long time friends, community members with a new interest in organics, and interns from years past are more people that add to the beauty and character of the farm. The character of Greentree is further enhanced by the life in the earth, plants, and resident animals, and also the wild ones that drift through (both on wing and foot) to remind me that I am part of a much larger system. The connections made between the earth and the elements, by the farmer, apprentice, consumer, teacher, student, and friend this past summer are ones that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I am grateful that I was able to be a part of such a unique community that thrives with such grace and intention that is Greentree. (See bottom of page for ‘The Tomato House Story'.)

Ana has moved to Paonia, Colorado where she is working with the Valley Organic Growers Association. Her goal is to develop an adopt-a-farm program that works on building relationships between local growers, students and their food.

Susanne Wimberley / Summer 2004

Email: suswim123@yahoo.com
I came to Greentree Naturals in June of 2004 not knowing much more about vegetables other than I liked to eat them and therefore wanted to know how to grow them. When I arrived, I expected to learn what it means to own a small organic farm, how to garden, and how to sell the fruits of my labor. These subjects were covered in depth and I was amazed at how much I learned without even realizing it.

We helped with all of it, from planting, to weeding, to harvesting and processing. Organic farming is 50% weeding and way more work than I ever thought it would be, but it was by far the best summer of my life. I met the most amazing group of people, lived in one of the coolest places in the US, and have two new priceless friendships with my former co-apprentices, and all of this while learning!

If that wasn't enough, there are not enough good things to say about Diane, her wealth of knowledge, her respect in the community, and her kind nature. She will no doubt be the greatest person you ever work for. Greentree will always have a special place in my heart and I highly recommend the apprenticeship.

Susanne has gone on to follow her love of animals and has started up her own small farm near Vay, Idaho. Once the commercial kitchen is completed, she will be making fresh goat cheese from her small goat herd and selling locally as Wheyward Goat Cheese Company.

Lindsay Cochran / Summer 2004 & 2005

Email: linsaywylie@gmail.com
I feel incredibly grateful to have found Greentree Naturals. In the course of a season on the farm, I learned more than I could have from reading any number of books. I gained a realistic perspective about what it takes to operate a successful, small-acreage, diversified, organic farm, and solidified my resolve that at some point I will have a farm of my own.

It was abundantly clear that Diane and Thom's sustainable growing (and life!) wisdom is the fruit of years of experience; they graciously shared all this vital knowledge with us daily as we worked alongside them, as well as in the exceptional organic gardening workshops that Diane teaches. If you are seeking a setting in which to saturate yourself in learning about sustainable market growing to decide if it is the right path for you, I whole-heartedly urge you to find your way to the piece of paradise that is Greentree Naturals. Surrounded by beautiful abundance, you will work hard, learn much, be inspired, have more fun than you could imagine in one summer, and find friends of the truest kind!

Linsay returned to her family's heritage farm in New York state that dates back to the Revolutionary war where she is working to develop a small farm enterprise.

Alicia Best / Summer 2003, 2004, 2005

Email: bestici@hotmail.com
I spent two summers at Greentree Naturals Farm. During that time, I learned why organic is more expensive. It takes a lot of work to pick, clean, weigh and bag lettuce leaves (especially if the leaf was harvested after a rain). I learned about how to put up a hoop house and prepare the beds for planting. Learned the process of plant propagation, how to harvest flowers, seeds, vegetables and fruits. I also was able to spend a couple of afternoons in the garden weeding. Succeeded in becoming a squash wiping, bean picking, goat licker. Saw how to market to restaurants and how to set up a successful CSA. Figured out that the world would be a much nicer place to live if people like Thom and Diane were the norm rather than the exception. This place is great if you want to learn about organic farming and are open to a life lesson on a daily basis.

 Alicia has been the farm manager of Penrith Farms located outside of Newport, Washington for several years and has become a successful market grower.  She sells to several local restaurants and at the farmers market in Liberty,Lake, WA.

The following is a wonderful story that Ana wrote about harvesting tomatoes. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of her actually in the tomato house. Instead, this is a photo of her washing salad mix for CSA's.

The Tomato House as a Whole Body Experience

Written by Anastasia Kampe at Greentree Naturals summer 2005

Sweet, dense, damp & dripping, fertile, and thoroughly engrossing.

The tomato house was both my favorite and least favorite place on the farm.

The work was tedious, time consuming and cumbersome; it required my full attention. But there I was, warmly surrounded by bite sized snacks and a task that reminded me of a childhood treasure hunt. Not bad.

The tomato house had a 15 foot row of basil down the center, flanked on either side by tomato bushes so dense the short distance (2 feet) to the plastic on the other side was invisible. Reaching skyward, some determined plants had breached the plastic roof of the hoop house.

Harvesting down the middle was not bad, it became more interesting when my ambition got the best of me and I decided that I could reach the fruit on the back side of the plants. I squeeze into an area between the plants and the plastic wall of the hoop house that is usually reserved for the farm's curious orange kitten.

To access the “unreachable tomato zone” I have to crouch down and crawl on my belly to harvest, all the while remaining mindful not to knock off any flowers, damage the plants or get too soaked from the wet walls. It was an almost acrobatic feat; imagine the posture of a soldier crawling close the ground while under enemy fire, his weapon close to his chest. This is my technique, except my weapon is a wicker harvest basket; my only enemies are the sharp edges on the support cages, wet walls and squished tomato landmines.

Each Tuesday I would emerge victorious, covered in mysterious yellow tomato dust with a collection of delicate fruit. Sweet. In taste, in their shape, color and all that it implies.

Those little sun gold tomatoes were not vegetables, they were the sweetest, most flavorful spherical units of joy that I've indulged in on a regular basis.

Dense; The tomato house was thick. Not just in a physical sense of the proximity from plant to plant, but the air was thick. When the doors rolled open, I was immediately engulfed by the thick energy of the plants. I could taste the life in tomato house with each breath as I stepped in.

Damp and drip-drip-dripping. The plants transpire in an enclosed area their whole lives, combined with the solar heat to create a tomato and basil steam bath.

Great on chilly days; stifling on hot days.

Invigorating drips drop off the roof pulling me back to the task at hand.

Fertile. After harvesting in the tomato house I would leave covered in yellow pollen that wouldn't wash off for days; baby tomatoes in my hair and a smile I could not conceal.