We hope that after working and learning as an apprentice on our farm that you will have gained in knowledge and experience. We don’t hold formal classes here but would like to offer workshops to the public in the future. We work alongside you and share as much as we can of what we have learned from our years of farming. It is a good idea to keep a journal and keep notes as the season goes on. We offer an experiential education, hands on, feet in the soil, and that if you take advantage of your time here to you will come away with the basic knowledge of what it would take to begin your own operation. We grow organically, so you would be learning (& eating) from that perspective as well.
comments
"If every farm was like Rolling Fork Farm the World would be a dramatically happier, healthier, more beautiful place." ~ Blake Hester (2013)
"During my time interning at Rolling Fork Organic Farm I had the opportunity to become involved in all aspects and stages of the farm's operations. From harvesting crops, to delivering orders to the local co-op, and from seeding freshly tilled soil, to pruning the 8 foot tall tomato plants in the greenhouse. I especially enjoyed CSA days and getting to meet the people that would be enjoying the produce that we had picked just earlier that day. Another valuable experience I had was learning about raising free range pork and how to cycle them throughout the farm to bring nutrients back to the soil. Scott was great at mixing things up throughout the day so that we did a variety of things rather than just one thing each day. Scott also listens to his intern's input and likes to bounce ideas off them which I appreciated.
In addition to all the knowledge and skills I gained, I also enjoyed the beauty of the farm and the surrounding area. Some especially beautiful mornings the farm would be engulfed in a misty blanket of fog and huge white mushrooms would poke up out of the grass. When I arrived at the farmhouse to begin the day's work a wet puppy would run up to greet me then we'd all go harvest to start out the day. There would always be a bit leftover from the harvest for the interns and I really enjoyed cooking with all the delicious, healthy produce I brought home with me.
I would highly recommend spending some time at Rolling Fork if you are at all interested in organic farming. I know I benefited greatly from it and it will help me in my own endeavor to have an organic farm some day." - Rachel Herring (2014)
"Rolling Fork Farm is truly a great place to learn and work. You couldn’t ask for a prettier spot to spend your days or better people to spend them with. The Farm Manager, Scott, is patient and fair. Like everything in life, you get back what you put into this internship. If you are serious about organic agriculture, I cannot stress enough how wonderful an opportunity an internship with Rolling Fork is for you. I don’t know of any other opportunity like it in Kentucky for sure. You’ll learn the nuisances of field work, but also how to see the farm as a whole. Farming, real farming, is a skill that takes years to develop. That said, Rolling Fork is an amazing place to get your start." ~ Sam Hawes (2013)
"Work on Rolling Fork Farm was an amazing experience that I could not say enough good things about. All of the responsibilities of the farm were shared among the apprentices and the boss/workers. We worked side by side in the field; first being caught up to speed on how everything was done, until I was confident in doing all of those things, at which point we just became good friends working together. No two days were exactly the same. Each day presented different tasks to be done, new crops to be taken care of, or at least new talks to be had between the workers. If an apprentice had an idea of how to do something more efficiently, or to do their own project, they were heard and given a chance. My boss even went out of his way to take us on “field trips” to other farms or just to do other fun stuff. One time we took a tour of the University of Kentucky’s organic farm.
When I decided to apprentice on Rolling Fork Farm, I had no farming background whatsoever. I was taking a risk to do something new and go somewhere I had never been before. The risk paid off though; there is so much good in farming and especially in this area. A hundred times I got the sense that the whole business of organic farming is picking up there, so it is a good place to be! Good people everywhere there too! Also, the farm is on a beautiful piece of land in the wooded hills of Forkland, Kentucky. The farm is ‘out there’ away from any city, yet I never felt like I was too isolated from the rest of the world. Frequent deliveries to Good Foods Co-Op in Lexington and CSA drop-offs in Danville got me out and about plenty. Danville is a great small town that seemed to have events going on almost every weekend. So, all in all, my experience was invaluable for learning about farming and life. If you are considering a farming apprenticeship, then you are already on a good track. Follow it to RFF! Hail to the Kale!" ~ Alex Wright (2011 & 2012)
"I was an apprentice at RFF from June to mid-November 2012. I was able to be apart of each step of the growing cycle, including fertilizing,tilling, seeding, transplanting, harvesting and delivering to local markets. It was a great experience and I would recommend the apprenticeship to anyone interested in organic farming." ~ Annie Schultz (2011 & 2012)
"During my time interning at Rolling Fork Organic Farm I had the opportunity to become involved in all aspects and stages of the farm's operations. From harvesting crops, to delivering orders to the local co-op, and from seeding freshly tilled soil, to pruning the 8 foot tall tomato plants in the greenhouse. I especially enjoyed CSA days and getting to meet the people that would be enjoying the produce that we had picked just earlier that day. Another valuable experience I had was learning about raising free range pork and how to cycle them throughout the farm to bring nutrients back to the soil. Scott was great at mixing things up throughout the day so that we did a variety of things rather than just one thing each day. Scott also listens to his intern's input and likes to bounce ideas off them which I appreciated.
In addition to all the knowledge and skills I gained, I also enjoyed the beauty of the farm and the surrounding area. Some especially beautiful mornings the farm would be engulfed in a misty blanket of fog and huge white mushrooms would poke up out of the grass. When I arrived at the farmhouse to begin the day's work a wet puppy would run up to greet me then we'd all go harvest to start out the day. There would always be a bit leftover from the harvest for the interns and I really enjoyed cooking with all the delicious, healthy produce I brought home with me.
I would highly recommend spending some time at Rolling Fork if you are at all interested in organic farming. I know I benefited greatly from it and it will help me in my own endeavor to have an organic farm some day." - Rachel Herring (2014)
"Rolling Fork Farm is truly a great place to learn and work. You couldn’t ask for a prettier spot to spend your days or better people to spend them with. The Farm Manager, Scott, is patient and fair. Like everything in life, you get back what you put into this internship. If you are serious about organic agriculture, I cannot stress enough how wonderful an opportunity an internship with Rolling Fork is for you. I don’t know of any other opportunity like it in Kentucky for sure. You’ll learn the nuisances of field work, but also how to see the farm as a whole. Farming, real farming, is a skill that takes years to develop. That said, Rolling Fork is an amazing place to get your start." ~ Sam Hawes (2013)
"Work on Rolling Fork Farm was an amazing experience that I could not say enough good things about. All of the responsibilities of the farm were shared among the apprentices and the boss/workers. We worked side by side in the field; first being caught up to speed on how everything was done, until I was confident in doing all of those things, at which point we just became good friends working together. No two days were exactly the same. Each day presented different tasks to be done, new crops to be taken care of, or at least new talks to be had between the workers. If an apprentice had an idea of how to do something more efficiently, or to do their own project, they were heard and given a chance. My boss even went out of his way to take us on “field trips” to other farms or just to do other fun stuff. One time we took a tour of the University of Kentucky’s organic farm.
When I decided to apprentice on Rolling Fork Farm, I had no farming background whatsoever. I was taking a risk to do something new and go somewhere I had never been before. The risk paid off though; there is so much good in farming and especially in this area. A hundred times I got the sense that the whole business of organic farming is picking up there, so it is a good place to be! Good people everywhere there too! Also, the farm is on a beautiful piece of land in the wooded hills of Forkland, Kentucky. The farm is ‘out there’ away from any city, yet I never felt like I was too isolated from the rest of the world. Frequent deliveries to Good Foods Co-Op in Lexington and CSA drop-offs in Danville got me out and about plenty. Danville is a great small town that seemed to have events going on almost every weekend. So, all in all, my experience was invaluable for learning about farming and life. If you are considering a farming apprenticeship, then you are already on a good track. Follow it to RFF! Hail to the Kale!" ~ Alex Wright (2011 & 2012)
"I was an apprentice at RFF from June to mid-November 2012. I was able to be apart of each step of the growing cycle, including fertilizing,tilling, seeding, transplanting, harvesting and delivering to local markets. It was a great experience and I would recommend the apprenticeship to anyone interested in organic farming." ~ Annie Schultz (2011 & 2012)