Farmer(s): Jameson Hubbard
Location: 4139 Highland Ave, Kansas City, MO
Contact: [email protected]
Apprenticeship opportunities: Paid positions only
Housing available near/on farm: NO
Website, Facebook
Location: 4139 Highland Ave, Kansas City, MO
Contact: [email protected]
Apprenticeship opportunities: Paid positions only
Housing available near/on farm: NO
Website, Facebook
Dirt Beast Farm is a 1.5 acre urban farm located near 39th and Paseo in Kansas City, MO. Of that 1.5 acres, ¾ of an acre is under cultivation while the remainder is reserved for a 3,000 square foot community garden and a ½ acre forested hillside that serves as urban wildlife habitat. Our farm was created to serve many roles both for our customers and our neighbors - be it growing and supplying food, providing a meeting-and-eating place during our pizza nights, or offering a “lillypad” to bird and wildlife species in a neighborhood where properties are routinely clear cut for out-of-state funded development. Due to our location within the city, and the close proximity we have with our customers, we are always working to find ways to meet the needs of our Dirt Beast community.
We utilize 64” wide beds in the field with living pathways, and 30” beds in our 2 high tunnels and 2 caterpillar tunnels, to grow most crops types you would find at a farmers market. Our season runs from February until December 31, with sales beginning in April. During that time we offer two 15-week income based sliding scale CSA programs, grow and sell vegetable seedlings for home gardeners, attend the Overland Park Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and sell produce through our online store. We are a no-till farm and use only organic fertilizers and pesticides, when needed, but are not organic certified.
Our work is physically demanding and fast paced. Apprentices are expected to perform all tasks of a regular employee after appropriate training on each task. We regularly use tools such as broadforks to loosen the soil, wheelbarrows to move heavy loads of soil or mulch, harvest knives and pruners, and most other hand tools associated with a farm. No gas powered equipment is used on the farm by employees/apprentices. In addition to pay, employees and apprentices are given a CSA-shares worth of vegetables each week, and free Neapolitan pizza during our pizza nights.
We do not use unpaid labor on our farm. If you are accepted into our apprentice program, you will be paid $13-$16/hr based on productivity, with the option of raises as proficiency increases.
We utilize 64” wide beds in the field with living pathways, and 30” beds in our 2 high tunnels and 2 caterpillar tunnels, to grow most crops types you would find at a farmers market. Our season runs from February until December 31, with sales beginning in April. During that time we offer two 15-week income based sliding scale CSA programs, grow and sell vegetable seedlings for home gardeners, attend the Overland Park Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and sell produce through our online store. We are a no-till farm and use only organic fertilizers and pesticides, when needed, but are not organic certified.
Our work is physically demanding and fast paced. Apprentices are expected to perform all tasks of a regular employee after appropriate training on each task. We regularly use tools such as broadforks to loosen the soil, wheelbarrows to move heavy loads of soil or mulch, harvest knives and pruners, and most other hand tools associated with a farm. No gas powered equipment is used on the farm by employees/apprentices. In addition to pay, employees and apprentices are given a CSA-shares worth of vegetables each week, and free Neapolitan pizza during our pizza nights.
We do not use unpaid labor on our farm. If you are accepted into our apprentice program, you will be paid $13-$16/hr based on productivity, with the option of raises as proficiency increases.
