We welcome people worldwide to apply for our apprenticeships

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2023 BIODYNAMIC FARMING APPRENTICESHIPS

For International Applicants

AT THREE SPRINGS COMMUNITY FARM

Biodynamically Grown Vegetables, Goat Dairy Products & Pork

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program Farm School Group Visits Program

Three Springs Community Farm Foundation is currently accepting applications for the 2023 farm season, which will start February 1st, 2023 and run for one year. The Apprenticeship Program takes place on a beautiful and secluded 80-acre ranch & Biodynamic Farm, in Sonoma County, California between the towns of Freestone and Bodega.

Three Springs Community Farm is a developing Biodynamic educational farm, with dairy goats, pigs, chickens and produce. The farm was founded in 2017 to be a learning farm and retreat for the students, families and faculty of Bay Area Waldorf Schools, as well as a productive diversified operation serving the food needs of our mostly urban Bay Area Farm Members. We host school groups each Spring and Fall, and offer family camping in our campground throughout the season. The Farm Membership (CSA) is based on principles of associative economics and serves families in Sonoma County, the East Bay, and San Francisco through a sliding-scale model. We look to the principals of Anthroposophy and Social Threefolding to guide our community work, endeavoring to practice love, compassion, direct communication and non-violent communication.

Three Springs Biodynamic Farm Apprenticeship offers a structured curriculum of study in regenerative, Biodynamic and spiritual farming practices, along with hands on learning, guided and mentored by Willow & Lew Summer (running apprenticeship and internship programs since 2000), as well as other teachers. Through close mentoring, our Apprenticeship offers an opportunity to gain mastery in all aspects of our diverse farm, including nursery work, vegetable production, animal husbandry, farm carpentry, irrigation, forestry & trail work, tending perennial plantings and farm planning, all with an emphasis on the Biodynamic practices given by Rudolf Steiner in the Agriculture Course and other lecture cycles. Farm Apprentices are also important leaders in their own right, helping to mentor school group visitors, high school students, and volunteers. Through study and action, we learn together how to support the farm and all its inhabitants, so it can in turn support our community of farmers and eaters.

Our financial assistance program offers full tuition, as well as living stipends of up to $700 per month for qualifying students (annual income of $25,000 or less). On-site housing, farm produce & staple food are included in the program. The Apprenticeship is a full time, five day a week, year-long vocational training with two break weeks during the season and 4-6 weeks off during December and January. Additional requirements include a deposit, returned upon successful completion of the program, and proof of health insurance coverage. Couples who wish to farm together are welcome to apply.

We welcome people worldwide to apply for our apprenticeships.

Applicants must have a post-secondary degree and at least one year of full-time equivalent experience in their career field OR have five full-time equivalent years of professional work experience in their career field.

Please apply to Three Springs Community Farm Foundation to see if you are a good fit for our program.

To receive an application or if you have questions, please email Willow Summer at Willow.violet.summer@gmail.com and/or text to 510-409-3214 Applications accepted on a first come/first served basis. Additional qualified applicants may apply for the following year. (To reduce administrative tasks we do not currently have a web presence) Three Springs Community Farm Foundation practices affirmative action to recruit and advance qualified people of color, women & LGBTQ people

Once your application process is completed with Three Springs Community Farm Foundation, you will begin the process of applying for a visa to come to the United States.

International applicants come to the United States of America through the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (also called BridgeUSA), using a J-1 visa. Three Springs Community Farm Foundation partners with one of the Department of State’s chosen sponsor organizations, a non-profit organization called Experience International (EI).

Experience International will ensure that you meet the criteria for the Exchange Visitor Program and will guide you through the necessary steps to apply for the J-1 visa. (Please note that you cannot go directly to the U.S. embassy in your country for a J-1 application or visa, you must work through a sponsor organization.)

Exchange Visitor Program fees are paid directly to EI for them to sponsor you in our program and provide the documents necessary to apply for the J-1 Visa at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country.

• $1,400 program fee
• $70 per month for health insurance. EI provides connection to insurance.
• $380 visa fees
• $125 administrative fee
• Fees are subject to occassional change. Please visit the EI website for the most up to date information. www.expint.org.

Here are the steps for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program application and visa process. This process takes approximately three months to complete.

• Once your application process with Three Springs Community Farm Foundation is completed, we send your contact information to Experience International. They then contact you by email.
• You provide them with your resumé and a short explanation of why this apprenticeship at Three Springs Community Farm Foundation will be useful to you.
• Experience International sends you a link to the online application and gives you a list of supporting documents to submit.
• After you complete the application and deposit, EI arranges a video conference screening with you.
• EI emails you a formal Confirmation of Placement (contract) and DS7002 (formal training plan) to review and sign. You pay the remaining fees.
• EI issues the DS2019 (Certificate of Eligibility) & DS7002 forms in visa packet to you by express courier.
• You apply for your visa online and set up an interview appointment at the U.S. embassy or consulate (wait time for an appointment can be anywhere between a week and a few months).
• You complete your interview at embassy or consulate and are granted a visa.
• You can then purchase your flight to go to U.S. after consultation with Three Springs Community Farm Foundation.