The ideal candidate has a minimum of one full growing season, ideally two full years on an organic farm. This person is the crew leader, responsible for helping to oversee the interns and other daily help on the farm.  The assistant manager makes plans happen.  The assistant manager is responsible to the owners of the farm.  This job is between 35-60hrs/week depending on time of year.  This job is from mid Feb-early March through Nov 1-15 and ideally is a two year commitment.  Pay is commensurate with experience, room and board are available.  All of this is negotiable with the right candidate.

Good communication skills are required to facilitate the needs of the management and the crew.  The right candidate has semi fluency in Spanish.  The assistant manager needs to be able to set a pace of quality work, efficiency and make sure others keep that pace in an upbeat fashion.  Respectful communication is essential to an upbeat and productive crew, all work hard on the farm and therefore all need to be respected. 

The assistant manager is given the plan for planting, harvesting, weeding, fertilizing, IMP etc and is expected to see it through to completion.  This person is expected to work closely with the management in updating records, and management plans as farms are dynamic organisms.

The ideal candidate has had experience working on and the basic maintenance of machinery such as rototillers, weed whackers, tractors with implements such as tillers, spaders, disks, mowers, seeders, bed shapers/tape layers, etc.  Training will be provided when necessary.

Please send a resume and letter of intent to Don Lareau and Daphne Yannakakis at 11466 3725 Rd., Paonia, Co. 81428, or dlareau@tds.net, 970-527-3636.  We expect a personal reference and two work references.  Do not hesitate to call or email any questions, and we appreciate your interest in this job.

Internship Information

Dear Potential Intern,

This year is shaping up to be another exciting and diversified year at Zephyros Farm and Garden! Dictated by our markets and goals we focus on the various parts of our farm in this order:  Cut flowers and Vegetables (equal importance), Egg production and Milk production, cheese making and tree fruit. Cut flowers are sold by the stem and in bouquets for the Aspen and Telluride farmers market, and bulk to weddings and designers.  We grow a diversity of vegetables that are sold at the farmer’s markets and plan to have a 15-20 member CSA, along with our existing restaurant accounts.  We have two 26’ x 96’ high tunnels, and one 30' x 96' hightunnel for early and late season flowers and vegetable production, and a 15’ x 50’ greens greenhouse.  We grow organic vegetable and herb starts for early season markets and the farm.  We do the propagation and seeding in our 30’ x 60’ propagation greenhouse.

The animal facet of our farm includes:  100 chickens that live in a trailer that gets moved around the pasture.  Their eggs are great!  A hobby size dairy sheep flock and dairy goat herd that we milk twice daily. We sell the goat milk and primarily use the sheep milk for yogurt and cheese making. Our specialties are chevre, sheep feta, and yogurt. We hope to incorporate a hard cheese into this mix this year.

The big planting project for this season is an acre of small fruit, namely grapes, raspberries, blackberries, and other unique small fruit, as well as, up to an acre of woody cut flowers.  This will be for future production but will require the installation of micro-sprinkler irrigation and various trellising systems.  Finally, we have a small family size orchard of a wide variety of fruit trees, namely peaches, nectarines, cherries, apples, and pears. 

Accommodations:

Camping is available with access to house facilities; two rooms in the old homestead house (the intern house) are available to those who will stay the longest. This house is not luxurious; instead it is a bit rustic, but it is functional.  We supply hot and cold running water, toilet, and bath as well as kitchen facilities including: refrigerator/freezer, electric stove, dishes and cookware.  We expect 40 hours of work a week and require that all interns work on harvest days.  We have a farm lunch together on work days (interns are encouraged to share cooking shifts).  Collectively we are all responsible for the chores on a rotating basis. We encourage study of your area of interest on the farm and encourage you to ask about topics for discussion to provide a complete experiential farming experience.  We have a large library of agricultural books for lending.   Reasonable amounts of in-season on-farm produce, dairy products and eggs are available as well as bulk dried goods for your other meals.  These accommodations and education are part of your payment for being here and we value it at $700/month.

Stipend: The weekly stipend is $110.    

Desired Qualities in our Interns:

We are looking for people interested in sustainable agriculture, who work hard, move fast, follow directions, and can work independently.  Farming is hard work and can be monotonous, so a positive attitude is helpful as we like to have fun and laugh.  We highly suggest that you have a car and bring a bike so that you can thoroughly take advantage of the surrounding areas here on the Western Slope of colorful Colorado!  If you can visit us that would be ideal, but otherwise we will do a phone interview.  We need a resume, at least two references, and a letter of intent about why you want to work on our farm and what you hope to gain out of the experience.  The longer you can stay the better, so let us know because that will help us schedule people; however we do need people for the summer only too. 

About Us:

Daphne has a B.A. in Biology from Reed College in Portland, OR.  Since then she has worked at both large and small nurseries and in the landscaping industry in the US and Europe. This is where she developed a love for propagating plants and planting gardens. She loves to cook, swim in the pond, backpack and ski in the winter season.   Don has a degree in Biology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland OR.  Since then he worked on a mushroom farm in California where he cultivated edible and medicinal mushrooms organically for local markets.  He loves to play with his kids, and get into the powder in the winter.  We decided to move closer to family and follow our mutual passion for sustainable agriculture, and that is how Zephyros Farm and Garden was born.  We have two children, a six year old girl and a three year old boy, who bring magic, wonder and laughter to the farm! They are a big focus and take us away from our work from time to time as they should!  If you have any further questions give us a call at 970-527-3636 or email at dlareau@tds.net.

We look forward to hearing from you,

Take care,

Don Lareau

Daphne Yannakakis

Zephyros Farm and Garden

From Delta/Hotchkiss/Grand Junction/Montrose

Take Highway 50 to Delta, and turn west on Hwy 92 to Hotchkiss.  When in Hotchkiss take Hwy 92 towards Crawford.  About one mile after crossing river turn left onto Back River Road.  In about three miles take a right onto Bone Mesa Rd.  In ¼ mile turn left on 3725 Rd.  Follow to the top of the hill, and the farm is on the right inside the deer fence

From Paonia/Aspen/Carbondale

Turn left off of Hwy 133 into Paonia, this is Grand Ave. (the main Ave. in Paonia) follow until it dead ends on the far side of town and takes a right.  Follow this street and bear left out of town.  This road becomes Back River road.  Follow for about three miles; it takes a right turn about half way.  Look for 3725 Rd. on the left past a tractor tire with a Mechanical services sign inside.  Take a left on 3725 Rd. follow down into creek across stream bed and up the other side.  The farm is the second house on the left inside the deer fence. 

From Denver DIA

Take Pena Blvd out of DIA to I-70 take I-70 West for about three hours to Glenwood Springs.  Take hwy 82 south in Glenwood Springs to Carbondale.  It is about 15 min. to the 133 turn off at Carbondale, take a left onto 133 and go through Carbondale and into mountains, over Mc Clure pass and then follow the above directions.

July 7th, 2009, First Annual Local Food and Funk Fest

September 15th, 2009 5:00-9:00PM

Join with Zpehyros Farm and Garden and The Culinary School of the rockies for another Celebration in the Field Dinner.  Last years dinner was one of the best dinners that we have ever had and so we will be celebrating with the student chefs again as they culminate their week of adventures on local farms.  Come eat what they have learn while being on the local farms, with around 15 chefs it is hard to go wrong.  To make a reservation please go to Celebration Dinner or call 303-494-7988.  We look foraward to hosting you for this most unique event!

2008 Farm Dinners

 The History of Farm Dinners at Zephyros

Thanks to working with Outstandinginthefield via our cohort Rebecca we have started a tradition of having dinners on our farm, and many others in the valley.  We have had the pleasure of working with the best local chefs, growers, and wine makers in our years of having farm dinners.  Below see some of our pictures which say a thousand words!  

 The table is set and ready for guests to arrive with rows of flowers and veggies behind!

Our September supper in 2007 was sponsored by the Kampe Foundation and celebrated the local farmers, forty of whom attended as the guests of the Kampe Foundation and Zephyros.  Pictured are some of the Homestead Ranch familes who keep our spaces open.

Guests seated at the table between the pond and the gardens.

The potatoes from Rivendell Farm

Russ Chapman takes a break

Chef Ryan of the Little Nell working hard

A toast and thanks to all who have made these dinners happen!

Another perfect night at Zephyros, come and join us again.

There are many reasons to join a CSA, why Zephyros?  The first is weekly farm fresh products. Secondly, you will have a farm to call your own, a place to come and watch your vegetables grow, your chickens out on pasture, and to feed and play with your goats. The third is to support local farmers, who bring you fresh organic produce grown with lots of love and without harmful chemicals.  Finally, to be a part of a community of people who share your values and interests, and to share in events at the farm together, that is the community part of the CSA, the most important part.

How It Works

Our CSA will be from mid-May through October, a total of 25 weeks.  This year we will have on-farm pick-up available every Monday afternoon.  You will find your box in the cooler, with some crops in our other cooler (such as tomatoes that do not like the real cold.)

We request a full season, 25 week commitment.  If you plan to be gone arrange for a friend to pick it up or we can donate your share to a local food bank.  We appreciate this as it introduces new members to our CSA, the idea of CSA, and makes the bookkeeping less burdensome.  A limited amount of working shares are available, ask us if you are interested.  Advance payments are encouraged to support our farm when we need it most, in spring.  Monthly payments can also be made, but we do need a down payment of $100 in order to hold your spot. 

Sign up by calling us, or putting a check in the mail, and the rest will be handled through the CSA part of a website.  We will send you notices, give you recipe ideas, and keep you updated about activities on the farm throughout the year.  The website is a great place to check in on your farm and watch your crops grow!

A member of the CSA is like a member of our farm family.  We hope you will come and enjoy the farm, the goats, flowers in the field, or a dip in the pond to take the heat of the day off.  Also, take part in special events held just for CSA members and discount on other farm events.  We look forward to welcoming you into our farm family.

This year we offer four categories of products to meet as many of your needs locally as possible.

Vegetable shares

Our vegetable share is designed for a family of four who eat meat or for two vegetarians. It includes seasonal vegetables and herbs produced organically on the farm.  There will always be an option to buy more of what we have in abundance for canning or parties.  A partial list of items you can expect to find are: arugula, basil, beets, broccoli, carrots,  cauliflower, celery, chard, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, fava beans, fennel, garlic, green beans, hot peppers, Heirloom tomatoes (15+ varieties), kale, leeks, lettuce, melons, mustards, onions, peas, pumpkins, salad greens, salad turnips, shallots, shell beans, summer squash, sweet peppers, tomatillos, turnips, winter squash and a great variety of fresh herbs. 

This list is not exhaustive of all that we have growing on the farm this year, and for many crops, we grow more than one variety.  Some items will be available as U-pick (berries, peas, etc), and as with any CSA you will experience the bounty and hardships we experience. 

The cost of a box each week is $28 or $700 for the 25 week season.  If you pay in full at the beginning of the season please take 10% off the cost.  This does not equate to each box being worth exactly $28, it is the average cost throughout the season.  The boxes in the middle of the season will be abundant with the harvest of summer.  The boxes in spring and late fall will not be as full since many crops are not ready, or frozen.

Flower Share

One our specialties here at the farm are the flowers we grow.  Over the course of a season we grow hundreds of varieties of flowers, making our bouquets unique and stunningly varied.  Expect sunflowers, lilies, amaranth, cosmos, snapdragons, bells of Ireland, zinnias, dahlias, delphiniums, lobelia, and lots of perennial flowers to name but a few.  This year we offer weekly ($300 for the season) and bi-weekly ($150 for the season) flower shares, both priced at $15 per bouquet. You can also call ahead for custom bouquets, or stems.  Also new this year we will have a Farm Bunch of whatever is in abundance.  The price is $8/week, or $200 for the season.  See our flower page of the website to find out why you want flowers in your life!

Egg Shares

In order to give our chickens the best quality of living we offer them fresh pasture all year long.  They have a modified travel trailer turned chicken coop dubbed the ‘Nomad Chicken Pad.’  Chickens that get a diet of green grass, legumes and a wide mix of bugs, lay more nutritious eggs.  Our chickens’ diet is augmented with non-GMO feed and organic supplements. Farm fresh eggs are simply outstanding.  Shares for one dozen a week cost $87.50 for the 25 week summer season.

Meat

Some lamb and goat is available by the half or whole only for CSA members, and friends of the farm.  We may also start to raise chickens for the CSA only, let us know what you think.

This year the freeze of fall has come fast and furious.  It all started so slow that to have it all killed dead by frost so early makes it hard to believe that it really is the day and time that it is.  Already the nights are slightly longer than the days.   The hills are covered by snow and the valley floor is a blaze of golden yellows and burnt orange.  Amazing how quickly our thoughts turn to the next season.  That is a must on the farm as now is the time that we can do things that will make next spring more smooth and successful.  So as we remove the dead and plant the cover crops we take note of the good and the bad of this past year.  Every year is different so we try to compare but Mother Nature makes it difficult to ever compare apples to apples, even if they are apples!

A huge thanks goes out to all those who shopped at our farmer market stands, participated in our CSA, and worked on the farm.  We could not do it without all of your support and hard work.  A special thanks to Karl, Caryn, Karina and Siwar without whom this season would not have been possible, thanks.