2023 BFree Apprenticeship

 

Be a steward of the land  and learn to plant, care for and utilize veggies, edible plants and medicinal herbs throughout a whole growing season alongside Cassandra Dailey, Founder of BFree Organics at her generational apothecary and private residence in the Mount Shasta Region of Northern California. We are open to welcoming a maximum of 7 apprentices into this program. If you are interested, please apply as soon as possible. Local residents are preferred, but not required. If you plan to travel for this apprenticeship, you will be responsible for finding your own living accommodations.
Apprentices will gain an understanding of practices: sowing, planting, cultivating, irrigating, and harvesting a wide variety of edible crops, herbs and flowers. Through hands-on experience, they also learn about: organic seed saving, propagation, herbalism, and how-to craft basic skincare recipes, homeopathic tinctures and remedies for everyday holistic life necessities. 
This class is about growing perennial food crops, herbs and flowers on a human scale, without the use of machines. We will be tending the garden at Cassandra’s private residence, not working on a large farm or orchard. The skills that you learn here will be focused on growing a variety of foods for yourself, your family, and a small community.

With each adventure we have the opportunity to discover the spirit of the elements of earth, water, air and  fire (sun) and to realize we are a part of the circle of life, meaning  the completeness and unity of life’s seasons and ages. This way of life draws on an Indigenous concept of holistic, long-term thinking across seven generations while at the same time reflects the modern context of our ancestral ways. The seven generations belief includes your own generation; three before you (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents); and three after you (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren). There is comfort, insight, and power in this ability to connect more generations than ever before.
 This Apprenticeship creates space for being-to-being learning and exchange with mentors, instructors, and facilitators. We are here to offer hands-on, land-based, skill-building opportunities focused on the old ways of our ancestors  including seed saving & propagation, soils and cultivation, herbalism and holistic lifestyle and care as a whole, based on our own life experiences. 
Occasionally we also invite friends to teach classes in their specialty. Both classes and our special events offer a special opportunity for old and new friends to tour the garden, revel in its bounty, and talk with the people who tend it.

NOTE* This apprenticeship is located at a private residence and will include children of all ages to learn about growing and preparing food, seed saving, bees and other insects, herbalism, garden crafts and much more. Besides teaching about holistic living, the weekly tending “classes” will  provide an opportunity for the kids and parents to meet, socialize and develop friendships within our community. The walk around the small but mighty BFree garden will be a sensory experience: tasting, touching, smelling, listening and seeing; with stops at the greenhouse, flower beds, compost piles and a scenic view of majestic Mount Shasta, with gatherings that will include; story-stelling, arts and live music by local crafters and  indigenous elders.
  • Organic ONLY
  • With a last frost date of April 15th and first frost date of November 15th. This gives us 6 months of gardening time! These dates will vary a week or two so it’s important to watch the weather before planting.
  • One 4-hour day a week for six months
  • Cultivate community with a small group
  • Hands-on experience with dozens of edible perennials, fruits veggies and medicinal plants
  • Welcoming, patient and local instructors
  • Local residents preferred, but not required

  • Learn small-scale, non-mechanized food production.

  • Local plant identifying field trips, hikes and adventures will be planned 3 weeks in advance, and will not be on same days as our “Garden Days” or perhaps we will skip a day to adventure 
  • Located on a private-residential ½ acre land 
  • Growing zone 7B cool-weather annual row crops, including but not limited to:
    • Lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, collards, chard, beets, spinach, chicories, arugula, okra, garlic, leeks, fennel, radishes, zucchini, winter squash, potatoes, turnips, green beans, bunching onions, pea shoots, roots, herbs & flowers
  • Maintained by a seasonal crew of 3–7 staff/ apprentices
  • Building on-site greenhouse 
  • Possibility of building Garden Beds 
  • Installing drip irrigation 
  • Lead nature walks and hikes in surrounding areas to learn about local and naturally growing medicinal plants (fieldtrip)
We will meet each Saturday, with some breaks and flexibility around the weather. During April 21st–October 21st timeline, approximately 22 of the 26 Saturdays will be apprenticeship days. Within that time frame, four Saturdays will be skipped for breaks, and we can expect that some days will be rained out. If you have obligations that prevent you from coming for a few Saturdays don’t worry about it. Most students will miss a few days, but we expect you to attend at least three Saturdays per month. 
We will meet from 8am-12pm each apprenticeship day.
Registration Info
Send an email to apprentice@bfreeorganics.com sharing a bit about yourself, why your interested in a BFree apprenticeship, what you can offer your peers within this program, where you're located, and why you think you'd be a great fit.
Regular Pricing: Will be shared upon receiving your application, reviewing it and selecting you as a BFree apprentice. No one will be turned away because of finances. If you are the right fit, you will be included and have full access to the entire program.
Please pay what you can afford. The suggested offering price is to help cover the cost of hosting this seasonal course, guest facilitators etc.