We love having guest gardeners at Meeting House Farm who want to get to know the plants!

Honoring the Past

In traditional herbal communities, back in the 1500-1600's, a person paid to be apprenticed. We are honoring this tradition with our Many Hands apprenticeship program.

Our program focuses on deeply educating apprentices while they work hands-on with the plants. Apprentices will grow, dry and process medicinal herbs.

• Root Wisdom (applications are open through September)

  Apprentices will work with multiple roots over the course of the sessions, following each root on its journey from harvest to apothecary.

• Seed to Soul (applications for this option are closed until 2024)

  This program provides intensive work with one plant throughout the growing season (participants can apply to work with multiple plants).

Please read this entire page of information and apply as directed below.

Root Wisdom

• This apprenticeship is designed to provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to deepen your relationship with several root allies. 

• Join us to experience this magical time of year with the plants as we harvest each root after the plant has gone dormant. We will work, get our hands dirty and it might be chilly!

• Work sessions include:
  • Deep plant education in a small group atmosphere
  • Farming methods that work with biodynamic rhythms
  • Root harvesting and processing
  • Work in our on-the-farm apothecary

• There are 6 sessions on Tuesdays from October 10 - November 28. We work from 10am -4pm with an hour for lunch. There is no work the week of Thanksgiving.

• There are 3 apprenticeship slots available. 

• Apprentices will learn about the following roots:  
  • Solomon Seal
  • Valerian
  • Astragalus
  • Elecampane 

• Cost is $1,260 per person.

• You may also apply to the Seed to Soul program (when applications are open).

The application process for the Root Wisdom option is from March through September.

Watch our newsletter and social media posts for reminders and updates.

To apply, please see the "To Apply" section below for a link to the application.

Important Considerations & Safety

A Note about Accessibility

• Most tasks will require the ability to:
• Grasp hand tools
• Sit, kneel, or squat down close to the ground.
• Reach out into the garden beds from a low position or bend over plants that are anywhere between a few inches to several feet tall.
• Access to the field is mostly flat grass lawn with some gentle slopes.

Cancellations

• If the farm has to cancel a workday due to inclement weather or other reasons, the session will be rescheduled.

Tools

Apprentices bring their own supplies: 

• Gardening tools (hand tools work well)
• Something to kneel on
• Natural sunscreen
• Natural bug spray
• Something to harvest fresh herbs with & into (to take home)
• Gloves if you want them
• Clippers

Please let us know if acquiring these things will be a hardship and we will do our best to find a fitting solution.  We have found for folks interested in working with the earth these tools are an essential investment that will serve you well for many years.

Facilities

• There is a drinking water bubbler in the apothecary, and fresh herbed water is available.
• We have a bathroom on-site.
• A pool is available for swimming after a hot session in the gardens.
• Summer popsicles are on offer.
• Please provide your own room, board, and transportation.

To Apply

Interested in the Root Wisdom option? Fill out this google form.

Interested in the Seed to Soul option? Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to learn when we open it again next year!

Apprenticeship fees will be collected after applications are reviewed.

Seed to Soul

• This apprenticeship is designed to deepen your relationship with a single plant. 
• Through a series of 6 or 7 on-farm work sessions you will:
  • Plant the seed
  • Transplant the seedling
  • Plant in the field
  • Cultivate
  • Harvest
  • Dry process
  • Work in the apothecary
  • Note: For some plants, the learning process only results in 6 work sessions.

 At the end of the sessions you will know the plant intimately!

 Here’s the scoop:

• Each work day is 3 hours long and the work is led Emily Springer.

• Choose which plant you want to follow this growing season (or choose them all).

• There are 5 apprenticeship slots available per plant.

• Sessions meet about 1x per month most often on Thursdays from 10am-1pm (beginning in late March).

• This apprenticeship option costs $420.00 per plant ($420 for one plant, $840 for two, and so on up to $2,520).

• Expect to work, get dirty, and learn a lot.

• Each session will include deep education on the plant and biodynamic planting rhythms, as well as time to meditate with the plant as you work.

• Each apprentice will also be able to bring home:
  • Seeds
  • Plants
  • Dry plants
  • Apothecary samples

• Work teams will learn together and work together.

 Plant options (choose as many as you like):

• Calendula
• Echinacea
• Ashwagandha
• Tulsi
• Cotton
• Marshmallow

The application process for the Seed to Soul option opens March 1 and runs through March 20. 

Watch our newsletter and social media posts for reminders and updates. When it opens again, the "To Apply" section above will have a link to the application.

Specific work dates will be provided on the application.

You may apply to work with multiple plants and both program options. 

Have questions? Shoot us a message below (please don't submit applications via the messaging app :)