Organic Farmer Network: Network Discussion Summary
Topic: Labor
Most in the Network have extra workers, either as paid employees or as interns/apprentices. The type laborer they have is determined by the individual needs of the producers. Some really want to teach, others just want to get the job done, and others want a combination.
To handle interns, producers are really doing double duty – managing workers and communicating educational information – and this takes extra energy. The advantage to interns is that they want the information bad enough that they are usually willing to work for less pay.
The Wiedigers have no kids AND have lots and lots of information. They want to pass it on. Ken says if you give someone an opportunity to work on your farm and learn about growing, you will be personally rewarded to pass on some experience to them- and its not just the specifics like how to grow basil.
Mark got started by being an intern in his early 20s, so interning works!
Most do not provide housing for workers.
Ken is now at the point that he has to grow the farm again because of his increase in age. He hired labor at age 40 because his back wouldn’t let him do the work he needed to do to grow the farm in order to survive. Now he is hiring management person to reduce hours of work to make same income since he doesn’t want to continue working 70 hr weeks.
Charlie had been wondering if it would pay off to add labor. He learned it did. The income on his high value basil crop almost covered the total amount he paid his laborer, even though the laborer did a bunch of other work for him over the season.
The Wiedigers have never had a laborer, but see the need for it now. They wonder how much it will change the personal dynamics. Ken says it will completely change the dynamics.
Advice from Network for selecting laborers:
Beware of hiring couples. Usually one person is into it and the other drags behind. This can make it really uncomfortable. A single person is a lot better way to go. Having two single people is better than having a couple.
Be clear and consistent from the get-go.
Decide what kind of work you want them to do – will make a difference in who you hire. Also what kind of relationship do you want -- more of a relationship of teaching vs. assigning tasks / see you at lunchtime.
It’s not good to put them off in the field by themselves. They want to have a good time, too.
Couples should look at how you work together and think about how that impacts the workers.
Better to have one from the couple managing the laborers so they don’t get conflicting instructions.
Be aware of those who say they have knowledge and experience. Ask for references and follow them up. The question to ask references is: Would you hire him again?
The most important thing is the employee’s attitude. The synergy of two means you get the work of 3.
Best to have young workers go home off the farm and come to work the next day instead of living on the farm. Their lives have to much drama and that spills over too much on you if they live at your farm.
May need to provide housing for Mexican worker.
Provide lunch. It helps workers feel more connected/ committed to you and the farm.
Don’t keep laborers that are not working out well. Not doing you or the employee any favors by keeping them on. Energetically an unhappy worker affects the plants, too.
Advertise in Growing for Market and on ATTRA website.
Check with Waldorf schools for seasonal tasks.
Check with local colleges for students looking for educational activities to do for credit.
Have local educational institution pay you for students interning on your farm for course credit. High schools and colleges do this with other professions and some do it with farming.
The Network discuss worker pay:
Look for return.
Not required to do workers’ comp unless you have 10 full time farm employees.
At first Cathy was afraid of doing payroll taxes, but now she says don’t be afraid. It is easy.
Nicolas pays $7/hr and wants that person to pick $50-60 worth of product.
Cathy starts new people at $6
Ellen starts new people at $5.75, then quickly gives raises.
Pay raises during season are important, even small ones. Ellen give $.25 raises quarterly. At the end of the season she may have given 3 raises. It is not across the board. She does a worker by worker assessment.
Ken gives a year-end bonus and will occasionally do it midseason. When he comes home with huge take at market, he’ll give workers a $50 bill on Mon. This gives them a real boost.
Ellen does not use QuickPay anymore. It was too difficult to use with her system. Now her accountant has created a spreadsheet that prints out all the deductions. (click here for sample sheet)
Most want to make more money, but not have to hire more people. They want to learn how to work smarter. Some think plastic mulch may be the answer for them.
Rosie tells about the labor on her farm: “Labor is and will always be a great challenge for us. Since I grew up on a farm where the family was the primary source of labor, it is hard for me to hire full time help. I always remember my father saying that if you can't do it yourself then don't do it. For the past three years I have had an intern who has worked anywhere from 15-35 hours per week depending on the season. We get a lot of volunteers through our CSA and they primarily work on the days we harvest. I am the primary source of labor for the farm. My husband and workers tell me I am fast which, for a field worker, is a great characteristic. But alas, like all of you, each day I get older, the back gets weaker but my mind still thinks I can do the same things that I have done 10 years ago. This year I have made a decision to cutback and re-evaluate the amount of time that I am willing to give to this farm. With two kids (5&7), a husband, and lots of extra stuff going on--meetings, committees etc., I always feel that I am being pulled in many directions. This year, so far, has been a little easier. I am not sure if this has to do with the fact that we have had some pretty cold weeks or if my plan to do less has really worked. The next three months will be the real test because our flower season will soon begin and that is when my days and nights (before markets) get real long.
… my biggest problem is labor, balancing my minds creativity and drive with what I can physically do and my own personal quest to be involved in organic and sustainable agriculture beyond the farmgate.”
From Charlie: “Tomorrow afternoon a group of William and Mary students are coming out to the farm to help with greenhouse work… For the last three years they have come out most Saturdays when the weather is decent to exchange labor for food (for body and mind). This has been a good arrangement for us. I really enjoy the young adults. They are engaging and enthusiastic, and eager to learn about growing food. They are especially helpful with the big projects where I can get them to work together as a team. A number of them have remarked how complex and interesting this kind of farming is. I suspect for many of these kids, this is as close to farming they will ever get. But at least their understanding of agriculture will be a little broader.”
Ken uses the term “worker.” He looks for people with a good attitude at the end of a hard weather day and a willingness to work. He says, “those young people who come to work for me each season become a part of my family, even though they generally do not live on farm. The opportunity to be a part of their lives enriches my own. It is not easy for me to know what is appropriate financial compensation for their labor. While I try to teach what I can, about farming, and about life, I do not consider my workers ‘apprentices’ or ‘interns.’ I do consider them friends and employees. I have recently polled several growers in our area to see what folks are paying… The responses from folks in this area I asked ranged from $6-8 an hour for first year workers, $8 or more for return help. Added to that are benefits such as lunch, access to home use produce and bonuses. I am paying $7.50 for first year and $8.50 for second year help, usually giving a year end bonus of several hundred dollars to those working a significant part of the season, sometimes I will give out extra money during the season at particularly busy times or when we have sold a lot of produce. I seems to be worthwhile to keep worker morale high. Obviously hired labor is a major expense. It is also indispensable for me at this stage of the game. In 2001, I paid out over $30,000 in wages, yet it was the year of my highest gross and net income. We have since intentionally reduced production, yet I expect to have 3 full time workers for much of the year. My niece is returning in June for her third season with us when her teaching job ends. My second recruit is a young woman who will be graduating from UNC in May. She has helped me at market for the past 5 years and will work on the farm May-October. I have known her her whole life. I have been advertising for my third opening thru the local community college sustainable ag program and at the stores where I sell produce. In the last 3 weeks I received about 9 calls from interested parties, all women except 2- one was a man from Argentina, in his 50's who neither had a car nor English (someone called for him) He owns a farm in Argentina and is here making money to develop his operation there. It was very interesting to meet him thru an interpreter ( I don't speak Spanish), but there are serious obstacles to his being the man I need for the job. The other male respondent is the youngest person I have talked to -19. After working with him for 3 days, I hired him yesterday to work full time April thru October. Most of my help in recent years has been female, and has worked out well. It is good for me personally to have at least one man around the place… I find that I am looking not only at who might seem to be a good worker, but for an interesting mix, assembling a crew of people I will hopefully enjoy my days with and who will be a complimentary group with some balance and stimulating for each other. Looking for a mix we will all find enjoyable and educational.”
Ellen says, “We hire lots of people and are glad to do so. It means taking on more paperwork responsibilities and the mental/heart responsibility of keeping someone happy and productive, but how else to not have to do everything myself??? I believe that labor management continues to be the hardest thing about my job, and the area where I have lots of room to improve. I hire from 3-6 people to LIVE here on farm, and maybe 1-2 more who commute. The live-ons are a more weighty proposition - I must be their mothers sometimes, but then you can make them work late, or wake them up at 5:15 to get in the market truck cause their alarm didn't go off. Plus, it makes my life so much more interesting. I used to think of them as "friends" but now as I'm old enough to be their mom, they feel more like just young adults. Most folks are between 19-23 yrs old. Most are female, white and upper class, well-educated, etc. I also like to have at least one male around - especially when it's time to pick up hay bales. We always hope for a few who are either done with college or are dropping out so that they can either come early or stay late into October. This year I'm starting people at $5.75. I usually give at least one or two 25cent raises during the season, sometimes more if someone proves especially useful. For me, attitude is as important as effectiveness.
Cheerfulness and a general sense of no-sass gameness are what I really need. I trust these people to handle a lot of responsibility. Not much tractor work, but driving to our other farm 30 miles away, going to markets alone, harvesting or whatever when I'm not here etc.
We hire people to work by the hour. I pay them. We call them WORKERS, not interns. We do it all legally, with withholdings, ss, etc. Of course they learn lots about farming because they start with nothing. But, this is not a training situation. I only teach them what they need to know to get the job done, unless they want to spend the time to pick my brain specifically. I do offer "farm talk" a 1-2 hour lecture/discussion once a week during the middle of the season, not paid activity, no required attendance. Every so often someone comes along who wants to learn it all, and then I put them on salary and really teach them everything. So far, I've helped create one real farmer who grows just like us out in Oklahoma! That's a treat.
Housing: this is the biggest stumbling block for most growers it seems. We have some fairly "primitive" housing (electricity, and hot water but only an outhouse), and new this year an actual regular 3bdrm house!!! So far I charge $15 per week to live here, that includes elec, basic phone service, and propane to cook. I supply the beds and cooking things and furniture and even linens sometimes. I could rant about worker housing dilemmas for hours. Basically, it's hard to not break the law without providing a normal house as nice or nicer than your own.
I treat my workers with respect and sometimes bend over backwards to keep them happy - provide a car, let them go to concerts, marches, whatever even on busy days, hand out beers on Friday nights, chocolate muffins some mornings. I always remember that they can just leave if they don't like me or this place. Every year there is at least one person that I really fall for and keep in touch with over time, and one person that I really have problems with and send to work at my partner Hana's most of the time. It's really a mixed bag, but essential to the scale at which I farm. And, the more my back hurts, the more I know I need others to help grow this food. I feel like I provide a life-altering earth experience for these young people, training them to become good food consumers, and every so often good food producers.
I'm attaching a PVF application and basic worker info sheet in case you're interested.
Potomac Employee Application - (MS Word Document)
Introduction for Potential Workers - (MS Word Document)”
From Cathy: “Vickie Stamback, cutflower grower from Stillwater, OK,… mentioned … that Labor (hers and hired labor) was 35% of her expenses….we have always started inexperienced workers at $6 an hour. If they are good they get raised to $7 later on in the season. Last year I had a really good worker return and she made $8. Well she is back for her third season and I will pay her $9. She has said that it is too much, but she'll take it I am sure. She is very worth it, I have complete trust in her judgment and she is the first worker I have ever had that can out work me! I did appreciate when I heard Ellen say she gave raises in 25 cent increments. I will probably adopt some form of that rather than jumping up in $1 steps…I go back and forth about being afraid that I won't be able to pay my labor bill - to worrying about being too cheap and taking advantage of these folks. This year I will have four part time folks working for a total of 75 hours. It will be the largest payroll I will have carried so far. Also. Vickie urged us to include ourselves in our labor bill… She said to get in the habit early on, even if you pay yourself just a little each week.”
From Mark: “Our two interns are here for the season now, a brother and sister team, one of whom worked here the last half of last summer. I have the same passionate feelings about our interns, Ken. They really keep me on the ball, trying to keep one step ahead of 'em so we don't waste time. These folks live with us for the season, so we have to be really careful that we like them and vice versa. This is a more complex situation than just hiring workers who go home at the end of the day, as Ellen has related. We pay them $150/week each plus room and board. If we figured room and board to be worth $200-$300/month, they are making only about $5/hour. We do all the paperwork on them as regular employees. If we have to hire in extra help, we start at around $7/hour, and we did this several times last year with some great Mexican guys that were incredible workers. They didn't speak English, but that was a plus for me since I needed the Spanish practice. I am sure we are probably on the low end of the paying scale compared to most of you, but remember we live in a VERY rural area with few close employment opportunities. Even so, most of our interns have come in the past few years from our being listed on the ATTRA website, and for most of them, a comparable wage here for what they could sell their labor for elsewhere is not usually a strong consideration. We are honest with them and ourselves about what we can afford…”
From Charlie: “most of our work is done by our family. We do work out a monetary incentive and reward for the children, but mostly they regard the labor as family work. We did have a very good experience with a summer intern last year. Dan lived with us for most of the summer, and in addition to room and board, we paid him $150 a week. He also got a share of the Saturday Farmers Market income. He is a friend of our older son, Jason, and they shared space in a large tipi towards the back of the farm. I am not sure this would have worked out as well if he and Jason were not good friends. Miriam and I would like to work with more interns in the future, but we want to provide good housing for them, especially making sure they have some privacy.”
From Alvin: “I haven't hired any help. I am looking into hiring someone to help pick the crops. Blueberries will be ready for picking in two weeks. I will advertise in the local paper for pickers, and of course we will have a u-pick on the berries also.”
Cathy notes the difficulty of labor expenses before farm income starts coming in. In April she says, “ Pressure is a little bit on because I am spending more on labor than we are bringing in, and the farm account is getting very low. It sure makes the CSA model look real good...” |
