Northeast Iowa dairy farmers seek aspiring farmers for on-farm training opportunity

Daniel Beard of Canoe Creek Dairy and Francis Blake of Blake Family Organic Farm are hoping their farms can serve as a training ground for an aspiring farmer during the 2017 growing season.
 
Beard and Blake are among 14 experienced farmers from around the state who have committed to hire an employee through the Practical Farmers of Iowa Labor4Learning program. Along with a paid on-farm job, they'll provide the candidate with additional training in topics essential to be a successful farmer. Both farmers were approved to serve as trainers by a committee of Practical Farmers of Iowa members.
 
Daniel and Bonnie Beard own and operate Canoe Creek Dairy near Decorah, where they are certified organic with a dairy, and raise beef cattle, pasture, hay, small grains, corn, sweet corn, maple syrup and timber. Responsibilities for their full-time job opening include milking, calf feeding, moving cows to paddocks, moving and building fence, and haying, among other things.
 
Similarly, Francis Blake of the Waukon area owns and operates Blake Family Organic Farm that includes a dairy, beef cows and laying hens. Francis also grows corn, soybeans, hay and small grains, all certified organic. His farm's job opening is for up to 40 hours a week, and responsibilities include help with milking and other dairy activities, moving cattle, packing eggs and help with haying and weeding.
 
Full job details, dates and information on how to contact the Beards or Blakes to apply can be found at http://practicalfarmers.org/labor4learning. To qualify as a trainee, the applicant must have a strong desire to learn; apply to and be hired by a trainer farm; and become a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa.