Farms We Might Go To: Frog Belly Farm

Next week, Lindsay and I are going to Colorado to visit several of the farms we might intern at this spring. It's sort of like interviewing at colleges. They want to make sure you're a serious student and you want to make sure the campus has a reasonable supply of hot chicks and disreputable liquor stores (sort of like that, but not quite). I'm going to post the profiles of the farms we're considering (and that are considering us) every day this week. Any feedback/thoughts people feel like sharing are welcome.

First up: Frog Belly Farm. Located in Longmont, Colo., just outside of Boulder, Frog Belly is part of the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program. Biodiversity, like permaculture, is focused on the natural ecology of a location. It focuses on growing a variety of produce and livestock that work well in conjunction with each other.

The first thing you'll notice about their site is probably the pleasant feminine folk music. Gotta say, I like the vibe of this band and what it portends for a program that otherwise takes itself very seriously.

Explore their site a bit and you'll discover a few things I feel are of note.

1. The site itself is very well designed.

2. They aren't vegetarian (certainly not a problem, I'm just surprised).

3. They have an agricultural festival on Feb. 2, which is actually the day after we will be there.

I have spoken to Jim Barausky, the consultant who handles their education program. He seems very generous. He immediately offered us a place to stay for our visit and spent a while explaining how nice their new bunking facilities are and how comfortable Lindsay and I will be, which is great to hear. He said in an email that they "would probably have space for us" this spring.

They offer a $200-$400/month stipend depending on experience and a "demonstration of skill." (I'm hoping it involves disc golf.) Reasonably, Lindsay and I could take care of our outside obligations with that, given rent-free living with meals.

Also, we would be very close to friends in Boulder, which makes getting around easier (and maybe will help us find a place for our cat).