URBAN HOMESTEADING

Role: Volunteer/Apprenticeship at Urban Homestead (not a job)
Live-in option: 3 hours (or more)/week in exchange for apprenticeship 
Project: Wild By Nature
Location: Toronto, Ontario

This is a unique opportunity to experience hands on learning at an urban homestead.  Your guide is a seasoned mentor in botanical medicine, organic gardening, horticulture therapy, nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices, self sufficiency and homesteading in the city.

About us:

Wild By Nature is an urban homestead in east Toronto. We have a large pie shaped lot nestled in a residential neighbourhood. Our methods are based on permaculture principles. We garden organically and follow biodynamic practices. We strongly believe it is possible and vital to grow your own food and medicine in the city. We operate with a growth mindset and are ever curious to discover what we can learn each day in the garden.

We are a family of three and we live in our little cottage like bungalow with our cat. Currently we have one person occupying a live/work apprenticeship for the duration of 2021 growing season. 

Things you could learn in your time here:

• Organic, biodynamic and permaculture methods and principles
• Soil building, care and regeneration
• Starting seeds - indoor and out
• Hardening off plants and transplanting seedlings
• Plant care and pest/disease management
• Harvest and processing techniques
• Whole food cooking
• Medicinal herbs - growing, care and preparation
• Everything you ever wanted to know about herbal tisanes
• Season extenders- Cold frames, greenhouses
• Pollinating plants and cut flowers
• Companion and rotation planting
• All about mulch!
• Garden planning and design/build techniques
• Plant identification - fruit and vegetable plants, edible “weed” harvest, invasive species management, ornamental and native plants
• How to be resourceful with everything you do
• How to improvise in almost any situation
• Living more with less
• Our part in our micro ecosystem as well as the world
• Syncing your rhythm to nature’s rhythm

Terms of Apprenticeship:

In exchange for your time helping us, you will have abundant learning opportunities.  The work schedule is flexible and can be worked out to be of mutual benefit, though some tasks are better done at certain times of the day.  Applicants interested in longer terms will he given priority (minimum 8 weeks).

You will learn by working alongside Maria as we work in the garden. You will also be given tasks to learn by doing, so being able to work self directed is important. 

Background of your mentor:

Maria Solakofski is a self taught food and ecological pioneer, who has been involved in the local food community for 25 years. Some of her unique leadership initiatives and experiences include:

• Founding Guerrilla Gourmet, a slow food movement forging connections with local farmers and food enthusiasts
• Mentoring people of all ages and from all walks of life with enthusiasm, patience and compassion
• Selling home grown fresh herbs and home made herbal products at farmer’s markets
• Establishing systems to provide seedlings through her own nursery
• Designing and overseeing the installation of residential and public teaching gardens
• Building community and growing resilience through public gardening initiatives
• Creation and delivery of children’s garden programming
• Running a flourishing local food catering business
• Headlining cooking classes focused on local food and seasonal harvests
• Growing herbs, edible flowers and herbs tisanes to supply restaurants
• Composing bespoke home grown cut flower bouquets for events and special orders
• Conceiving recipes and organizing workshops on herbal medicine and edible cosmetics

How to apply:

Please express your interest by submitting a few paragraphs about yourself to mariasolakofski (at) Gmail (dot) com and include:

• what you would like to learn
• what you wish to contribute
• anything else you feel relevant about yourself
• your résume if you wish, but not necessary

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.

You can find out more by visiting our webpage: Wild By Nature. We will be in touch with every applicant.