Mike

Farming part-time for income

Updated Mar 26, 2025

  • 0-5 Total acres
  • 0-5 Acres of cropland or tillable land
  • 0-5 Acres of pasture
  • 0-5 Acres of hayland
M

Michael Brooks

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I’m looking to work on a produce farm this season in exchange for housing 

While going to college for Horticulture-Food Crops I worked on an organic produce farm and for my internship planned and operated my own 4 acre farm. I was selling to chefs and restaurants and that led into an interest in cooking. Since then I have graduated culinary school and have been working in restaurants the last 8 years and have focused on Neapolitan wood fired pizza. I would like to farm as much as the ingredients as I can. However, I haven’t been exposed to farming practices or just the lifestyle for awhile and would like to get re immersed into it this season. After this season, I will look for my own place where I can start my farm/catering business from.

  • Farmer housing

Equipment and infrastructure details

I am open to a lot of different housing options(house, cabin, cottage, tiny house, camper). As long as it’s clean. I also have a very well behaved and trained. 5 year old German Shepherd that is friendly with other dogs, kids and everyone really. 

  • Lease (1 to 5 Years)
  • Lease (5+ Years)
  • Lease w/Option to Buy
  • Lease w/Mentoring
  • Incubator Program

Opportunity details

I would like to find a farm that I can work on in exchange for housing. Specifically, organic produce. I would like to get reacquainted with farming practices so that I can use that knowledge to start my own operation.

  • Regenerative
  • Ecological production but not certified

Practices details

I learned from a couple in upstate NY that practiced organic/biodynamic and I would just mimic them. They built their soils with compost and natural amendments. Their plants were so healthy we never even needed to spray any organic pesticides or herbicides.

  • Field crops
  • Vegetables

Goals details

My goals this season is to work and live on a farm this upcoming season in exchange for housing/food and learn techniques again and get accustomed to the lifestyle as well. After this season I would like to find my own land to start a small farm that I can operate a catering business out of. 

Years of experience

3 total years of experience

2 years employed as a worker (non-manager)

1 years as a manager

Education, training, and employment experience

  • Formal agricultural education (AA, BS, MS, PhD)
  • Farm internship / apprenticeship
  • Part time farm employee
  • Full time farm employee
  • Farm business owner
  • Farm manager

Experience details

I graduated from Morrisville State College with a Bachelors of Technology in Horticulture - Food Crops  in 2013. While I was attending school I worked full time on an organic produce farm. For my internship I did my own farm where I planned, operated and managed a 4 acre organically grown  produce farm that included various tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, pumpkins, snap peas. I was selling to natural food markets, chefs and wholesale. This led to an interest in cooking so I went to school for culinary arts at Johnson and Wales in Denver and have been working in restaurants ever since and have become proficient in Neapolitan wood fired pizza. I would like to start a farm to pizza busines

Desired locations

  • Alleghany
  • Ashe
  • Avery
  • Buncombe
  • Burke
  • Caldwell
  • Cherokee
  • Clay
  • Graham
  • Haywood
  • Henderson
  • Jackson
  • Macon
  • Madison
  • McDowell
  • Mitchell
  • Polk
  • Rutherford
  • Swain
  • Transylvania
  • Watauga
  • Wilkes
  • Yancey