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We’re supposed to reach a high of 56 degrees today in Chicago, which is great even if it’s foggy and gloomy. Spring is on its way, and in only a couple of months it will be farmers market season again. Although my city is short on farms (we have a few, really), there are a ton within driving distance. Many of them haul the food that they produce into the city on a weekly basis and sell it to the yuppies who love eating fresh, organic, locally grown food (also known as me). One of these farms is Tomato Mountain Farm, which is based in Brooklyn, WI. They have a presence somewhere in Chicago 6 days per week, and their produce offerings range from basil and beets to watermelons and zucchini. Obviously, they also grow a lot of tomatoes.

Grow Your Career

Tomato Mountain Farm is “a 12-acre certified organic farm and processing kitchen located 25 miles south of Madison, Wisconsin.” Beyond their produce, they also offer products like salsas, sauces, and preserves. It may be a small operation, but they’re growing a wonderful business based on serving everybody’s most basic need in its most basic form: fresh food. If you are interested in what Tomato Mountain Farm is doing, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for two people to work farmers markets for them. You can find the full position description here (.doc file). In many ways these are entrepreneurial opportunities, so it could be a cool way to spend the summer and get your career started.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• TomatoMountain.com
• Jobs at Tomato Mountain Farm
• About Tomato Mountain Farm

Do you frequent farmers markets?

You’ve probably heard the term “heirloom,” in reference to fruits or vegetables. For the longest time I had no idea what it meant, but eventually I asked someone and the gist of the definition is “any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture.” More often than not the plants are passed down in the form of seeds. Heirloom breeds of plants are important not only for sentimental reasons, but also because they provide genetic diversity. By maintaining old breeds of plants with their unique resistance to disease and pests, we are able to ensure the security of our food supply. Seed Savers Exchange is a Decorah, IA based non-profit that “saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations.”

Seeding a New Career

Seed Savers Exchange maintains “more than 25,000 endangered vegetable varieties,” which makes them “biggest non-governmental seed bank in the United States.” They’re more focused on working with smaller farmers and gardeners, which makes sense because those are typically the people most interested in heirloom varieties. In a lot of ways, the seeds that Seed Savers Exchange provides resemble art. The genetic diversity thing is important, but the history of the seeds and the varieties of flavors of the plants that grow from them is just as important. If you’re intrigued by what Seed Savers Exchange does, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have a number of positions posted that seem suitable for entry level candidates including Lab Technician, Collection Assistant – Field Operations, Assistant Curator – Seed Plants, and Horticulturist – Field Manager. The job descriptions go into a lot of detail, so check them out for all of the details.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• SeedSavers.org
• Jobs at Seed Savers Exchange
• About Seed Savers Exchange
• Seed Savers Exchange’s Blog
• Seed Savers Exchange on Saving Heirlooms
• Seed Savers Exchange News

Do you do any gardening?