Viva Farms is seeking a farm manager for the 2012 season! Visit our website for complete information.

Viva Farms is a 33 acre farm incubator operated by GrowFood in partnership with WSU Extension.

We offer two distinct opportunities: internships and farm start-up incubation.
Farmers with any level of experience can intern at Viva Farms. Start-up incubation is for folks who have worked or apprenticed extensively and are ready to independently operate and finance their own licensed farm business.

Start-ups: We provide start-up farmers access to land, equipment, infrastructure, microloans, enterprise-based production and farm management training, and marketing and distribution support.  In its first 2 years, Viva Farms has launched 8 new farms and channeled over $100,000 in sales to its new producers. Our innovative approach to farm incubation has attracted national attention and won top honors including the Green Washington Award and Grand Prize at Seattle’s first Social Innovation Fast Pitch competition.

Here’s what Viva Farms offers:
    •    Business planning courses
    •    1-3 acre parcels of prime Skagit farm land
    •    Irrigation infrastructure up to the hydrant
    •    Equipment, including JD 2755 tractor and implements, International 200 tractor and implements, walk-behind rototiller, walk-behind seeders,  JD Gator and more)
    •    Hands-on operator training for the aforementioned equipment
    •    Propagation infrastructure including 600 square feet heated germination room and 1,500 square feet of hoop-house.
    •    Processing facilities for washing, grading and packing produce
    •    4,200 cubic feet of cold storage
    •    High-value markets, including a retail produce market, 1000 member CSA (direct delivery) program, retail and wholesale accounts, and farm-to-school and farm-to-institution markets
    •    One-on-one product and farm business development support
    •    Commercial Insurance coverage
    •    WSDA Organic certification (in 2nd year of transition period)

The farm incubator is not an end point. It is a starting point to transition you to farm ownership and secure long-term tenure. Once you establish a stable agricultural enterprise at the incubator, Viva Farms helps you relocate to new land and continue growing your operations.

For detailed information please visit our website.