Twining Vines Apprenticeship

The Twining Vines program gives students an immersive experience to explore the vital connection between the inner and outer ecologies. Participants learn how to grow food organically, foster healthy community, and develop insight and resilience through daily Zen practice, group process and inner inquiry.

Curriculum

Requirements & Support

Application

Farm Apprenticeship & Internship

For those interested in learning how to grow food sustainably, explore their inner life and foster healthy community.

The Twining Vines program offers a 26 week residential apprenticeship, a 12 week part time summer internship for commuters. The weekly schedule integrates the following domains of study:

Organic Farming/ Market Gardening
Inner Farmer Contemplation
Zen Practice
Community Building

Full Season Apprenticeship

May 1 – October 31

Part Time Internship

June 19 - September 11th

Curriculum

Our full season curriculum weaves together training in market gardening, Zen practice, Inner Farmer exploration and community building. Part time summer interns design a weekly schedule to partake of the following to offer a wide range of experience.

Organic Farming/Gardening

Students learn the practical skills involved in growing healthy food for the local community in a way that cares for the earth and one another. Participants are guided through every aspect of a working farm developing proficiency and understanding that lends itself to a number of future engagements including launching a small scale farm or community garden project, employment in the field, teaching and working for non-profits advocating for sustainable agriculture, public health and food justice.

Hands on field work growing, cultivating, harvesting and processing high quality fruits and vegetables for sale, community use and donation
Weekly classes include how to build healthy soil, disease and pest management, irrigation, cover cropping, small scale equipment and more
Weekly Farmer’s Market participation
Recommended reading/homework and resources
Several guest speakers and local field trips
Experimental student garden plot
Year end student presentations integrating season’s insights guided by personal interests

Inner Farmer

Students engage supportive practices that foster inner emotional and somatic awareness, develop resilience and relational skills for living authentically and ethically in a challenging world. Inner Farmer work offers several wise and compassionate frameworks that teach us how to respond from our deepest intention rather than fear, anger and overwhelm.

Weekly classes including discovering one’s inspired vow, awareness of inner “parts” through IFS (Internal Family Systems), constructive communication and conflict resolution skills using NVC, developing resilience facing uncertainty, anxiety and overwhelm
Daily Yoga
Recommended readings & practices
Reflective journal writing, art, and group sharing
Twining Vines newsletter writing

Zen Practice

Students engage in Zen practices that support spiritual inquiry that looks into the deeper question of who we are and what it means to live an ethical life. No particular beliefs are required other than a willingness to investigate the teachings and practices for oneself. Zen is an ecological awareness that recognizes the fundamental truth of our interdependence and nature of continual change. It speaks to a deeper source of wisdom and compassion that fosters creative responses to difficult times.

Two day long Beginner’s Mind retreats
Learning and practicing Zen meditation, ritual forms like walking meditation (kinhin) and mindful eating (oryoki).
Daily zazen (meditation)
Learning and rotating through traditional zendo roles
Weekly Wednesday evening program with Zen West
Introductory classes in Zen Buddhist philosophy and ethical precepts
Practice support meetings with a Zen teacher (sanzen)
Events to connect with the wider Zen community (sangha)

Community Building

Students actively engage in practices that foster harmony in the community and directly address the challenges of living and working together. While many of us yearn for the support and sense of belonging that comes from being close to others who share an intention, knowing how to do the hard work of fostering that condition takes time and skill and the results are highly rewarding when we can see how we are called to grow.

Bi-Weekly residential community meetings
Weekly “Pie Friday” closing gathering
Council Process
Conflict resolution, healthy boundaries, and receiving feedback
Precepts that guide group agreements
Shared meals & group chores, fun projects, play and spontaneous celebration
Simplicity, frugality, sustainability

Requirements

Prior gardening, farming experience is helpful but not as important as genuine interest and a willingness to learn. Applicants should have strong interest in exploring Zen and their inner life as well as doing the work of building community that is required when living and working together.

It is essential that applicants:

Are able, interested and willing to participate in the whole season’s daily schedule.
Are physically able to spend 6 hours a day in the garden which involves a combination of stamina, strength and flexibility.
Are able to work well with others, have good communications skills, and contribute time and energy to the well being of community.
Are ready for a rustic living experience.

For part-time summer internships requirements include the following:

Commitment to two full days per week
Means to commute to the farm

Support

Full time applicants receive

Private Rooms
Food from the Garden & Pantry
Monthly Stipend
Worker’s Comp Insurance

Part time interns receive

Travel Expense Stipend
Worker’s Comp Insurance
Meals and Produce from Garden