Helping each other grow!
The Growing A Future CSA box and Valentine Roses sales help fund the school farm operational costs, it does not cover the cost of having a part-time school farm director. For that we have to get more creative and the Help Each Other Grow service is a wonderful way to meet that need. What better way for our school farm director to teach our K-12 students the importance of food security and developing self-sustaining communities, than helping you develop your own garden? Imagine having the equipment, knowledge, labor and time to create a turn-key, ready to plant a personal garden in your backyard that will provide incredible produce all summer long? That's what he is providing with this service!
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Goals for your garden:
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Grow vegetables (types and for how many people)
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Less weeds (landscape fabrics for beds)
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Healthy Soil (additional compost and fertilizer needs)
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Less time watering (building a layout plan for your garden)
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Less waste of water (drip irrigation vs overhead irrigation)
Things to know for yourself before we arrive:
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Is the planned garden location above any gas, electric, or water lines? (we don't want to hit any of these)
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Where will the water for your garden come from? (your irrigation sources and amount available)
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Are you wanting to have compost incorporated into your garden? (soil brought in ahead of time?)
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A budget for this project (I can help create a plan based around your budget)
Things to do before we arrive:
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Remove objects in project area (toys, metal, pipes, hoses, rocks, etc.). This saves you money and my equipment
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Mow excess vegetation in projects area (tall grasses make it difficult for rototillers and equipment. If unable, I can provide the tools but will need to know ahead of time.)
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What I charge
Simple and Affordable
My goal is to never make things confusing or complicated. I charge a flat hourly rate of $40/hr. and a minimum of 4 hours per job.
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This hourly rate includes my equipment (tillers, harrows, mowers, weed eaters, shovels, etc.)
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My time (onsite work and consulting)
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No travel time charge if under 15 miles (Elmira/Veneta area)
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I provide a $20 one-time, one hour, consulting visit to your location for planning purposes
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Are there other potential costs?
The only additional costs you might incur would be if you wanted to order compost, irrigation lines, fertilizer or specialty services to meet a need. I can help arrange the order and delivery of the above, but those costs would be your responsibility.
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I work as an independent contactor (not connected to the school farm), so there are no tax related responsibilities to you. I ask that you sign a mutual liability waiver and work agreement prior to start of the job.
About Me.
My name is Trey Hackett, I have a degree in agricultural sciences with a focus on market gardening, sustainable landscape design, and soil sciences. For 2 years I have been running a 2.5 acre school farm that teaches K-12 students about the importance of agriculture and growing your own food, while also growing food for the community. My passion is to help people build gardens/small farms that can be not only beautiful but abundant with produce.
Education
2015-2019
Bachelor of Sciences
Oregon State University
My major was in Agricultural Sciences where I studied soil sciences, sustainable landscape design, and market gardening. I worked alongside the Oregon State landscape department where I helped build pollinator gardens at multiple locations in Corvallis as well as assisting the OSU school farm directors with their garden prep and daily operations. I also helped with the OSU school farm and their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program by harvesting vegetables and delivering food to the university teachers.
2020-2023
Growing A Future School Farm
In 2020, I helped build and direct a 2.5 acre school farm in the Fern Ridge School District. This farm is an educational center for the K-12 students where the next generation of students get to learn about the importance of agriculture and how we can take care of our planet through sustainable gardening practices. This farm holds 57 fruit trees, 80 blueberries, a large strawberry and raspberry patch, a large pollinator garden, multiple greenhouses for propagation as well as for growing, and a yurt that we use for our teaching classes. The past 3 summers the farm has hired high school student interns to assist me in growing food for the community and helping teach the younger students what they are learning.
2022
Gateway to the Artic Farm
In 2022, I spent a summer in Talkeetna Alaska working for a non profit that helps bring volunteers from around the country to assist in community involvement through gardening and community service. I helped with growing vegetables in the large garden as well as building an off-grid irrigation system for the organizations existing greenhouse.