We have our roots as a community garden and teaching farm, and for years we've been hosting our much-loved "Big Dig" party, an opportunity for local (and not-so-local) dahlia lovers to spend some time with us bringing in the harvest together. 

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Volunteers have a blast and make new friends while learning all about processing and overwintering these unique plants - and of course, everyone gets to take home tubers for their own gardens!

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This year we are expanding the one-day teaching event to three weeks: November 2nd to 23rd

 

We'll have specific roles you can sign up for in three hour shifts:

General/Lifting Tubers (may also include various harvest tasks in the fields)

Washing tubers

Dividing tubers

Stamping tubers

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All roles are compensated the same (see below). If you're interested in learning more about a specific part of the process, consider signing up for a split day (washing in the morning, dividing in the afternoon, etc), or sign up for multiple days! We'll have 15 volunteer days in all.

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Sign up for a shift on the google doc here

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Time for tubers exchange

We're offering two choices for exchange: Store credit for tubers which will be delivered in the spring, or clumps you can take home with you the same day. 

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Store credit option: $50/hr equivalent (4-7 tubers/hour)

At the end of your shift we'll send you home with a coupon code you can use in our store for anything we sell! For example, if you spend two shifts with us (six hours) we'll send you home with $300 in store credit. You can place your order online, and your tubers will be delivered in spring.

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Pros:

You don't have to worry about successfully overwintering your own dahlias

You can choose from our whole selection online

Less work for you at home

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Cons:

Fewer dahlias than the clumps option!

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Tuber clumps option: $96-$360/hr equivalent (8-30 tubers per hour)

At the end of your shift we'll send you home with 2 clumps per hour worked. A "clump" of tubers is the entire root system of the plant, rather than an individually divided tuber. So, for example, if you spend two shifts with us (six hours) you'll leave with 12 tuber clumps. After processing, that's anywhere from 48 to 180 tubers!

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Pros:

Tuber clumps contain anywhere from 4-15 viable tubers each. 4-6 viable tubers per clump is the average, but we've gotten as many as 20+ per clump!

 

Cons:

You won't be sure exactly how many tubers you'll get for your time

You'll be responsible for processing and successfully storing your own tubers

You'll have access to only the 60 or so varieties in one specific field at the farm, not our whole selection

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Varieties available for the clump option can be found here, along with the map of our field where you'll be digging them.

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Available Jobs

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Lifting Tubers/General Harvest Work​

The first step of the harvest! This involves using a pitchfork or potato fork to scoop under each clump of dahlia tubers and raise them out of the ground. This is a simple but physically challenging job. Bring your own longhandled pitchfork if you have one.

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Depending where we are in the process, we may also be removing netting, cutting down stalks, or prepping space in the barn during these shifts.

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Washing

Clumps come out of the ground covered in soil and clay and need to be hosed off. This is a wet outdoor job, but very little skill is required! We have all the rain gear, but you should bring layers, warm socks, and rubber boots if you have them.

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Dividing

Dahlia clumps must be divided by hand into individual tubers to be sold or re-planted in the spring. This is a sit-down job that can be very satisfying for detail-oriented people, but it's not a task for those with poor eyesight or limited dexterity. Bring patience and glasses if you have them!

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Stamping

Every single one of our tubers get stamped with the name of the variety it belongs to, so that both we and our customers can easily identify them in the spring. This is a fun and easy task!