Hello,

I'm a 29 year old guy in Austin, Texas who has catahoula leopard dogs and a bulldog puppy. I am trying to see if there is any apprenticeship programs in Texas but I am more than willing to relocate from out of state provided I'm throughly sastified that I will have a good apprenticeship. Keep in mind, I'm deaf but that does NOT mean I'm a idiot or need coddling but that I do need open communication. Alot of people do not know how to deal with a deaf person. We might be deaf but we aren't handicapped. I speak fairly good English and excellent sign language. My hobby is hog hunting with my dogs when I have time and would like to develop that into a full time job which isn't really possible in Texas due to high numbers of feral hogs..my job would never be done :) If anyone is interested in learning a new language and teaching a young man ways to do farming/ranching/etc please contact me via email as that is the best way for me to get info. I like mountains but am from Texas where it's mostly hilly and not too mountainous. I'm used to the extreme heat and humidity so that's not a problem.

Please contact me if you have any questions. Thanks in advance.

Ted Hart

-- Ted Hart (tedhart71@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001

Answers

Pick up a copy of American West magazine. Sometimes they have advertisments in the classified section for people to work and some will work with inexperienced people.

Having the bulldog might ba a problem. Most people with animals don't want bulldogs around, that is if your's is a pit bulldog.

Also try to pick up a copy of Farm and Ranch magazine. It's read by real farm people and you might find something there.

In the local weekly newspaper where I live there are occasional ads for farm hands. You might try to find some copies of newspapers from small rural areas. I live in Texas and I think if you look hard enough you will be able to find something.

Also, I would be surprised if very many real country or farm people would have a problem with your lack of hearing ability. Most county people are not so shallow as to let something like that be a problem although I guess there are all kinds of people in this world.

-- Joe (jcole@apha.com), January 05, 2001.

Ted- Could not tell from your post what kind of apprenticeship you are looking for, but, if it is homesteading/farming/etc., you might check out the ATTRA website. They maintain a listing of available apprenticeships. It is mostly geared towards small growers/CSA's/organics, etc., but you find find something in your area that interests you.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), January 05, 2001.

Ted what type of apprenticeship are you interested in? There is a program here in texas that is out of Austin With the Sheet metal workers. But is avalible also in many other states and city's And they pay the expenses. Just check with there union I don't have the number. But they were here at the last job fair here at Ft. Hood. They offered some not bad pay and trained in Austin. Hope that helped a little. Good luck.

-- Anthony J. DiDonato (didonato@vvm.com), January 06, 2001.

Ok, let me clarify. I like welding but not sheet metal work..I worked at a sheet metal shop only for a week. But I don't know if sheet metal pays good because the company I worked for paid very little. At that time, I worked as a helper so that might've explained quite a bit. I took college classes in welding besides other subjects and loved it. I took an iron working course (old fashioned type of bending and hammering metal) and didn't like it but if for small projects..I wouldn't mind though. In Austin, you have to make approximately 12-15 bucks an hour to be able to survive without a roommate. Right now, I'm working at Dell as a temp which could be a permanent position but I want to work outside with animals and my dogs(espically the catahoula because she likes to herd) is very bored. I just moved to Liberty Hill to live on a ranch so that is helping a bit. Any ideas?

Ted

-- Ted Hart (tedhart71@hotmail.com), January 08, 2001.

See post lower down titled possible homestead opportunity.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), January 10, 2001.