Hiring: Farm Intern

Work/Experience Desired: Since the intent of the internship is to pass along knowledge, we do not have specific experience requirements. All thing being equal, we may, however, give preference to those with a gardening background or those pursuing a career/lifestyle in the work we do.

We are looking for applicants who are:
• highly motivated
• flexible and adaptable
• collaborative
• display gratitude
• follow directions while sharing their opinions
• independent workers
• in good physical condition
• have a sincere desire to learn about sustainable food production, hunger issues, and community building
• value quality work
• able to maintain a clean, safe and organized work space

This is a hands-on internship. You will be immersed, get dirty, be challenged, and be encouraged to use your gifts – not just your muscles.

Duration of Internship: Interns agree to participate in the internship program from the time they arrive in late March or early April until the last day in October. A 1-month trial period is part of the internship. Interns must provide a 2 week notice before terminating the internship. In addition, flexible vacation time of a week or so is available during the growing season.

Interns can expect to:
• Engage in physical labor regardless of weather
• Get up early especially in the summer and be ready to work on time.
• Eventually lead and teach groups and individual volunteers
• Study and apply sustainable, organic, traditional and alternative growing practices, food security, community building
• Participate in all aspects of growing food (cultivation, planting, transplanting, harvesting, washing, distributing…)
• Participate in upkeep and maintenance of intern common space
• Interns are responsible to carry their own health insurance and are responsible for their own medical expenses.
• Additional desirable traits we greatly appreciate: being a morning person, ability to operate tillers/ weedeaters/ mowers, willingness to learn new skills, enjoying people, make friends with all types of people, having a sense of humor
Education Opportunities:
• A systematic education consisting of independent assigned reading and group discussion / presentations covering basic principles of growing food organically, food security issues, doing nonprofit and community building work.
• Experiential, hands-on learning every day
• Excellent home library is available
• Learning through continual casual discussions, often with others who do similar work.
• Opportunities to work with the local food pantry, Welcome Table and other hunger alleviation initiatives
• The opportunity to sit in on our work with local colleges & other organizations
• Field trips & membership in CRAFT – monthly farm tours and potlucks
• The opportunity to sit in on our board meetings to better understand the organizational aspect of nonprofits
• Other nearby farms offer opportunities for extra learning experiences
• Friends within our community offer opportunities for learning many skills including cheese making, herbal products, soap making, pasture meats and more. (Sometimes odd jobs are also offered in these fields)
• The freedom to utilize your expertise and passions to create something new.
• & more!

Compensation: housing, garden produce, some dry food staples, education, personal growth, $400/month stipend (possibly increasing) and immersion into an amazing community.

Interns are expected to supply their own work shoes, bedding, clothing, sunscreen, laundry soap, toiletries, and take appropriate precautions to work safely. We provide insect repellant, gloves, tools, garden produce and some food staples.

Interns should have their own health insurance coverage. The Lord’s Acre does not assume responsibility for any medical expenses of the intern. Additionally, we are not required to provide Worker’s Compensation insurance.

Interns are expected to work aprx 32 – 35 hours / week within a mostly M – F morning schedule

Housing: Housing is at the garden. There are two, new identical 12’ X 12’ bunk houses with lofts. They do not have insulation or interior walls, nor is there air conditioning or heating. The doors lock. They have fans, a high air vent and windows, portable room heaters, some furniture, mattresses, and unfinished wooden flooring. For now, the kitchen, toilet and shower are in a nearby older RV which is a common space for interns.

We cannot provide housing for pets or children. Request for very occasional overnight guests must be requested and approved.

We are looking for highly motivated & committed interns to assist in the daily & ever changing needs of our organization. This is an amazing opportunity to learn and be part of creating new ways of building community that benefits people, animals, plants & the environment. We are serious and hard working, yet flexible and fun loving. If your family comes to visit, we will make every effort to find housing for them for a few days.

The best applicants will be joyful, grateful folks who come not only to receive but to give of themselves. What an intern gives day-in and day-out, is what they will get out of this experience. We provide honest references and love to recommend our most excellent interns.

We encourage you to call past interns to gauge what the experience is like through their eyes and will provide that contact information when asked.