We are looking for two or three individuals who are interested in learning more about farming: gardening, raising animals, food preservation, basic building skills and caring for God’s creation to join our family this summer for a part-time internship (1 day a week).
Our promise to our summer interns is that you will not just be learning farm skills, you will also be joining our family. This means that you will not be weeding our garden alone. In fact, there very well may be little hands helping you each day which definitely adds to the fun of the farm. (This is good news for you because the kids don’t forget when it is time to break for popsicles!) Also, we will share farm-to-table lunches, enjoying the fruits of our labor, sharing rich conversation.
I look back over the summer and realize that I have learned how to build and paint a fence, bale hay, butcher chickens, make soap, take care of a garden, and interact with young kids. This internship has given me a confidence in my own capabilities that I didn’t have before.
Lena, 2019
This is an unpaid internship, but if you have ever had any interest in farming, gardening, animal care or learning more about eating your own homegrown food, this is the perfect hands-on opportunity for to grow in your own knowledge. No prior experience needed. Just a good attitude and a willingness to learn.
What you will be doing varies from day to day. You may be weeding the garden and picking tomatoes one day. You may be collecting eggs or moving the mobile chicken coop another day. You may help organize the barn, making it ready to fill with hay bales.
Activities include:
• Caring for animals (we have chickens, goats, sheep, and pigs)
• Picking fruit and making jams
• Planting and weeding a huge garden
• Harvesting and canning vegetables
• Making farm products like goat milk soap
Every day of the year is different on a family farm. There is always work to be done, but it is often not strenuous.
Applications for 2020 are now closed. Please check back next year or join our mailing list to be notified of future openings.
When: Summer 2020, April through August. One day per week. During special events we may need extra help.
Where: At our family farm in Northfield, Minnesota
My favorite parts of the internship were the conversations that we had while gardening and painting fences. I loved our sugar breaks that we took on hot days (who knew popsicles could give you such an energy boost!?), I loved eating blueberries and taking care of the chickens, sheep and goats. I also really liked making soap and eating fried green tomatoes and fried pumpkin flowers. I loved going on a day trip to another homestead and I even enjoyed butchering chickens–that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Chelsea, 2019