Sun Moon Farm Internships

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Taylor in Education, Farming, Internships // 0 Comments

Sun Moon Farm in New Hampshire Seeks Interns for the 2019 Season

Sun Moon Farm is an intentionally small and diverse vegetable farm in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. Owned and worked by Craig and Megan Jensen (and their four year old son, Fox) the farm feeds about 120 CSA member families, provides food to a few wholesale customers, and to our local food pantry. In addition to vegetables, the farm is locally known for the rustic sourdough breads that Megan bakes each week and for the rare, heirloom dahlia flowers that Craig grows. Sun Moon Farm is part of a small and growing intentional community called South of Monadnock. Neighbors often gather for potluck meals and other events and the farm serves as a social “hub” for our community.

Sun Moon Farm is looking to add two people to our 2019 farm crew. We are looking for help from May through October but regularly consider current college students who are available only for the summer months and/or more experienced candidates who might be interested in a longer stay. Our southern New Hampshire farm currently operates a vegetable CSA that feeds 120 member families. We grow vegetables on 5 acres of the 130 acre property of mixed forest and field that is also home to a small, developing intentional community. We cultivate crops using a mix of large tractor implements, small walk behind machines, and hand tools; we also follow organic growing practices. The farmers are educators as well as farmers so teaching new farmers and food consumers, and sharing ‘the good life’ with others are important aspects of their calling to small scale agriculture.

No farming experience is necessary, but interns do need an ability to adapt and a willingness to work hard, outdoors. Also, interns will have the most satisfaction from their time here if they are passionate about some aspect growing food, which could be anything from a botanical/scientific interest in growing to a passion for cooking good food. Weekly hours will range from 40 to 60 depending on the time of season and weather. Weekends are usually slower paced, but depending on the market schedule and the needs of the gardens, they are not always free. Expect a diverse workload. Daily responsibilities will vary: bed preparation, plant propagation, planting, maintenance of perennial plantings, weeding, harvesting, continued planting, and interacting with Sun Moon Farm CSA customers will all be part of an interns role. It is the farmers’ hope that interns not only enjoy growing food for their customers, but also appreciate and deepen their connection to food as it passes from their hands into the local community of customers, neighbors and friends. Most learning and instruction takes place during the course of an individual’s stay as each new part of the season unfolds. Discussions are often impromptu, occurring during meals or field work. We have an extensive library of agricultural and farm related materials and are willing to take the time to provide guided readings and discussions on topics that suit each individual’s interests as they arise. A small weekly living stipend is provided to interns regardless of level of experience. Sun Moon Farm Interns live in our house and have use of a communal kitchen (where CSA shares are prepared and bread is baked for customers). Lunches during workdays are provided; breakfast and dinners are generally not shared, although interns are given access to a pantry where certain staples are provided. Upkeep and maintenance of their personal space is the responsibility of interns. No pets. Friends and partners are welcome to visit and help on the farm. Driver’s license preferred. No smoking.

Sun Moon Farm is very close to Mt. Monadnock, near several good lakes for swimming or canoeing, and abuts a “rails to trails” bike path that can take you to the closest small town. We’re only a 90 minute drive from Cambridge/Boston.

As Quakers, we live by core testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. No one is obligated to share our religious views, but we do expect applicants to share or be willing to live respectfully by those values. We are nourished by, and committed to, living in community, so a person who is ready to participate in weekly potlucks, board game nights, a quick canoe trip, house meetings, etc, would be best suited to join us and enjoy their experience here. In February of 2015 we had our first baby. The right interns should be interested in sharing the house and gardens with a joyful young child.

For more information, or to apply for the position, please contact the farmers via email — sunmooncraig@gmail.com

Learn more about farming and food jobs and internships, or learn how to post a job, internship, or apprenticeship opportunity on beginningfarmers.org by going to https://www.beginningfarmers.org/internship-and-employment-opportunities/