Backbone Food Farm Internship in Maryland

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Backbone Food Farm Internship in Maryland – Apply Now for 2019

Looking for a place to start farming? Internships at Backbone Food Farm! Celebrating 20 years of farming.

Our farm sits on 106 acres at the foot of Backbone Mountain in far western Maryland, close to the WV border. We are 10 minutes from Oakland, our county seat, and 2.5 hours from Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Baltimore. This area is known for its small farms, State and National forests, outdoor recreation areas including world class whitewater, hiking and mountain biking, and picturesque small towns. We are 30 minutes from active arts, culture, and breweries in Thomas and Davis WV. There is a CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) group that meets nearby throughout the summer.

We have been farming here for 20 years, and have been hosting interns for 18 years. We have skills and resources to share!

Backbone Food Farm Internship Description – We are offering two internship positions for the 2019 growing season.  By committing to an entire season, you may form a realistic picture of farm workload expectations, and the farm cycle from beginning to end. Our season begins in early April and ends mid-October. Shorter college schedule positions may be considered! The main focus of the internship will be planting, growing, harvesting and marketing our 8 acres of bio-extensive. And intensive raised bed style gardens for our 40 member CSA, three farmers markets farmers markets a week, and restaurant/store deliveries.  Specific skills learned will include (but not be limited to) greenhouse management, greenhouse seeding, soil block making, variety selection, raised bed cultivation, high tunnel management, transplanting, proper weeding technique, scything, cover cropping, disease and pest management techniques, trellising, direct seeding, selecting, harvesting, and processing quality produce, market sales and display.  Other areas interns will be involved with include livestock care, mushroom cultivation and basic building projects.  Barn chores, feeding and portable fence rotation for cows, horses and pigs will be part of the routine.  Shiitake mushroom cultivation on logs will be learned, as well indoor oyster mushroom cultivation.  Gain experience with small fruits and brambles in our small orchard- 100 blueberry bushes, and multiple raspberry patches. The opportunity to learn the use of tractor and equipment exists on a limited basis for those interested.

Backbone Food Farm Internship Housing– Interns will be housed on the farm in one of several on farm accommodations, all basic, but functional.  No electricity in housing, but available on the farm for phones, lap tops, etc.  Wi-Fi accessible.  We take a family style approach to our crew, eating meals together and supporting each other.  All food provided when you are working- lunch and dinner usually prepared, fix your own breakfast and help with meal clean up. Good food!  Meat from the farm or neighbors only, local eggs, milk and yogurt from the farm and plenty of veggies! You must cook for yourself on days off.  Our family values its privacy on days off, we do not share our house those days, and need to find folks who can respect this. 

Backbone Food Farm Internship Compensation – Interns will receive $100 per week and room and board. 

Who are we looking for? No farm experience is necessary, but it is helpful. We appreciate people who are responsible, able to take initiative and follow directions, clean up after themselves, and be creative and committed. We are looking for folks wanting to learn FARMING skills. We are generally easy going and flexible and have found that a good match tends to be the same. A general appreciation for children and family, and a sense of humor is a definite bonus! The ability to work a long, full week outside that involves heavy lifting and repetitive tasks is key.  An interest in doing rewarding, meaningful work in a peaceful, beautiful, fun, safe environment IS required.  A valid driver’s license is very helpful, but not required.  All applicants will be asked for a current resume and three references.

What are you looking for? If you are interested in learning the basics of seasonal small farm work including animal husbandry basics, greenhouse management, seeding, weeding, transplanting, harvesting, processing and marketing as well as the fundamentals of shiitake and oyster mushroom cultivation, consider a Backbone Food Farm Internship for a great summer of work and learning.

 

All applicants for the Backbone Food Farm Internship will be asked for a current resume and three references.

Please visit our website to fill out an application.

www.backbonefarm.com

Join us this summer for a Backbone Food Farm Internship? We’ll be hard at it! We would love to include you.