Farm Intern Opportunity in Michigan

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Farm Intern Opportunity at Pond Hill Farm in Northern Michigan – 2020

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Pond Hill Farm is a northern Michigan agricultural tourism destination that started as a vegetable farm in 1995. It has since become a unique community ecosystem by adding an expansive canned goods product line, a full service lunch café, a winery with seven acres of vineyards, and a brewery. This has created an environment that attracts tens of thousands of customers each year who come from all around the country to enjoy the experience.

FARM INTERN OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

As an intern, your main focus will be vegetable production, general farm operations, farmer markets, tasting room and farm market sampling and sales. You will have the opportunity to explore other areas of the farm as time permits.

Areas of focus:

• Vegetable Production – production schedule/calendar, seeding, planting, cultivating, weed/insect control, pre/post harvesting techniques, storage, selling/marketing at farmers’ market, record keeping, reporting on profitability and more…
• Vineyard- pruning and training, canopy management, weed/pest control, trellis maintenance, harvesting, reporting and more….
• Livestock – feeding goats/chickens/pigs, grooming goats, maintaining shelters and more….
• Tasting Room – introducing wines/beers/hard ciders to new and returning customers, promoting the farm and selling bottles of wine and bottles and growlers of beer and cider and more….
• Farmer Markets – represent and promote the farm to farmer market patrons, greet customers and sell vegetable produce/canned goods/other products and more…..
• Farm Market – greet customers, educate customers about the farm/farm products, maintain stock in farm market, share product samplings, perform sales transactions and more….
• Fall Fest – serve food and beverages, sell tickets, manage game booths and more…..

Internship Starts: May 4, 2020
Internship Ends: October 31, 2020
Length of Internship: 26 weeks
App Deadline: None

Meals: 

Interns prepare their own breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Staples and vegetable produce is provided.  There is a discount on food from the Farm Market and Café onsite.

Skills Desired: 

Interns need to be prepared for a wide range of challenging experiences, and be ready to take on a significant degree of responsibility on a farm that grows more than just vegetables!  Farming is physically and mentally demanding, but fun and rewarding too!  Interns must have the following characteristics:

• Desire to learn
• Creative
• Curious
• Energetic
• Attention to detail
• Can work independently
• Attention to customer service
• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• Previous farm experience not required but preferred

Educational Opportunities: 

You will have the opportunity to learn a variety of aspects of farming, sales, product knowledge and promotion of a unique agri-tourism business.  Learning objectives will be provided for each area of the farm.  Stipend: $175/week, plus a $25.00/week bonus, which will be given upon satisfactory completion of internship. 

Housing: 

On property housing is provided in a rustic shared cabin.  Wi-fi and washer/ dryer are available.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in the farm intern opportunity, please send a resume and 3 references to jobs@pondhill.com

 

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