Farming Internship in Ohio for 2015

2015 Internship opportunity in New Lebanon, Ohio at Cooks Garden 

Website: https://cooksgardennewlebanon.com/Cooks_Garden_New_Lebanon/Welcome.html https://www.shilohfarmersmarket.com/Shiloh_Farmers_Market/Welcome.html General Description: They are looking for one intern or a stable couple. Ideal applicants would be folks who have decided to be market gardeners and wish to actually do it for a season before starting off on their own. Interns are needed from April through August, to work with them and learn all aspects of business, working about 40 hours per week or a combined 40 hours a week for a couple. They will pay a total of $250 per week, they will also provide housing in a small self-contained, well-appointed cottage on the property, with free produce from our garden. Theirs is a small operation with one acre in produce, cut flowers and U-pick strawberries. They grow bedding plants for sale in May. They also keep bees and sell extracted raw honey. Most of their produce and cut flowers are sold at a farmers' market in Dayton, although they do have a significant door trade. They are the managers of the Shiloh Farmers’ Market in Dayton, so interns will also get an insiders view of the issues and challenges that managing a farmers’ market involves. They specialize in very early tomatoes and lettuce EVERY week from mid-May to mid-October. They also grow a variety of other produce to make our booth colorful and varied. They also grow a variety of other produce to make their booth colorful and varied. In flowers they specialize in large, mixed “country” bouquets; some ready-made and some made-to-order at the market. Though no longer certified organic, they use no commercial fertilizers or sprays in the garden. 2015 will be their 10th year to host an intern. Applicants are encouraged to speak with former interns to get an inside perspective of this position.

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Internship Starts: April 1, 2015

Internship Ends: August 31, 2015

Number of Interns: 1 or 2

App Deadline: March 1, 2015, send an email or call for application.

Minimum Length of Stay: 5 months

Meals: Interns will be expected to cook their own meals. They provide free produce from their garden.

Skills Desired: Ideal applicants would be folks who have decided to be market gardeners and wish to actually do it for a season before starting off on their own. Interns are needed from the beginning of April through September, to work with them and learn all aspects of the business (40 hours per week, or a combined 40 hours per week for a couple). Characteristics that they feel are necessary to succeed in this line of work include: enjoy working hard outside in all types of weather, good physical health, driver’s license, good sense of humor, genuine warmth for people, ability to prioritize and not procrastinate, and above all enthusiasm and integrity.

Educational Opportunities: All aspects of growing, harvesting and selling vegetables, cut flowers, bedding plants, U-pick strawberries and honey, farmers’ market management.

Stipend: $250 per week.

Housing: They also provide housing in a small, self-contained, completely furnished, cottage on the property.

Preferred method of contact: Email or phone

Internship Details: Their farm is small. They have the bare minimum of equipment, but have developed tools and techniques that enable them to do very well. A typical summer work week includes garden maintenance, planting of weekly succession crops, harvesting produce and flowers, making up flower bunches, and setting up and selling at farmers’ market. Sundays are ALWAYS free. After strawberry season, in late June, Mondays are also free. So the 40 hours would be worked Tuesday through Saturday.

If interested, send them an email and request an application.

989 N.Clayton Rd.

New Lebanon, OH 45345 – 9641

Contact: Stephen Cook, Zella Falcon Cook

Phone: [Home] 937-687-3753

Email: cooksgarden@gmail.com, zelfalcon@aol.com