Fresh Starts Farm Internships in Minnesota

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Taylor in Education, Farming, Internships, Organic // 0 Comments

Fresh Starts Farm Internships – Organic Farm In Minnesota – 2017

Fresh Starts Farm is looking to hire two paid interns for Summer 2017. We grow organic veggies, hogs and chickens near Mora, MN on about 2 acres for a small CSA and farmers market in Duluth. We have 160 acres of beautiful fields and forests that we utilize for various agroforestry and pastoral projects.

Fresh Starts Farm interns will be expected to work in all aspects of growing vegetables, farm upkeep and livestock management. Mostly, our time will be spent in the vegetable fields. Planting, transplanting, mulching, cultivating, laying irrigation, and harvesting and processing vegetables are some of the biggest day–to-day tasks. You’ll need to be able to lift 50 pounds, and be on your feet most of the day. We use a small tractor for initial field preparation, but the rest is done mostly by hand. We are not certified organic, but go far beyond those guidelines by not using any synthetic chemicals, and focusing on building soil health and diverse insect communities for healthy, vigorous plants.

Beyond vegetable cultivation, we are starting an agroforestry project, growing a variety of fruit trees and nut shrubs. We are very interested in permaculture and looking to nature in designing our farm. We grow grain for our herd of heritage hogs, who are pastured in the forest, and we have a small flock of egg-layers who get rotationally pastured around the veggie garden cover-crops. Soon, there may be a few more species of animals helping us improve the land.

My aim is to share my knowledge about agro-ecological farming techniques as much as I can.

Full-time and part-time positions are available. Compensation for working 30 hrs/wk is $150 – $200, depending on applicant’s experience and skill level, plus room and board. Wednesday and Thursdays are harvest days when extra help is required. To apply, email a short message describing why you are interested in Fresh Starts Farm to freshstartsfarm@gmail.com by the end of March.