Woodland Ranch

Last Updated On: November 1st, 2023 at 01:49PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
20770 283rd st
PO 473
Allen, South Dakota, 57714

Primary Contact: Terry Livermont
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 6055108444
    Email: woodlandranch55@gmail.com

Website: https://www.woodlandranchsd.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: 7th generation operators, we run approximately 100 head on more than 1000 acres. In addition to our cattle, we have multiple gardens and keyline food forest projects in progress. Our goal is to model self-sufficiency and food sovereignty so we may serve our community as a place where people can practice these skills in the pursuit of greater stewardship, health, and independence.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: April 1 (flexible)
Internship Ends: October 31 (flexible)
Number of Internship Available: 6
Application Deadline: none
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months

Internship Details:

Work With Woodland Ranch!
Hiring for Five Different Positions

Farm:
The Farm Manager is responsible for field crops, the market garden, and the nursery. The objective is to grow enough for all farm guests and residents with a surplus to provide for our CSA. The Farm Manager must be able to coordinate with Ranch Manager so that crops and livestock benefit each other, maximizing yields and minimizing waste. The Farm Manager is also responsible for maintaining all farm equipment.
Base pay is $24,000 with performance bonuses derived from ranch income.

Ranch:
The Ranch Manager is responsible for the livestock. This includes intensive rotational grazing with cattle. Other livestock are to be added if you choose. The Ranch Manager is also responsible for harvesting livestock and managing inventory to supply food for all guests, residents, and CSA members. The Ranch Manager must be able to coordinate with Farm Manager so that grazing enhances farm ground and utilizes waste. The Ranch Manager is also responsible for managing any Ranch equipment, including fencing, wells, and machinery. The Ranch Manager is also responsible for taking care of and training horses.
Base pay is $24,000 with performance bonuses derived from ranch income.

Hospitality:
The Hospitality Manager is responsible for managing guests, events, and public relations. This role includes managing a community calendar and social media presence so that people can attend community events and educational retreats and workshops. This role. involves managing and maintaining +24 guest spaces: houses, campgrounds, RVs, and more. This role also involves coordinating teams to ensure that guests get the experience they paid for, whether that’s learning about crops, livestock, hunting, forestry, horses, wild foraging, Lakota culture, or anything else.
Base pay is $24,000 with performance bonuses derived from hospitality income.

Qualifications

All Managers:
All managers must be cooperative and sociable. It is important that everyone can work with each other and guests. Education and shared experiences are central to our business, so empathy, patience, and the desire to share are central to our success. It is also important that all managers are skilled at scheduling, budgeting, and inventory management.

Farm:
Farm managers must be knowledgeable in field crops, market gardens, and large-scale permaculture design. The farm’s goal is to move away from mechanical operations. Because of this, knowledge about tractors and machinery is necessary, but Farm Managers must plan for machine-free operations eventually.

Ranch:
Ranch managers must be experienced with intensive grazing with cattle. This includes fencing and forage analysis. Ranch managers must be experienced with horses, training, and riding. They also must be experienced with processing animals and the safe handling of meat. Ranch managers should also have experience with wells, ranch equipment, and simple construction.

Hospitality:
Hospitality managers must be experienced with short-term hosting platforms and hospitality essentials. It would also be helpful if hospitality managers are experienced with facilities maintenance: painting, plumbing, electrical, and other skills necessary to keep the guest spaces in good order. The hospitality manager will need to develop a directory of regional teachers, clubs, and organizations so that a full schedule of events can be coordinated year to year.

Additional Positions

Programming and Grant Writing:
This role involves pursuing grant money while implementing the programming to fulfill the grant requirements. Most of this will involve education of some kind while coordinating with Farm, Ranch, and Hospitality managers to utilize the grant money: whether the funds are for social programs like educational efforts or ecological projects like habitat development.

Social Media/Creative:
This role involves the full-time management of our internet presence on all platforms and the cohesive management of our brand collateral. Meaning, the graphic design of digital media, printed promotional materials, educational materials, and company merchandise.

Hiring Process

All Positions:
Stage 1: Letter of interest:
Past Experience
Interest in this position, in South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation
References

Stage 2: Visit and tour
After a visit and tour of the ranch. We can discuss terms and consider a partnership.

Educational Opportunities: While Rangers may focus on cattle or horticulture, there are additional educational opportunities to learn about farm management, insurance, sales, marketing, agritourism, and event coordination.

Skills Desired: People with established western riding skills and plant propagation skills are ESPECIALLY valuable.

Meals: Yes, our beef and garden supply is supplemented with grocery staples like spinach, rice, beans, and canned tomatoes. Interns will have to purchase/request special items beyond these staples.

Stipend: Yes. The minimum stipend is $100/week($10/hour). This is negotiable. If you are willing to work more and have skills, we will pay competitively. For anyone who successfully completes the training course, they will receive a $1,000 bonus. We also offer sales commissions and other bonus pay for extra ranger tasks.

Housing: Yes, we have furnished bedrooms for interns. No one will be made to double bunk in a room without prior consent. There are also alternative shelters like teepees and RVs.

Preferred method of Contact: email or text