Gould Farm Volunteer-Intern

Last Updated On: November 1st, 2023 at 01:48PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
100 Gould Rd
Monterey, Massachusetts, 01245

Primary Contact: Mike Covell
Primary Phone:
    Type: Office
    Number: 413-528-1804
    Email: volunteer@gouldfarm.org

Website: https://www.gouldfarm.org/

Internship information

General Farm Description: Gould Farm, founded in 1913, is the first residential therapeutic community in the nation dedicated to helping adults with mental health and related challenges move toward recovery and independence through community living, meaningful work, and clinical care. We refer to our residents as “guests” and welcome them into a supportive community environment made up of staff and their families most of whom live on the 700-acre campus. We help adults with depression, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and other challenges rebuild and regain their lives. Gould Farm offers a full continuum of services that includes individual sessions with a dedicated clinician. Programs in both Boston and the Berkshires provide transitional support for guests ready to live more independently. Vocational counseling is available for those preparing to return to school or work.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: rolling start
Internship Ends: rolling end
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: NA
Minimum Length of Stay: 6 months

Internship Details:

Gould Farm Volunteer/Intern

Join a dynamic and dedicated team as a full-time Volunteer/Intern at Gould Farm in the Berkshires, in Western MA. Mature and caring individuals interested in living and working in a therapeutic community for people with mental health challenges working on one of our agricultural teams are encouraged to apply. We ask that Volunteers/Interns commit to six months to a year of service. We provide our year long Volunteers/Interns with:

• Room and board
• Health insurance
• Monthly living stipend
• On the job training and experience working on a farm 

 As a member of one of our farm/agricultural work teams, Volunteers/Interns gain wide-ranging experiences, skills and knowledge, while also contributing to the overall healing milieu for program participants. Volunteers/Interns support work teams by participating in the daily tasks the teams perform, working side-by-side with guests (our term for program participants), and often providing leadership and coaching to guests in the tasks and projects of the work teams. 

Volunteers/Interns are welcome to apply to one of three agricultural teams:

As a member of the Farm Team, you will have the opportunity to participate in the care of the beef and dairy herds, the fieldwork that supports their health, and the processing of dairy products. Under the guidance of our experienced farm staff, you have the opportunity to learn about animal health and care, intensive rotational grazing, and breeding practices to manage production, while plugging into the projects that build the modernization and efficiency of our dairy operation. Daily tasks include feeding the animals, milking, and mucking out the barn, pasteurizing milk, making cheese, fence work, tool and equipment maintenance, and animal transport. 

Garden Team Volunteers/Interns maintain an acre of cultivated land, as well as a greenhouse and several hoop houses. As a year-long member of the Garden Team, you will get to experience a complete life-cycle, participating in the planning, planting, tending, and harvesting of food crops enjoyed in our dining room, as well as by seasonal customers of our CSA and shared with area food security organizations. Garden tasks include seed starts, planting, harvesting, weeding, building raised beds, repairing equipment, cultivating mushrooms, managing the vermicomposting and seasonal sap collection and maple syrup production, and cider pressing. 

The Forestry & Grounds Team (F&G) is responsible for a wide range of tasks that maintain the tidiness, beauty, and safety of the Gould Farm campus, as well as our model forest. Daily indoor housekeeping around the Main House is balanced with a variety of outdoor activities. From lawn care to trail maintenance of our many miles of hiking trails, to gathering and splitting firewood and tapping trees, sap collection and syrup production, there are many opportunities to learn new skills.

If you are interested in learning more about Volunteer/Intern opportunities and how to apply, visit our website: https://www.gouldfarm.org/volunteer, or contact us at volunteer@gouldfarm.org.

Educational Opportunities: On the job training, and training specific to the work of Gould Farm

Skills Desired: No skills/experience required

Meals: Yes

Stipend: Yes. There is a cash stipend of $400 per month and 100% medical/health insurance premiums.

Housing: Yes

Preferred method of Contact: email