Farm Manager Intern – Hogstead

Last Updated On: junio 11th, 2024 at 09:39AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
13204 19th Ave NE
Marysville, Washington, 98271

Primary Contact: LUKE CONYAC
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 4254430085
    Email: HOGSTEAD.INFO@GMAIL.COM

Website: https://www.hogstead.net

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Hogstead/

Internship information

General Farm Description: Hogstead is family farm producing meat, eggs, and vegetables direct-marketed to consumers and restaurants in the Seattle region. The 16 acre farm focuses on sustainably integrating livestock and crop production.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: Summer - Fall 2024
Internship Ends: Spring 2025 or longer
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: 08/01/2024
Minimum Length of Stay: 30 days initally, 6 months requested

Internship Details:

Hogstead is seeking a general intern to work on the farm with the prospect of managing day-to-day operations on a paid basis.  The intern position will run for 30 days, then transition into a stipend position with a commitment to work a minimum of 6 months.  The position may continue through 2025.  Stipend amount varies on work commitment provided and ranges from $1500 t0 $2500 per month. Stipend is negotiable and depends on whether applicant is living on farm, eating farm food, and hours worked per week.

Daily operations include feeding and caring for the following approximately 25 breeder hogs, 150 feeder/butcher hogs, 300 laying hens, 250 meat chicken/broilers, and other animals on the farm.   In the summer season, approximately one acre organic vegetable field is in operation on the farm.

Specific Livestock Management Tasks:  Humanely caring for pastured-raised fowl, hogs, and beef. This includes learning general animal husbandry, animal nutrition, feeding, watering, housing/feeder/waterer construction & maintenance, deep bedding methods and manure composting, nutrient management, parasite control methods, breedstock selection, breeding, farrowing baby pigs, egg hatching, rotational grazing, forage/cover cropping, fencing, USDA and WSDA processing, on-farm slaughter and butchery.

Details of the Optional Management of Vegetable Operation (not required in position):  Variety selection for regional climate, greenhouse growing and building, fertilization, soil building, planting, weed control methods, harvesting/washing/prep/packaging, nutrient management, cover cropping, compost utilization, vegetable rotation, tillage equipment selection and usage, tractor operation, irrigation and water use, beneficial planting for pollinators, and organic certification and auditing.

Direct Marketing:  On and off farm sales, CSA, farm product group buys, farmer’s markets, restaurant sales, and online media. Online sales, packing orders, and maintaining inventory. Other learning opportunities include legal aspects of farming and selling food, rules and regulations, cold storage, construction projects (structural and timber framing/concrete/etc), logging/firewood, food preservation, soap making, and an array of sustainable living concepts taking place at the farm.

Amenities: Our farm is located near many amenities and beaches.  A park pass is available to woofers to use at the lakes and parks close to the farm.  Fun activities include crabbing in summer on the Puget Sound, lakes, rivers, and beaches.  It is a short drive to various hiking trails and National Forests. We do a weekly (working) brewery tour in Seattle at our breweries where we pick up spent brew grain and drop off farm products. The farm roasts hogs in summer for large brewery events in Seattle. We host social gatherings at the farm in summer.

Accommodations:  Currently, two campers and a school bus camper are on farm. We have parking for vehicles, camper, or RV.  RV dump station less than ten minutes from farm (no dump currently on site).  A small on-farm apartment is in construction at the farm, and will provide furnished, winter-living accommodation. The apartment will have a bathroom available.    The farm has power, potable water, propane, large outdoor kitchen, and forest/wetland area to explore.  The outdoor kitchen at farm camp is covered, with open air layout and has a wood burning cooking range, propane gas cooking range, two basin sink with water, refrigerator with freezer, food prep areas, and pots/pans, plates, and utensils. Kitchen camp area has picnic tables, chairs, and a fire ring. Washer and dryer available. Outdoor shower. Composting toilet and porta-potty for restrooms.

For food, interns get access to available vegetables, a dozen eggs per week, and meat.  The farm does prepare group meals on occasion, usually once per week. Grocery stores are available less than a 10 minute drive from the farm. A farm vehicle is available, if needed.

Educational Opportunities: The six months position will enable the intern to operate a small-scale, direct market farm operation.

Skills Desired: Hard work ethic. Serious desire to work in agriculture.

Meals: yes

Stipend: yes

Housing: yes

Preferred method of Contact: email