Christopher Farm Internship

Last Updated On: diciembre 15th, 2022 at 07:59AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
5305 W 500 S
Modoc, Indiana, 47358

Primary Contact: Wendy Carpenter
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 812-459-4475
    Email: wendy@christopherfarm.net

Website: https://www.christopherfarm.net/internships

Internship information

General Farm Description: We are a certified organic (USDA and Real Organic Project) produce and cut flower farm located in east-central Indiana. Our farm is four acres, with about one and a half acres of bed space. Building healthy soils and growing high quality produce for our community are of upmost importance to us, so we use no-till methodologies and grow year-round. The vast majority of our marketing is done through farmer's markets and CSA's. Because of our location in a rural area of Indiana, we are passionate about doing what we do here for several reasons. The number of organic farms in our area is very limited, and we believe that providing this model for people is important. We have amazing customers who deeply appreciate our products, and we are an integral part of a developing local food system. The farming that we do is extremely rewarding. We love the work of growing amazing food, building relationships with the people who eat it, bringing beauty into people’s lives with the colorful flowers that we grow, forming an intimate connection with the land, and helping to mitigate the impact of the climate disaster. Doing this work is extremely demanding, however. More often than not, it is without glamor, and it pushes us to our limits at times. We think it’s worth it. We hope you’ll join us.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: Generally, we ask people to start in March or April, but for the right person we can be flexible with the date.
Internship Ends: The internship ends between the end of October and the middle of November.
Number of Internship Available: 4 full-season positions are available.
Application Deadline: Application will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
Minimum Length of Stay: Anything less than two months will be a volunteer position. Preference is given to those who can stay for the full season.

Internship Details:

Being a small farm doing intensive and diversified production means that every member of the crew is exremely important.  Interns are an integral part of keeping our farm operating and will be involved in all aspects of this process.  Ideally, over the course of the season, you will be able to step into positions of responsibility over certain areas (ie. CSA packing, greenhouse planting, flower production, harvesting, transplanting, etc.).  We do try to keep a balance and make sure that no one person is pulling too much weight or reversely, failing to pick up their own slack, and that everybody gets to be a part of the things they particularly want to learn about.  We do expect interns to help at our markets.  Being at market is an important part of the experience because it gives you a sense of how all of our work comes together, as well as providing interaction time with customers who are deeply appreciative of your work.

To apply, please email wendy@christopherfarm.net with the following:

• A resume

• A cover letter explaining why you are interested in working with us, what you are hoping to learn, and what your past experience is.

• Two references for us to contact.

 

Educational Opportunities: We believe that a just and local food system is an imperative part of addressing food security, the health of our local economy, and the health of our planet. Teaching others how to raise food, the building block of that system, is what inspires us to host interns. We have over 25 years of experience with a variety of production practices and techniques and we want to share that knowledge as widely as we can. This happens both through hands-on learning and discussion. Video and literary resources are also available for interns.

Skills Desired: We are looking for people who have experience with physical labor and hopefully agriculture or food production. We want curious people who are always interested in learning more, and who work to make the world a better place. Communication, responsibility, initiative, and motivation are imperative. It is important to be able to follow directions, work quickly and efficiently, and to be able to recognize that any criticism is not personal. We want you to do work that you are proud to take ownership of. We want you to be an essential part of the farm. And we want you to learn.

Meals: We provide vegetarian ingredients for all meals. Lunches are shared, and we all take turns preparing food. Assistance will be given to those who do not at first feel comfortable cooking for a group.

Stipend: A $1000/month stipend is offered to full-season interns and $500/month to partial-season interns. Past interns report that they saved more money with our room/board/stipend system than they were able to in jobs that payed hourly.

Housing: We have a beautiful/comfortable converted grainbin house on the property, which has two bed rooms, a full kitchen and bathroom, and shared living space. Campers are used for additional bedroom space and are a nice option for people who like a little more privacy.

Preferred method of Contact: email