Free Union Grass Farm

Last Updated On: January 31st, 2022 at 03:19PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
3565 Ballards Mill Road
Free Union, Virginia, 22940

Primary Contact: Joel
Secondary Contact: Lauren

Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 434-996-3984
    Email: freeuniongrassfarm@gmail.com

Secondary Phone
    Type: Cell
    Number: 804-317-1695
    Email:

Website: https://www.freeuniongrassfarm.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: Free Union Grass Farm is a holistic, diversified livestock operation, located in the beautifully scenic Albemarle County, Virginia, near Charlottesville. We believe in raising food that can help heal people and the land. The most accurate summary of our style of farming is "intense impact, intense rest." With the exception of the cold winter months, our livestock are never in one place for longer than a couple of days. We allow the animals to intensely impact a piece of ground heavily for a short time, then move them completely; they won't see that piece of ground again for several months, or even until the following year. The cows are moved every day during the season and about once a week when we feed hay in the winter. The poultry are moved to a completely new paddock every few days, and their portable coops, feeders, drinkers, and fences go with them. We gauge the animals' time in each paddock by the health of the stand, the weather, and the topography of that particular piece of land. We have been raising pastured broiler chickens and ducks, 100% grass-fed beef cattle, and forest-fed hogs for over 10 years. In the past few years, we have added pastured goose, lamb, and cut flowers to our products. We have also started feeding all of our poultry a Certified Organic feed. We are scaling some things back this year due to some changing circumstances. We have acquired a new land management gig next-door to us, which brings us extra income but also requires us to scale some things down on-farm to ensure we have sufficient time to give to the new spot. We will still be raising and processing chickens, ducks, and geese on-farm and managing a smaller herd of our own cows as well as a herd of 30+ head of cattle on the neighboring property. We will also still be raising hogs, but are currently working on minimizing our farrowing (piglet-birthing) operation. We are in our second year of a new cut-flower operation, and are hoping to continue to expand this enterprise.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 4/1/22
Internship Ends: 12/1/22
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months

Internship Details:

WEEKEND WARRIOR: This position entails 15-20 hours of work per week. This person would be responsible for weekend animal chores, packing for, setting up, and selling at our local farmer’s market, and manning the farmstand during our Friday and Saturday hours, on a rotating schedule with the assistant manager and head farmer.

Educational Opportunities: You will be taught basic farm animal care - how to feed and water cattle, swine, ducks, and chickens, as well as the skills to rotate these animals to fresh pasture and observe their health. You will also learn to set up, break down, and man a full farmer's market booth.

Skills Desired: Ability to work in all weather conditions, lift 50+ lbs, a positive attitude, and good communication skills. Experience in the service industry a plus.

Meals: $150 monthly meat stipend. You cook your own meals, except for the occasional farm crew dinner.

Stipend: $150 monthly meat stipend. Free housing in studio apartment with kitchen, utilities, and wifi included, at a value of $1000/ month.

Housing: Yes. Free housing in studio apartment with kitchen, utilities, and wifi included.

Preferred method of Contact: E-mail