Kiss the Cow Farm

Last Updated On: October 14th, 2024 at 09:26AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
992 Walker Hill Road
South Royalton, Vermont, 05068

Primary Contact: Randy
Secondary Contact: Lisa

Primary Phone:
    Type: Home
    Number: 802-763-3921
    Email: farmers@kissthecowfarm.com

Website: http://www.kissthecowfarm.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: Kiss the Cow Farm is an organic, grass based, A2 dairy selling ice cream as well as raw and pasteurized milk from our herd of Jersey and Normande cows. We also grow organic vegetables, herbs and flowers. We sell our products through a farm store, seasonal CSAs, weekly farmers' markets and area co-ops.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: Fall of 2024 or later
Internship Ends: 2025 or later
Number of Internship Available: 2
Application Deadline: Ongoing....
Minimum Length of Stay: Two months

Internship Details:

You will experience first-hand what it takes to run a diverse, organic farm. The hours are long and the work is physical. However, there is no better way to learn the craft of small-scale agriculture than to roll up your sleeves and do it. The primary goal of our internship is to teach you what you need to know and give you plenty of practice and the confidence to pursue your own farm dream.

You will learn the full spectrum of managing a small farm: growing raw products, processing those raw products into value-add products, sales and distribution. Depending on your interest, you may focus on one area, but will still be involved in all aspects of managing a small, organic dairy and vegetable farm, including: milking, feeding, moving animals to new pastures, fencing, calf care, herd health and nutrition, safety, dairy protocols and processes. You will participate in many aspects of food production including planting, hoeing, weeding, and mulching. Plus harvesting, washing, and packing produce. You will make, scoop and eat lots of ice cream. You will participate at farmers markets and, putting up and delivering CSA boxes, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, and construction projects.

Educational Opportunities: Days are physically demanding with hard work and long hours filled with chores, projects, customers and laughter! We take plenty of breaks, chatting, reading, and catching some vitamin D sunrays. Our standards are high and necessarily so as we are entrusting you to prepare dairy and poultry products for safe human consumption. Please consider this commitment before applying. However, we find the work enjoyable, lots of interesting folks to chat with, and very entertaining and often cute animals to distract us. This is really your experience, not ours. While working closely with us some of the time, you will also have independent responsibilities. So let us know what you want to learn, what you want to be able to competently do when you move on. We'll try to incorporate your goals into the experience you have with us. Both Lisa and Randy are educators with master's degrees in education. Most learning is experiential and one-on-one, plus what topics and questions come out of daily conversations. We typically teach by example.

Skills Desired: If you have the courage to try new things and you smile at bad jokes in spite of yourself, then you will probably fit in. Having a positive-can-do attitude, being curious about life, and willing to pitch in will go a long way towards making your experience with us what you want it to be. This is a learning experience: you need to want to learn. You should be reasonably fit and able to lift 50 lbs regularly. You should also be able to work outside in all weather conditions from rain to mid-summer heat. Please no smoking, drug use, excessive alcohol consumption, or pets. A valid drivers's license is required. We don't expect you to know everything or be perfect. We do expect you to be willing to learn and to work honestly and conscientiously. We've had some amazing interns whom we heart-to-death and still stay in touch with -including a few we think of as "our kids". Some have liked their experience here so much they have stayed longer than initially planned; others have returned for multiple visits. (See some of their testimonials on our website). We enjoy working with and teaching motivated folks -no matter your background.

Meals: As for room and board, well basically you become a member of the farmily! Meals can be with us or on your own. Typically, we share meal prep and eat together. While not vegetarians ourselves, we love veggies and there are plenty in the summer and fall! Ingredients as well as veggies and; diary are provided, as is a weekly food allowance.

Stipend: Absolutely! Based on experience. Plus room and board. Plus unending learning opportunities from professional educators. Plus responsibility and practice so you can confidently do this on your own which is, of course, the whole point of an internship....

Housing: There are bedrooms upstairs in the farm house. Or you could choose to live in your tent anywhere on the surrounding woodland and eat what you can forage, but hey, it's your choice! We've also retrofitted the sugar house into a 1-2 person residence. Laundry and shower -was well as an outdoor shower- are also available in the main house. The fire pit is a great place for the crew to be on their own and hang out together if you want.

Preferred method of Contact: email or phone