Livestock Ranching Internship

Last Updated On: May 6th, 2024 at 12:12PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
12005 State Highway 34
Glen Allen, Missouri, 63751

Primary Contact: Ed Crowley
Secondary Contact: Terri Crowley

Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 8595360767
    Email: ed@mestameadows.com

Secondary Phone
    Type: -----
    Number: 8597535806
    Email: terrigcrowley@yahoo.com

    Email: terrigcrowley@yahoo.com

Website: https://www.mestameadows.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: Grass based ranch producing beef, lamb, chicken, and pork. We also have a sheep dairy which sells raw milk and ice cream. We have an on-farm retail store and sell to local restaurants as well as directly to consumers. Leading producer of wool for the fiber artisan market. We sell through our on-farm store, Etsy, and fiber festivals with customers in every state in the USA, Canada, as well as customers in Scotland, Ireland, and England. Our livestock breeds including Angus and Scottish Highland (Cattle) - Cormo, Rambouillet, and East Friesian/Lucaune (Sheep). We have an active agritourism business including hosting an annual sheep and fiber festival which attracts over 800 people annually.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: asap
Internship Ends: Rolling
Number of Internship Available: 2
Application Deadline: 6/1/2024
Minimum Length of Stay: 3 months to 1 year (depending on the program)

Internship Details:

Mesta Meadows is a livestock ranch located in Bollinger County Missouri, in the eastern edge of the Ozark Highlands. The ranch is owned by Ed and Terri.  Their goal is to create a financially and ecologically sustainable ranch that provides the highest quality food and fiber products directly to customers. By selling directly to customers, the Ranch captures the maximum amount of value add while ensuring the highest standards in quality. While the farm is not organically certified, it does follow organic principles and holistic framing practices including pasture raised livestock which are free of hormone and antibiotics.  We only use antibiotics in treating sick animals and only when absolutely required. We utilize a grass-based system with minimal non-grass inputs and rotational grazing.

Mesta Meadows is unique in the experience it provides interns due to the range and diversity of operations including:

• Multi-species livestock management including cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
• Direct to consumer marketing using multiple channels including ecommerce, on-farm retail store, restaurants, and direct to consumer delivery.
• Traditional commercial sales channels including registered livestock auctions, commercial livestock auctions, and direct treaty sales.
• Working with heritage cattle breeds (Scottish Highland Cattle) and traditional commercial breeds (Angus).
• Dairy sheep operation, as well as fine wool sheep operation.
• Agritourism business offering tours, camping, and festivals with over 1,000 attendees annually
• Use of commercial processing (beef, pork, and lamb) facilities as well as on-farm processing (poultry).

The diversity of experience provided by these operations is unparalleled. As an intern, you will be an integral part of the farm operations and have the opportunity to gain a wide range of experience. Our goal is to immerse you in farming and equip you to operate your own farm.

Educational Opportunities: There is a formal curriculum focused on each aspect of running a grass based livestock operation including animal husbandry, pasture management, stockmanship and grazing behavior, predator protection, wool management, meat processing, marketing, contract grazing, business management, equipment operations, and agritourism and direct marketing (1 year curriculum).

Skills Desired: You must be in good physical shape and healthy. Some experience with livestock is good, but not a requirement. A willingness to learn and ability to show initiative are important.

Meals: Yes

Stipend: We do offer a small monthly stipend. Upon successful completion of the yearlong internship, a small starter flock of sheep is provided.

Housing: Yes

Preferred method of Contact: Email