Lone Willow Ranch
Last Updated On: March 15th, 2024 at 09:21AM MST
Contact information
Farm Address:11356 Road 5 1/2
FIREBAUGH, California, 93622
Primary Contact: John Teixeira
Secondary Contact: Nicole Tudela
Primary Phone:
Type: Cell
Number: 559-694-0017
Email: lonewillow@aol.com
Secondary Phone
Type: -----
Number: 908-705-7084
Email: nic.tudela@gmail.com
Email: nic.tudela@gmail.com
Website: http://www.organicheirlooms.com/
Internship information
General Farm Description: Lone Willow Ranch has been certified organic since 1991 and certified biodynamic! We are located along the Central San Joaquin River. We are approximately 2 hours from San Francisco, Sacramento, and Yosemite Valley. We have been know for growing and selling Heirloom tomato and seeds but recently (the last 8 years) added pastured livestock to our farm. We currently farm heirloom dry beans, tomatoes, melons, herbs, onions, garlic , alfalfa, wheat, many fruit trees and much more. We also keep 15 hives of bees just for our food preservation. Livestock includes chickens, turkeys, dairy goats, jersey cows, and heritage pigs, all pasture raised. We are in such a wonderful area we can basically grow what we want to eat. We are dedicated to being local and sustainable. The majority of our interns have all gone on to be in some part of the organic/sustainable food movement. Mostly becoming farm managers or starting their own CSAsCRAFT Member Farm? No
Internship Starts: Open
Internship Ends: Open
Number of Internship Available: 2
Application Deadline: Open
Minimum Length of Stay: 3mo - Open
Internship Details:
This is a perfect opportunity for the first time internship. Interns will be involved in the every day aspect of running a small farm and goat dairy. They will have hands on experience with animal husbandry, Bee Keeping, growing and administrating herbal remedies, milking and making fresh cheese. They will learn how to plant and grow a vast array of fresh produce, from planting the seeds to making the seed with everything in the middle. The opportunities are endless for a well-motivated individual.
A normal day can include milking the goats and cows, feeding the animals, collecting eggs, then making breakfast with those fresh eggs. Planting or caring for transplants in the green house, running a tractor, or harvesting some tomatoes and other goods. Take a long lunch break, then back to crop care, and afternoon animal moving and feeding and possible milking. Interns are welcome to have dinner with me as we prepare a lot of our current produce and meats. Obviously each day is different and offers new experiences. Come join us!
Educational Opportunities: Hands on experience in every little aspect of keeping a home farm running. Direction and guidance will be given but there is a freedom to the day. We are open and encourage personal projects and ideas. There is the option to attend CCOF, Slow food, biodynamic and other agriculture and food related events. We also host occasional farm tours and Farms to table dinners specially from UC Davis and NRCS events.
Skills Desired: Please send current resume with a little about yourself. Be sure to have phone numbers for your references. Intern should have some knowledge of working on a farm. We have long days that start early in the morning and can run into dusk. The applicants need to be organized, respectful and clean, in good physical and mental shape and can lift 50 lbs. A good sense of humor and passion for life is also needed. We want only individuals that have compassion and care for our environment and animals. No Smokers. No personal pets.
Meals: Plenty of fruits and vegetables, eggs, goat milk, cows milk and cheese, beans, pork meat, herbs and farm preserved canned, dried, and frozen foods at no cost. Interns will have to cook and clean for themselves. We do a farm to table meals with guests and share dinner meals on a regular basis.
Stipend: Room & Board in a 2bd 2bath mobile home, weekly stipend and food and staples mostly grown by ourselves and a few things you may want from the grocery store.
Housing: Interns will share house together and have their own bedrooms with a common living room, TV, washer, dryer, kitchen, and internet. Window unit air provided for the HOT summers we have.
Preferred method of Contact: Email