Pond Hill Farm to Table Cafe

Last Updated On: February 12th, 2024 at 08:38AM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
5699 S Lake Shore Drive
Harbor Springs, Michigan, 49740

Primary Contact: Marci Spencer
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 231-526-3276
    Email: mspencer@pondhill.com

Website: http://www.pondhill.com

Internship information

General Farm Description: Do you love to cook? Are you passionate about fresh food? If so, you've come to the right place! We may be a little biased, but we think our corner of Northern Michigan is the most beautiful spot in the entire midwest! You will be living and working at one of the top Agritourism Destinations in the country. Pond Hill Farm is an eclectic family farm located in Northern Michigan on 197 gorgeous acres in the lakeside community of Harbor Springs. Your cabin is just five miles from downtown Harbor Springs and crystal blue Lake Michigan. The lake is amazing for swimming with several beaches nearby. Enjoy boating and fishing as well with Farmer/Captain Jimmy and his wife Marci! Pond Hill Farm started as a vegetable farm in 1995, it has grown to become an destination known for its free-spirited and welcoming vibe that is enjoyed by all generations. Visitors connect with the farm’s bounty within a relaxed and beautiful setting that produces vegetables, berries, grapes, beer, wine, flowers and canned goods, which are shared via the pizzaria/café, tasting room, market and farm-to-table events. As a seasonally driven business, operations fluctuate depending on the time of year, which fosters an innovative, flexible and cross-functional work environment. This unique community ecosystem has created an environment that attracts tens of thousands of customers each year, who come from all around the country to enjoy what our land and farmily has to offer.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: May 2024
Internship Ends: November 2024
Number of Internship Available: 3
Application Deadline: May 2024
Minimum Length of Stay: Full Internship

Internship Details:

In this culinary position your main focus will be daily preparation and execution of service out of our farm to table prep kitchen & pizzaria. This will include assisting with both public and private events and canning. While it is preferred that you arrive with some basic cooking skills and knowledge of proper sanitation, it is not required. Trainees need to be prepared for a challenge and to take on a significant degree of responsibility in our fast-paced kitchens. You will have the opportunity to explore other areas of the farm as time permits.

Areas of focus:

Pizzaria/Café Kitchen – most of your time will be spent working in the café kitchen & pizzaria preparing lunches and dinner, with responsibility for the daily set up, operation, cleaning, opening and closing of the kitchen area as directed by the chef. These duties include, but are not limited to, preparation of menu items and homemade dough. Execution of menu items, washing dishes and other various kitchen equipment and utensils and advance preparation of food items in accordance with production requirements. These processes must be held to our quality standards while maintaining a safe, sanitary work environment, ensuring quality and consistency by following recipes and production and portion guidelines. You will also participate in special events including farm-to-table dinners.

Canning Kitchen – On occasion you will work in canning production. Your duties will include but not be limited to, prepping vegetables and other ingredients according to FDA approved recipes, processing, assisting with record keeping, labeling finished product and cleaning. All production is overseen by the Pond Hill Farm employee with commercial canning credentials, and maintaining a sanitary environment will be of utmost importance.

We hope you will contact us to become a part of our farmily this season. We have tons of great references of past members of our team we can put you in touch with to find out just what kind of experience summer and fall on the farm is like.

Thanks!

Jimmy and Marci Spencer

Educational Opportunities: Team members are welcome to discuss goals with the chef and choose additional areas of interest. We strive to use as much as we can from our own farm, so there is an opportunity to learn how to rotate menu items with seasonal availability and how to turn excess or slightly damaged produce from a liability into a profit. Opportunities exist to design, prepare, and execute a course at a Farm to Table dinner, learning to work with a diversified, professional staff, adjusting preparation of all menu items in accordance with fluctuating business due to seasonality, and the purchasing/receiving of raw materials. Other opportunities exist for individuals who want to go above and beyond once duties of normal operations have been mastered. We strive to be sustainable in all we do. Our packaging is compostable whenever available. We also compost and recycle.

Skills Desired: You'll need to be prepared for a wide range of challenging experiences, and be ready to take on a significant degree of responsibility on a farm that serves thousands of customers a day and grows more than just vegetables! Commercial cooking is physically and mentally demanding, but fun and rewarding too! Trainees must have the following characteristics: Desire to learn Self-motivated Hard-working Creative Curious Energetic Detail-oriented Independent Attention to customer service and comfortable engaging with others Ability to lift 50 pounds Previous restaurant experience preferred but not required.

Meals: Trainees prepare their own meals. Full kitchen is provided and staples are stocked for cooking. This includes pasta, rice, beans, vegetables and wild proteins. There is a 50% employee discount on café food and beverage.

Stipend: $16/hr plus a portion of tip sharing from front of the house. Employees will receive discounts on farm food & merchandise. “Rent” is $125/week and is deducted from each paycheck..

Housing: You'll be staying in a rustic cabin with a view of Lake Michigan with two kitchens & two bathrooms. Each trainee has their own room.(with the exception of couples) Wi-Fi, washer/ dryer, Garbage, recycling, “Rent” is $125/week and is deducted from each paycheck.

Preferred method of Contact: Please send resume and cover letter to email.