Company description Free Union Grass Farm is a pastured, rotational livestock operation raising beef, chicken, pork, duck, and eggs on nearly 300 acres just outside Charlottesville, VA. We've been farming steady since 2010 and are growing every year. We are not a hobby farm or a project; we are a for-profit operation making a living providing consciously raised food to our community. We do all of our own poultry processing by hand on the farm. We garden for pleasure, not for production. We frequently host overnight farm visitors by renting our house through AirBnB. We are a 30-ish married couple who like to work hard and play hard. We have many years of farming experience between us, and one of us was an intern at the well-known Polyface Farm in 2009. Many of our farm practices are modeled after Polyface's, with our own modifications and improvements. We direct-market everything we raise at two weekly farmer's markets and to restaurants, grocery and gourmet foods stores, catering companies, and small inns. Check us out on Instagram @shefarmsinfreeunion and @freegrassfarmer to get a sense of our day to day. Internship description Time Frame:
Starting now with a commitment through season's end: 12/1/17 - no exceptions. We are expanding and working towards building a more permanent crew, so there are full-time, salaried opportunities available after you've spent a season with us if things go well.

Internship Details: Seeking 1-2 exceptional farmhands to start as soon as possible to add to our existing crew this 2017 season. Couples welcome to apply! Farmhands are an integral part of all operations and we provide a thorough introduction to pastured, rotational livestock production. If you're committed, we'll teach you how to do everything you express interest in, be it moving the cattle herd, choreographing a pig move through the woods, basic tractor skills, working with customers at farmers market, or hauling animals to the butcher. We're a great fit for folks looking to hone their skills to manage their own operations in the future. 

Weekly commitment is 4 full work days on the farm, 1 day at Saturday farmer's market, one easy day with just morning and afternoon chores, and one full day off. An average week includes twice daily animal chores, one poultry processing day, one wholesale restaurant delivery day, two Saturday farmer's markets, egg washing and boxing, poultry fine processing (butchery), and various animal moves. We also throw in a few building projects from time to time, as well as gardening, small landscaping projects, land clearing, trips to our satellite operations, etc.

Required:
- Ability to pay attention! You must be able to observe what is happening around you and strive to mimic it.
-A sense of humor and positive outlook
-A sense of urgency - if we're moving fast, you should be moving fast too.
-Honesty - ability to own up to your mistakes
-Ability to communicate your needs
-Be physically fit and capable of standing for long periods of time, working in all kinds of weather, and working until the day is done.

Desired (but not required):
-Experience on another working farm OR experience with manual labor
-Basic tractor experience
-Basic carpentry skills
-Basic automotive know-how
-No major dietary restrictions 
-General food consciousness - if you love Big Macs, we're probably not a fit.
-Interest in cooking
-Sales experience
-Love of working outdoors
-Your own vehicle for transportation
-A visit to the farm is helpful for both parties.

Paramount to working with us is commitment. This is an educational experience for you, but you must also understand the massive time investment we make in that education. We need to know that the time we spend teaching and training is worthwhile, and that we can rely on you when we need you. Raising animals is very different from raising vegetables, and it takes time before farmhands are autonomous. Please also carefully consider your own physical and emotional stamina. This is a learning experience and we pay a competitive stipend, but you should be honest with yourself in advance about whether or not our compensation is adequate for your needs. If you are even remotely unsure about whether or not you can commit to the end of the season (December 1, 2017), please apply elsewhere.

 Our farm is fast-paced and there is a lot to do, but we have a lot of fun while we do it. We also do our best to clock out fully when the day is done and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings, the bounty of our farm, and the company of friends. You are welcome to join in!

Compensation: 
$800 / month plus shared housing with WiFi, laundry, and access to full kitchen. $100/month meat/egg stipend, and garden veggies and herbs. Occasional crew dinners and a hearty lunch on processing days. 

Location:
We are 20 minutes from downtown Charlottesville, 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and right in the middle of wine country. It's beautiful here! There is a great local food scene in our area and a strong network of other small farms.   Compensation this position is : stipend / non-monetary compensation
Application instructions Deadlineno deadline