Pond Hill Farm is a northern Michigan agricultural tourism destination that started as a vegetable farm in 1995. It has since become a unique community ecosystem by adding an expansive canned goods product line, a full service lunch café, a winery with seven acres of vineyards, and a brewery. This has created an environment that attracts tens of thousands of customers each year who come from all around the country to enjoy the experience.

As an intern, your main focus will be vegetable production and farm operations. You will have the opportunity to explore other areas of the farm as time permits.

Areas of focus:

• Vegetable production – production schedule/calendar, seeding, planting, cultivating, weed/insect control, pre/post harvesting techniques, storage, selling/marketing at farmers’ market, record keeping, reporting on profitability and more...
• Vineyard- pruning and training, canopy management, weed/pest control, trellis maintenance, harvesting, reporting and more….
• Brewery – all aspects of a 3 barrel micro brewing system (use farm  produce in some of our beers), mashing, lautering, fermenting, sampling, racking, carbonating and packaging and more...
• Canning Kitchen – production scheduling, standards for license canning kitchen, critical factors for recipes, acidified versus acid products, labeling, product development and more…..

Internship Starts: ASAP
Internship Ends: November 10, 2019
Number of Interns: 1
App Deadline: None
 

Meals: Interns prepare their own breakfast lunch and dinner. They are welcome to pick from the fields on their own time, any produce according to the produce availability report.  Food staples are provided. There is a discount on food from the Farm Market as well as the Garden Cafe located onsite. 

Skills Desired: Interns 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 grows more than just vegetables!  Farming is physically and mentally demanding, but fun and rewarding too!  Interns must have the following characteristics:

• Desire to learn
• Creative
• Curious
• Attention to detail
• Can work independently
• Attention to customer service
• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• Previous farm experience not required but preferred

Educational Opportunities: 

You will have the opportunity to learn a variety of aspects of farming.  Learning objectives will be provided for each area of the farm. Reading and viewing of videos may be suggested in some areas.

Stipend: $125/week - Bonus of $25 per week given upon satisfactory completion of internship. Shifts in our Tasting Room, Dining Room and/or working special events will allow for extra income - 21 years of age is preferred to take shifts in these areas.
 

Housing: On property housing options are provided as part of compensation. Wi-fi and washer/ dryer are available.