Farm-Kitchen-Field-Market-All-Around Moon In The Pond Farm
- Date Posted April 10, 2017
- Location Sheffield, MA
- Category Agriculture / Culinary
- Job type Internship/Apprentice
Established in 1991, Moon In The Pond is a small, diverse, sustainable, permaculture farm where the relationship of people to nature is constantly explored in a myriad of ways that include animals, crops, self-sufficiency, sustainability, conservation of heirloom vegetable varieties and seeds, conservation of historic livestock and traditional and modern farming techniques; all while working at filling the needs of today’s culture and society. We raise heritage breed animals for meat (nearly ten thousand pounds annually) and heirloom vegetables, eggs, honey, fruit and more which we sell locally directly to families, (partly through our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program,) at the farm and at three local farmers' markets.
Moon in The Pond is unique in our commitment to a wide range of educational programs focused on providing many opportunities to share the experiences and passions of a real, functioning, productive farm. The farm includes: 1and 1/2 acre vegetable Market Garden, 150+/- acres pasture and hay, 10 Horned Dorset sheep (and 12-18 lambs for meat), one dairy cow, (and calf), 12 Scottish Highland cattle (beef), 3 Large Black (Cornwall) pigs (and as many as 30 piglets raised for pork), 30 New Hampshire laying hens, and 50 meat birds, 1 Pilgrim goose , 80,000 (give or take a few) honey bees (two hives) and Winecap mushroom production and more--lots more! Internship description
We do a lot of different things. We’ve been around for a long time. We take enormous pride in what we do.
When it needs doing, we get it done. On the farm this can range from getting lunch on the table to unloading the truck, from shoveling manure, to waiting on a customer, from hauling more sunflowers than you can lift, to herding cattle, from showing little kids their first live chicken, to curing bacon, from weeding onions, to doing dishes, from hoeing potatoes, to slaughtering chickens, from chasing a bear away from the bee hives at 9 pm, to stoking the smoke house at 6 am, and so on…
This is a very diverse farm with a decidedly homestead aspect. We grow, cook and eat mostly our own food. Our work is artisanal because we thrive on the beauty of work well done. We grow heirloom vegetables not because they’re trendy, but because it is essential to preserve the cumulative work of generations of farmers, because they’re supremely suited to sustainable ag, because they are BY FAR the most delicious and beautiful.
We work in food and agriculture but our work goes way beyond that. Our fundamental mission is to change the status quo. We aim to reconnect people to nature, the planet and each other through food, whether they’re new growers or newly informed eaters.
To apply to Moon In The Pond Farm to be an intern you don’t have to know how to farm or what makes good hay. You have to be ready to learn--and put that knowledge to work. You must love food, work, being outdoors all day, gettin’ shit done, discovery. You must be ready for a challenge.
You must come visit the farm for 3 days. We’ll feed you.
Application instructions