Savage mountain farm internship
We are a highly diversified farm in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. We operate a full-diet, free-choice farm-share program, sell to several restaurants, and go to 4-5 farmers’ markets per week. We grow most every kind of vegetable suited to our climate, as well as several varieties of mushrooms (shiitakes, oysters and namekos). We raise several animals, including chickens for eggs and meat, turkeys, cows, pigs, lambs and rabbits. We have 70 acres dedicated to a multispecies rotational grazing system. We have a small but growing fruit orchard that we plan to expand this year – blueberries, apples, raspberries, peaches and more. We also grow ginger in our greenhouses and in our sugar maple stands we grow woodland medicinals like goldenseal and ginseng. herefore, interns will have a unique opportunity to get a well-rounded farming education.
It is preferred that applicants be willing to commit to the entire farming season, which begins April 1 and ends in late November with the Thanksgiving turkey slaughter, but we understand many people would like to intern during their summer break from college, which we are happy to accommodate. Interns will be provided room and board, plus a weekly percentage of gross income. Interns will be expected to work alongside the rest of the crew, which can be very long hours during the summer months. On weekends, interns are free to leave, but are asked to do the animal chores if they choose to stay at the farm.
Responsibilities will include daily livestock care, seed starting, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, packing for markets and CSA pickup days, helping with mushroom cultivation, poultry processing, washing and packing eggs, farm cleanup, taking turns cooking meals, cutting and splitting firewood, and helping with various on-farm construction jobs. During the growing season, we live a community-oriented lifestyle with our workers, meaning everyone pitches in with shared meals, cleaning, and fun.
The most important attributes we value from our interns is a cooperative and positive attitude and the grit to hang in there even when the going gets tough. We don’t care how bad of a worker you are if you possess those two things. A successful internship has the potential to lead to a hired position in future farming seasons.
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that one thing many aspiring farmers overlook is that learning to farm is only 10% knowledge — the rest is kinesthetic development— that is, how to work efficiently for long periods of time. So while you will learn lots of cool concepts and skills, like how to manage a multispecies rotational grazing system, the most important thing you will learn is how to do long, hot tedious jobs without getting too bored or too sore. Its not the most glamorous part of farming, but if you hope to farm yourself one day, it is an absolutely essential skill — one that you will have lots of time to cultivate here! We are not an “educational nonprofit” or a “demonstration/learning farm”. We are a working farm, trying to make ends meet, and the best candidate is one who likes to learn by doing, who likes to learn how to make things happen without the proper equipment or budget, and who gives their all where ever they go. In most cases, this is the kind of farm to commit to if you have an already-established interest in agriculture. If your goals are to explore whether you are interested in farming, or if you just want to experience farm-life for a season, we recommend contacting us about a shorter, work-exchange stay that is less committal and less demanding.
Email info@savagemountainfarm.com with a letter of interest, or call 828-582-9407 for more information, and we will be sure to get back to you. We look forward to talking with you!
Looking for something more noncommittal? Looking to just stack some cash in the summer and move on? Click HERE to check our Summer Field Crew Position! Spend nine weeks weeding and harvesting with some like-minded folks!