Job Postings

Job Posting: Agricultural Internship & Apprenticeship Positions Available for 2012 Season

Please scroll down to see full job listings:

1. Agricultural Internship / Apprenticeship

2. Farm Education Manager

3. Nanny Position (Part-time Feb/Mar & Full-time Apr-Oct)

1. Agricultural Internship/Apprenticeship Opportunity at Devon Point Farm, Woodstock, Connecticut

An Organic Vegetable & Flower CSA Farm Share Program & Grassfed Beef Cattle Farm

Our Internship/Apprenticeship Opportunity: Devon Point Farm offers an honest, accurate on-farm learning experience. For the right intern we provide a beautiful, clean, safe, healthy setting to work hard, play hard, and learn valuable real-life skills. You can get in great physical shape while learning all the basic components that you need to strategically plan, operate, promote and manage your own profitable, sustainable and rewarding farm business.

The work teaches about sustainable farming practices, economics of making a farm profitable, marketing, raising cattle, growing crops organically for profit, constructing a timber frame barn, customer relations, and what it's like to work hard for a healthy lifestyle and successful future.

About Devon Point Farm: Devon Point Farm has a 175-member organic vegetable and flower share “CSA” share program, CSA stand for “Community Supported Agriculture” – a simple idea in which a CSA member buys a “share” of a farmer’s harvest at the beginning of growing season and then come to the farm on a weekly basis to pick it up. We also have a herd of rare heritage breed North Devon Cattle, which are sold for breeding stock and grassfed beef. The entire farm is farmed organically and we also raise heritage breed chickens for eggs and meat.

Devon Point Farm is owned and Operated by Patty and Erick Taylor. The farm is located in Woodstock, Connecticut, an area is known for its rural countryside and classic New England setting. The farm is located 30 minutes from Worcester, 1 hour from Providence and Hartford, 1 1/2 hours from Boston and slightly over 3 hours from New York City.

The daily farm routine: The daily routine is Monday - Friday, up at 5:30 a.m. a hearty breakfast and then outside by 6:30 a.m. Saturdays are a lighter work day or possibly a farmers market day. On a daily basis, there's routine chores like caring for chickens, moving cattle through rotational grazing pastures, and all the components of running the CSA like starting seeds, planting, weeding, harvesting, setting up produce displays for the share members, cutting flowers and making bouquets. We like to do the field work from 6 to noon and the if it's hot take an afternoon siesta or run off to a nearby pond for a swim, then finish up with any evening chores and a great meal.

Special learning components for interns: Interns get a special learning opportunity about all the “behind-the-scenes” aspects of farm business management – all aspects of running a profitable and sustainable farm business including but not limited to understanding the farm’s bookkeeping, financial planning and management, grant writing, and the holistic approach animal and crop production planning. Also cattle herd management, our breeding philosophy, grassfed beef production, marketing and processing, grazing rotation planning, as well as overall herd health management. Also all aspects of the business management of organic vegetable and flower farm operations will be shared including field crop planning, equipment and supply decisions, product marketing and promotion, customer relationship management, as well as day-to-day operations management.

Housing available: For the right intern, we have room and board available. We have a brand-new house with very nice accommodations - a big room upstairs with a great view of a pond frequented by ducks and geese and the cows grazing in the fields beyond. A private bathroom shared only with other interns. Your "off time" (typically Sundays) would be your own and we would encourage you to explore the area and can set up other farm visits to round out your experience. We also have a boat and like to go weekly to the ocean for fishing and beach time - interns would be welcome to join us on the boat or get dropped off on a beach or at a scenic coastal town like Mystic for a day of shopping and sightseeing.

Stipend: We do not pay interns for their work as this is a volunteer learning experience, but we do provide $800 per month for living expenses plus room and board.

The right candidate: We are only looking for dedicated, honest, hard working, down-to-earth, positive, teachable, fun-loving, clean-cut appearance, non-smoking and English-speaking, applicants. Like any experience, you will get out of it what you put into it. Our season runs from April to October. Limited transportation may be arranged. Length of stay is negotiable depending on the circumstances.

To Apply: Interested applicants may e-mail us at devonpointfarm@gmail.com with a brief description of yourself, a photo of yourself, a resume, what interests you about our farm business, what you would like to get out of your stay, how long you would like to stay with us, your related experience/background/education.

Contact us: Website: www.devonpointfarm. Phone: 860-974-9004. Email: devonpointfarm@gmail.com

2. Farm Education Program Manager Wanted

Educator/Teacher Wanted to Run Summer Farm Education Program for Kids

Teacher, Education Major, Recent Graduate with Teaching Degree, or Retired Teacher: Devon Point Farm is looking for an enthusiastic individual, to help us create on-farm summer day-long or week-long programs and learning experiences for children ages 4-5, 6-7, and 8-9. The right candidate will be able to work with farm owners to create an interactive, fun, and farm-oriented learning program using curriculum we have or by creating your own. This is a great opportunity for student or recent graduates to build their resume and gain valuable experience creating a new educational program from the ground up. It would also be a great opportunity for a teacher or retired teacher to stay active in teaching with a part-time summer position.

Farm owners will be responsible to marketing the program and filling seats, while the Education Program Manager will be responsible for implementing curriculum, working with program assistants, working with farm owners to develop a budget for the program with a business-minded focus on profitability, determining what supplies are needed for the program, and overall, are responsible for delivering a fantastic and fun farm learning experience to all children who participate. We have a beautiful brand-new post-and-beam barn with windows and high ceilings for use as a classroom, as well as 93 acres of sustainable pastures, vegetable fields, cattle, chickens, woods and a pond for exploration and use as an outdoor classroom.

Duration of Project: The length of the project is negotiable and depends on how the Education Program takes shape. We envision various programs depending on the age group of the children, from a one-week long summer day camp scenario to one-day programs, or even programs that are a few hours long for younger children. We would be targeting July and August. Ample pre-season (part-time) preparation time in April, May and June must be included for curriculum, budget and program development, and collaborating on marketing concepts with farm owners. In addition, time would be required for classroom setup, and selecting and training assistants the week(s) prior to the program’s start date.

About Devon Point Farm: Devon Point Farm, owned and operated by Erick and Patty Taylor, is located in Woodstock, Connecticut, an area is known for its rural countryside and classic New England setting. The farm has a 100-member organic vegetable and flower share “CSA” share program (CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture” – a simple idea in which a CSA member buys a “share” of a farmer’s harvest at the beginning of growing season and then come to the farm on a weekly basis to pick it up). We also have a herd of rare heritage breed American Milking Devon Cattle, which are raised for breeding stock and grass-fed beef. The entire farm is farmed organically and we also raise heritage breed chickens for eggs and meat.

The farm is located 30 minutes from Worcester, 1 hour from Providence and Hartford, 1 1/2 hours from Boston and slightly over 3 hours from New York City. For pictures and more information on our farm you can go to our website: www.devonpointfarm.com

Housing available: For the right candidate, we have room and board available. We have a brand-new house with very nice accommodations - a big room with a great view of a pond frequented by ducks and geese and the cows grazing in the fields beyond. A private bathroom shared only with other farm apprentices.

Stipend/Wages: A stipend/wages are available for this position and are based on the profitability of the summer camp itself and is commensurate with experience.

The right candidate: We are looking for dedicated, honest, hard working, down-to-earth, positive, fun-loving, clean-cut appearance, non-smoking and English-speaking applicants. Like any experience, you will get out of it what you put into it. Candidates should be energetic, enthusiastic and physically fit. It goes without saying, candidates must be great with children, interested in farming and agriculture, and passionate about teaching children where their food comes from. In addition, candidates must enjoy getting ‘down and dirty’ with children in activities like examining worms, starting seeds, making compost, hatching chicks, and more outdoor farm related type activities.

To Apply: Interested applicants may e-mail (devonpointfarm@gmail.com) us with a brief description of yourself, a photo of yourself, a resume, references, what interests you about teaching children in a farm setting and your related experience, background, and education; or contact us via phone at 860-974-9004.

3. Part-time Nanny Position February and March • Weekdays 9a-noon

I am looking for a nanny for our 3-year-old daughter, weekdays from 9 to noon for February and March, then longer hours in April. If I find the right person, it could lead to a full-time position for the entire summer for both our daughters (the older one is age 6 and is in school until June).

I work from home and need a part-time nanny to care for our daughter, feed her snacks, teach her basics like her colors, ABC's and 123's while I work in our home office. Light housework, like vacuuming and putting dishes in dishwasher is part of the job. No smokers, no visible tattoos. Must have experience with children, references and be youthful enough to get down on the floor and play.

We expect the nanny to be a part of the hard-working team that keeps this household and this farm running smoothly. We are only looking for dedicated, honest, hard working, down-to-earth, positive, fun-loving, clean-cut appearance, non-smoking and English-speaking applicants. To apply, please email (devonpointfarm@gmail.com) with cover letter, resume, a photo of yourself, references or phone us at 860-974-9004.

4. Full-time Nanny Position Available (April - September)

Full Time Nanny Position Available April to October, for two children (girls) age 6 and 3. Experience with children a must. Education or teaching background a plus. Position includes light housework: vacuuming, loading and unloading dishwasher, keeping house free of kid's clutter as well as other needed cleaning projects when kids are napping or otherwise engaged. We own a farm and are in and out of the house frequently.