Come farm with us!
Located in Lake Placid, NY, North Country School is a junior boarding and day school for students in grades 4-9. The school educates and nurtures children today in such a way that they develop the resourcefulness and skills they need for tomorrow.
Camp Treetops is an overnight summer camp for children ages 8-14 years old, which nurtures an inclusive community with an emphasis on values that remain vital to this day - child-centered education, the fostering of self-reliance and self-confidence, living in harmony with nature, and preserving a child's world through a summer unplugged.
We're seeking 3-4 summer farm interns for the 2024 season from June 2024 through August 2024.
Job Description
Summer farm interns will take part in all aspects of the farm; both in the gardens and at the barn, and within the camp program.
You will lead twice daily chores at the barn, garden, and compost. You will offer weekly farm based activities for campers, and prepare and lead a weekly garden lunch. Activities can be whimsical and connected to our garden and animal spaces. We take pride in being well organized. We maintain beauty in the fields and the quality of what we produce and grow. We work alongside children and camp counselors connecting to the natural world.
In the gardens you will be a part of everything from seeding, transplanting, harvesting and working with our farm to table kitchen. You will spend a lot of time preparing fields and planting, as well as tending tomatoes in our 100 ft greenhouse. During the summer months the focus will be on the production gardens and perennial gardens. We typically grow over 30 varieties of annual flowers, and over 25 different annual vegetables and herbs.
In the barnyard you will work at our barn caring for and learning about chickens, turkeys, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses. This work will include consistent hay deliveries, mucking, fence repair, mowing, weed whacking, and some machinery work. We harvest our birds on site with the help of a caring community of adults and children. You will lead campers and counselors in daily barn chores to care for the animals and their living spaces.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- 21+
- A strong work ethic, timeliness, and eye for detail and efficiency
- Upbeat, able to find joy in simple moments, willingness to laugh and have fun. We work closely together and camaraderie is part of the joy of farmwork. Communication is vital for understanding instructions and maintaining a comfortable work environment
- Proactive and forward thinking, both in daily farm tasks and your own education. Even if there is no explicit instruction happening, there are always opportunities to learn
- Summer farm interns must be able to lift 50 lbs, kneel for long periods, and be comfortable with repetitive tasks. There are often long days spent doing physical work in a range of weather
-Night and weekend work
- A driver's license and clean driving record
-Prior farming experience is a plus but not necessary. You will learn as you go as our campers and students do in our hands-on experiential learning model.
Compensation
Summer farm interns are paid a stipend of $400 twice a month paid on the 15th and last day of the month. Summer interns will live in shared housing and meals.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about growing food for your community and farm education. We’d like to be your guides in that journey!
How to Apply
To apply please send the following to [email protected]
a) Tell us about yourself; your interests, your longer term plans, why you want to work on an educational farm
b) What do you hope to learn?
e) Do you have any previous related work experiences on a farm or in a school?
g) What is your learning style?
i) Please include a resume.
j) Please provide 3 references from a previous work experience.
https://northcountryschool.org/
4382 Cascade Road
Lake Placid NY 12946
518-523-9329