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. For over 75 years North Country School has achieved this by placing daily and equal emphasis on arts and outdoor education and by upholding values, such as our commitment to the environment and the importance of working as a community.
Camp Treetops is a 100 year old 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 1 year round garden systems intern for the 2024-2025 season from June 2024 - end of May 2025.
Job Description
In the garden spaces, you will be a part of everything from seeding, to transplanting, to tractor work, to harvest and working with our farm to table kitchen. Year long you will help manage our rotating drum compost facility along with our garden manager. You will spend a lot of time preparing fields and planting, as well as working to tend tomatoes in our 100 ft greenhouse. During the months of May-October the focus will be on the production gardens and perennial gardens. In the winter and spring, we will create a crop plan, furthering our farming knowledge, and prepare for and lead the community in maple sugaring in our 11 acre sugar bush. We typically grow over 30 varieties of annual flowers, and over 25 different annual vegetables and herbs. You will support the barn during all school events on the farm, barn chores, and lambing season.
During the camp season from June through August you will help lead twice daily chores in the gardens with campers and counselors. Each week, you will offer 1-2 hour long activities with campers in the camp you are working in (Junior 8-11 or Senior 12-14). These activities are focused on farming and the natural environment here in the Adirondacks. These activities can be whimsical and based on your personal interests and connecting the farm to our campers experience. You will participate in and lead weekly community mornings during the summer in each camp, where a large farm related job takes place. You will also help cook a lunch on Sunday’s for the campers on the garden harvest job that week. Again, the creativity is up to you!
Each week during the school year from September through May you will support an Edible Schoolyard (ESY) class. Here, you will be able to share connections from our farm to the classroom. You will help incorporate the farm into core classes throughout the year. Each week you will offer a few “out times”. These are outside and active activities at the end of the school day that bring students to the farm and the outdoors. The farm works together to head tables during family style meals. The school year is a balance between working on the farm and supporting the school program. Your day will be a mix of both farm work and working within the school community.
You will be a part of weekend programming working both on the farm and with students. Being a part of the school community includes going to all school events where we can come together and share our work with one another.
We take pride in being well organized, and maintaining beauty in the fields and the quality of what we produce and grow.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- 21+
- One season of garden related experience is helpful, but not required
- A strong work ethic,timeliness, and an 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
- Clear verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work both independently and part of a team
- 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
- 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
- Willingness to learn how to operate farm equipment
- A driver's license and clean driving record
Compensation
Year round farm interns receive a monthly stipend of $1,600 plus housing, all regular meals, and paid time off. Additionally, year round interns can elect to sign up for health insurance.
Ultimately, this year round internship can be your stepping stone. 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) What is your previous work experience 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/
518-523-9329
4382 Cascade Road
Lake Placid NY 12946