Farm Hand
Internship
General Description
Procter Center Farm is a production and educational, 6-acre, diversified vegetable and livestock farm in Central Ohio. We supply Procter Camp & Conference Center with a substantial amount of fresh produce, operate a farmers market stand in Columbus, and Procter Store in London, OH. Each season, we offer up to 30 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, and donate to local community organizations. We extend our season with a greenhouse, hoop house, raised beds and row covers. Though not certified, we use only use organic practices to grow our food.
At Procter, we recognize the connection between the land, our labor, our food, our bodies, and our spirit. We engage each element with due conscience as we are cultivating healthier persons and a more just society.
Internship Description
Our farm is staffed through our Farm-Hand Internship Program. Each year, we seek three to four people to work 40 hours per week from May through October (full-season), or May to August (short-season). Interns participate in every job a small organic farm requires. This includes, but is not limited to, greenhouse work, high-tunnel work, soil prep, seeding, transplanting, watering, weeding, harvesting, regularly lifting 20 to 50-pound loads, feeding animals, collecting eggs, maintaining equipment, mowing, digging, raking, working farm markets, and sometimes being involved during farm tours for campers and participants. Interns develop their farm skills in our teachable areas within the greenhouse, raised beds, high tunnel, fields, and animal shelters. The Farm Manager provides all the training needed to make sure tools and small motorized equipment are used in a manner that keeps all staff safe. Interns ideally live onsite and are provided room and board.
Interns must successfully pass a state and federal background check. A valid driver’s license is required.
Our Mission Statement
Procter Center provides a safe, inviting, and spacious rural setting that cultivates spiritual formation, models sustainable living, and celebrates God’s love and reconciliation through hospitality, prayer, study, work, and play.
Skills Required
- Team-focused
- Self-starter
- Crew-work experience
- Comfortable using power tools and motorized equipment or willing to learn
- Comfortable driving a truck and tractor or willing to learn
- Lift and carry 50+ pounds
- Work with families and kids
- Basic money addition
- Basic record-keeping
- Experience using Google Calendar
Skills Desired
Interns should possess a philosophical enthusiasm for sustainable agriculture, conservation, and hard work. Practical knowledge and experience in organic gardening and/or marketing is an advantage, but not required. It is also helpful if interns can cook, as we do test recipes for our CSAs, and often have cooking demonstrations at farm markets. We are looking for people who demonstrate responsibility, integrity, reliability, initiative, creativity, and a strong work ethic.
Educational Opportunities
Interns will learn the fundamentals of operating a small organic farm from seed to sales. They will have the opportunity to learn the agricultural/botanical elements as well as the business end of the operation. Not only will interns learn on the job about soil, irrigation, pest management, tool use, planting schedules, and more, but will also learn about marketing and sales at our farmer’s market stands and the Procter Store. Interns are often able to receive class credit for their internship. Please speak to your advisor about details.
Schedule
All-staff days are every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so that we may have appropriate coverage for harvesting and events. Sundays through Wednesdays, there is a rotating schedule to ensure that everyone gets two days off per week, but that there is also always at least one person tending to the farm animals and completing the daily tasks.
Meals
Interns will have access to excess farm produce and meals provided by Procter Center Kitchen. Meals are only served to employees on camp and event days. Meal schedule may be subject to change.
Housing
Interns will be provided housing on the farm. This could be in the form of a house, eco-pod, or a cabin. Accommodations are modest and comfortable. Interns will have access to hot showers and possibly a shared kitchen. Wi-Fi is not always available in the cabins, but access to Wi-Fi is always available in the center’s main building, Hobson Hall.
Stipend: $1,000 per month.
