Apprenticeships and Internships
We have a variety of on-farm learning experiences available. If you are a student in high school or college and are looking for a credit internship, we'd be happy to talk to you and your advisor about creating a learning experience in sustainable living, animal husbandry, organic gardening, or other similar fields of study. Work done by an apprentice or an intern is very similar, but apprentices do not get academic credit. Apprenticeships and internships can be any length, but the minimum is two weeks, so that you will at least begin to understand the work required in whatever field you are studying.
The first step in acquiring an internship or apprenticeship is to contact us to discuss your learning goals. If it sounds like a good fit, the next step is for you to visit us on the farm for a day, so that you can see exactly what we do. If you've never met a goat or a llama, it might sound like a fun idea until you come face to face with one. Spending a day on the farm will help you to decide if you really want to spend a few weeks out here.
Apprentices and interns are not paid, but we do provide you with a private room, all meals (vegetarians not a problem), Internet access, laundry facilities, and access to our library. Hands-on learning experiences are supplemented with books to read and documentaries to watch.
Who will benefit the most from an internship or apprenticeship on Antiquity Oaks?
Anyone who wants to learn more about sustainable living, organic gardening, or raising livestock for personal food production (dairy, eggs, meat). If you're considering a career in veterinary medicine and want to get more experience with large animals, this could provide a valuable experience. If you're nearing retirement and thinking about starting your own homestead, a few weeks out here could help you decide if that's the right decision for you.
When are internships and apprenticeships available?
Year round, however, if you are interested in something in particular, you will need to plan around our schedule. For example, if you want to learn about goat kidding, you will need to be here during the months that goats are due to kid.
What is a typical day like?
Some farms with internships have a set schedule where they do the same thing every day (such as picking and packing CSA boxes every Wednesday; farmer's market on Thursday, etc). Since we have a diversified farm with a variety of animals, our schedule is much more unpredictable. It varies from day to day and week to week and month to month. For example, this week Mike is working on fencing and goat pens, Jonathan is cleaning out stalls in the barn and making compost, and I'm working in the garden and doing goat care. If you were here today (early April), you could choose which of those things you want to help with. Next week, I'll have a couple of short days because I have two speaking engagements in the evening. One day I'm driving 90 minutes south of here to get piglets, and you could go with me if you want to see the farm where our pigs come from. Three goats are due to kid next week, so at some point we'll have to drop everything to attend to them, and that could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. Somewhere in the middle of all this, I need to make five or six batches of soap. Our days will be very different next month. In the middle of summer, we're picking berries in the woods. In August, we're canning tomatoes. We're always making goat cheese, but in summer, we're making a lot more than in the middle of January.
Every Friday night, we have pizza and a movie. When interns are here, the movie is usually a documentary, such as Food, Inc., Fresh, or King Corn. Our personal library is also full of books about farming, animal husbandry, and sustainability, which you can borrow to read while you're here.
Is there anyone who would NOT want to apply?
If you are interested in working in a confined animal feeding operation (a.k.a., CAFO or factory farm), then this is definitely not the right fit. If you already know the basics of gardening and want to have a 20-acre market garden, there would be other farms more suited to your needs.
A former apprentice writes:
During my three-week stay as an apprentice at Antiquity Oaks, the farm came to feel like home. There was never a moment that made me feel unwelcome, out of place, or unwanted.
This environment was perfect for learning. I always felt comfortable asking a million questions, sharing my opinions, and trying new things. Not only did the Boehles teach me how to milk goats; spin wool into yarn; make mozarrella, chevre, and soap; they also shared documentaries and books full of information. I learned a lot about handling and caring for goats, sheep, llamas, cows, and turkeys. Deborah is just overflowing with knowledge. Mike showed me how to put up fencing and we worked together to build a special door in the side of the barn for the goats.
I loved all the work I did. When I got up at 6:30 am to learn to milk goats, I enjoyed it. We had adventures crossing creeks, catching goats, feeding horses, and wrangling rams, just to name a few. But no matter what was going on, we almost always could laugh about it. Bottle-feeding the baby Nigerian goat, Pearl, was so heart-warming. I really fell in love with that four-legged kid!
I had such a positive experience at Antiquity Oaks. I really admire the passion, knowledge, creativity, and hard work the Boehle's pour into their beautiful farm and home. I would go back any day!
Sarah, November 2009