Company description

Blue Pepper Farm is a small sheep dairy milking 36-ish ewes in 2020.  We also raise approximately 125 laying hens, 12 pigs, and 2-4 heifers.  We sell sheep milk yogurt, fluid milk to cheesemakers, lamb, yarn, sheepskins, eggs, and pork.  We practice regenerative farming techniques and rotational grazing.  Though we are not certified organic, we do feed certified organic grain as needed.  A key goal of our farm is to work with the land and soil in a sustainable and regenerative way that will increase biodiversity and build soil.

Our flock of sheep is the core of our farm.  We sell fresh and frozen sheep milk to cheesemakers and craft our own yogurt at our brand new for 2020 on-farm creamery.  We are also a founding member of the "Adirondack Fibershed," an affiliate of Fibershed, selling yarn and other wool products.  Our sheep are certified by Animal Welfare Approved.  

We also have a busy AirBNB farmstay business on the side renting our farmhouse in the summer months, and both our yurt and tiny house in the off-season.  We live in the yurt during the summer and the off-grid tiny house serves as intern housing.  

Internship description

2020 is going to be a big year for our farm!  Coming into our 9th season in production we're making a big jump into full yogurt production after slowly growing our distribution across our local markets.  This will be our fourth year hosting an intern and we've got our basic systems decently dialed, the new creamery and higher yogurt production will be our fun challenges to tackle this year.  We're looking for a bright and energetic person to  join our farm for the season, we're also open to hiring a couple that could share the position perhaps. Shannon manages our flock and heads up the diary side of things.  Tyler is the grazier and yogurt maker.  We work hard to manage the health of our flock and keep an eye on our own health - making sure we get up in the mountains or for a dip in the river/lake as often as possible.  Selling points minus the rad little farm operation are a killer view, damn tasty food, nifty little house in the woods, and access to awesome outdoor fun in the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains!

The very basics of this position include:
1. Daily chores for sheep, chickens, cows, and pigs. 
2. Milking the sheep several times per week (5am and 4pm).
3. Washing and packing eggs.
4. Farmers market and product deliveries on Saturdays. 
5. Assist in the creamery with yogurt makes and packaging.
6. Moving lots of temporary fencing
7. Miscellaneous jobs include fence troubleshooting, observing beautiful animals and mountain views, stacking hay, mucking the barn, equipment repairs, possible construction projects (new mobile layer coop), unloading grain deliveries, weed whacking/mowing fence-lines and grounds

For interested applicants, we have a far more detailed description of the experience and a sample schedule from past seasons to share.

Ideal Dates: May 1 - October 15

We provide housing in your very own off-grid tiny house, all your food from the farm,  $100-200/week stipend depending on experience, plus a great educational opportunity to learn first-hand about small-scale, diversified farming in the mountains.  In return, we'll ask for 5+ days of hard farm work, some early morning milkings, and a share in meal prep.  All this while being in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, where you can spend your days off exploring the many mountains, waterfalls, and swimming holes.  We can arrange work days at nearby farms so you can see other livestock, dairy, veggie operations and connect with other like-minded farm interns as well.

Compensation

this position is: stipend / non-monetary compensation

Application instructions

Deadline

February 22, 2020