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intern at cricket creek farm

Posted: February 23 2011
Want to Learn to Make Cheese?  Milk Cows? A Small Dairy in Massachusetts is Looking for Interns!
Cricket Creek Farm is a small grass-based dairy in Western Massachusetts.  We make several award-winning cheeses from the milk of our registered herd of Brown Swiss and Jersey cows (currently milking about 20 cows).  In addition to the cheese, we sell raw milk from our farm store.  We also raise pigs and beef, as well as chickens for eggs.  We have a bakery located on the farm that supplies the store with fresh bread, cookies, granola, and other baked goods.  We are a member of Berkshire Grown and sell cheese to many shops & restaurants in the Berkshires.
We are looking for 2 interns to join us for 2011 - one to work primarily in the cheese making/marketing areas and one on the farm with milking, chores, and making hay.  We are open to the possibility of interns working in both areas.  We are looking for enthusiastic interns who are passionate about food and agriculture, specifically small-scale dairying.  
We are located in Williamstown, MA - a small college town in the northern Berkshires.  Williamstown has a great independent movie theater, the Clark museum, a wonderful theater festival in the summertime and several great restaurants.  We are surrounded by preserved land with many hiking trails.  Nearby is Mass MOCA, Tanglewood, and many lovely small towns.  Williamstown is 3 hours from Boston and 3 1/2 hours from NYC.
Dates of internship are flexible, but ideally April/May - Sept/Oct.
The farm intern would optimally have some experience in a farm setting - proficient at driving a tractor and comfortable around cows and other farm animals.  Experience milking is a plus.  We are willing to train anyone with motivation.  The cheese making intern does not need specific experience in this area, but must be comfortable learning the technical aspects of cheese making, including some chemistry.  Cricket Creek Farm is an "open" farm. We have a farm store and encourage people to visit the farm.  Both interns must have good people skills and enjoy interacting with the public.

Educational Opportunities include - Cheese making, rotational grazing, farm marketing, cow health, milking, hay production, community interaction. Access to our small library of farm/cheese related books.  We provide housing. Interns will share the farm house with other staff, located on the farm.  The house has wireless internet.  We also provide a stipend.
Other details:
The Cheese Making Internship -  Cheese making intern must be meticulous and organized. Attention to detail and cleanliness are key.  Must also be willing to make deliveries and help out with farmers markets.  The schedule varies - there will be occasional early morning and evening work in the cheese room and for farmers markets.  Most of the work will be alongside our cheese maker, although we all work as a team here and there will be some work with the other farmers and staff.
Farm Internship - We are grass-based and an intern with a strong interest in rotational grazing would be an excellent fit.  Intern will be expected to milk solo a few times per week.  Morning milking is 6-8:30am and evening milking runs 3:30-6:30PM - the same person doesn't milk in the morning and that same evening but interns should expect to milk some mornings and some evenings.  Most of the work will be with our two farm managers, and occasional work with our cheese maker and other staff.
Both interns are expected to work 5-6 days/week.  Must be very comfortable working independently with animals and equipment.

Please contact us as soon as possible.  You can send an email to [email protected] and include a resume if you have one.  Please describe any applicable experience and indicate whether you are most interested in the cheese or farm internship.
williamstown, MA

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Intern & Apprenticeships

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massachusetts