WHAT IS PEACEFUL PASTURES? Peaceful Pastures is a direct market, all natural, grass fed, meat business producing and selling beef, lamb, goat, pork, duck and turkey. All of the species are pastured in the 300 acre scenic valley where we live. In addition, we maintain and manage an additional 2200 acres and over 400 cow/calf pairs.
WHO IS A TYPICAL INTERN? All of our interns are people dedicated to a summer of learning and diversity; they are eager to accept responsibility and step up to a new level of intensity and growth. They look forward to being independent from family and “High School Ways and Days” for a time of personal achievement.
The scope, size and diversity of our operation allows us to offer outstanding internship opportunities in several areas, yet being a small family run business provides one on one learning, coaching and evaluation.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I’LL LEARN? You’ll gain a foundation in the basics of sustainable agriculture: multi species grazing and husbandry, organic based gardening, and a holistic approach to both management and profitability. You’ll learn what is involved in taking a product from the farm to the store shelf, and you’ll participate in marketing such.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? You MUST be: at least 18 years old; physically fit; able to repeatedly lift and carry 50 pounds; able to walk/run up/down steep hillsides; drug and tobacco free; have a drivers license, reliable transportation, and follow a basic dress code. You MUST to safely drive a manual shift vehicle by Day 1 of the internship.
This position involves extensive contact with the public; therefore, you should have a friendly, outgoing personality and be comfortable in a sales environment. Furthermore, the duties in this job are widely varied; you will be expected to engage in all of them with equal enthusiasm
In addition successful applicants will demonstrate a helpful, “can do” mindset and be capable of working steadily with minimal supervision whether alone or in a group. You need a teachable attitude and realistic expectations.
WHAT WILL BE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?
Participation in Farmers Markets
- Various locations in Nashville
- Up to three days each week, including every Saturday
- Consumer education and sales
Cultivate and harvest the (small) garden
- A very important food source for the farm and the interns
- Experience is helpful, but not necessary
- Help with the livestock operation, as needed
- Basic herding and cattle chute work
- Sheep herding, shearing, fleece sorting, grading and skirting
- Fencing, as needed
- Manage the poultry flock by gathering eggs daily, candling and packaging.
- Maintain the grounds
- Keep the areas open to the public for farm pick up or farm tours presentable
- Plant and monitor basic landscaping
- Creative landscape enhancements
- Conduct farm tours
Because of our sustainable agriculture approach, our operation is more varied; you won’t spend as much time on routine chores and you’ll be outside most of the time. Our days tend to be species concentrated-for example, one week you could spend 3 days doing nothing but working beef cattle, then not visit with a beef cow again for 2 weeks
HOW DO I APPLY? Fill out the application and submit the short answers to the questions at the end. Finalists will be invited to the farm for a day long, working interview. The purpose of the working interview is not to show what you know, or don’t know, but rather to give you a realistic expectation as to what the job is—and isn’t.
WHEN DO THEY START? Interns start the Monday, May 14th. Interns work through the Friday before classes resume.
WHERE IS IT LOCATED? Peaceful Pastures is an hour east of Nashville, TN.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW: We begin intern interviews in January and continue (only) until all of the positions are filled; therefore it is advantageous to apply as soon as possible. Salary, housing and more details of the internship will be discussed during the working interview.
Peaceful Pastures
69 Cowan Valley Lane
Hickman, TN 38567
(615) 683-4291
intern@peacefulpastures.com
www.peacefulpastures.com