Smith Gardens is a 16 acre farm nestled among the rolling river bluffs of western Wisconsin.  We grow over 30 types of vegetables and raspberries on 2+ acres.  We direct market and wholesale our produce locally through a small CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), Winona Farmer’s Market, Bluff Country Co-op, and fine area restaurants.  We also raise meat goats and chickens.  In the spring of 2006, we built an Italian-style wood-fired pizza oven where we offer homemade pizzas to the public one night a week on the farm spring, summer, and fall.  We also create value-added products such as goat milk soap that we sell at farmer’s market and from the farm.

The focus of the internships will be primarily in the garden, though all interns will share the responsibility of some animal chores and will have the opportunity to engage in other farm enterprises, marketing, and/or website design.  Garden interns will be involved with all aspects of sustainable, diversified vegetable production from seeding to transplanting, weeding and plant care, to harvesting and marketing.  Last season, the garden supported a 42 household CSA membership, 1 wholesale account, and 2 area restaurants with produce.

We live in rural Cochrane, WI, and the drive to Winona takes roughly 25 minutes.  You are responsible for your own personal travel and driving needs.  Based upon past experiences, it is most beneficial to the intern and the farm if you live on the farm at least during the busy summer season. 

The average length of an internship is seven months and follows our growing season of April through October. At least one of the internships should be for this extended time frame.  We are also open to other arrangements, if they fit into the farm work dynamic. We offer a modest monthly stipend of $200, along with shared housing, shared meals, and farm vegetables and eggs. 

Overview of the Internship Position
The internship is at its core, a working/learning experience. Our primary method of teaching is through participation. This year, garden interns will have a primary focus in vegetable production and a secondary focus in animal husbandry, marketing, or small business entrepreneurship. The diversity of the operation and change of the work schedule through the season allows everyone to experience all aspects of the farm and the ebb and flow of the seasons. For example, the early spring and late fall demand less attention in the garden. At these times, we will dedicate more energy to other farm enterprises or to the intern’s secondary farm focuses. At the height of harvest season, we will spend most of our time in the gardens, with the exception of daily animal chores and our pizza nights.

Housing options for interns include the “hay loft” of the barn or in the basement of the Smith’s home.  Personal cooking facilities will be located in our licensed “barn kitchen” with food storage space available in our walk-in cooler.  Communal cooking occurs in the Smith home.  We often eat meals together and share cooking responsibilities.  Breakfast is the responsibility of the intern.  Shower, bathroom, and laundry facilities are available in the Smith’s home. 

Daily Routines and Work Requirements
Our days begin early.  We meet during breakfast to outline the day’s itinerary.  Everyone starts chores or is in the garden by 7am at the latest or 6am when it’s hot outside.  A two-hour lunch break is taken during the heat of the day. Our days normally end by 6pm but may vary for pizza nights or CSA box packing. Each person has at least one day off a week (usually Sunday) and Saturday market days are considered a "light" day.  Interns who come for the whole growing season have two weeks vacation during their stay, the timing to be scheduled around the events of the farm season.

The work itself is physically demanding.  You'll get hot and dirty, wet and cold; you'll watch life emerge and literally taste the fruits of your labor. During the spring, the garden crew spends a majority of their time taking care of seedlings or in the greenhouse, but as soon as possible, planting takes place in the garden.

Educational Opportunities
At the end of your stay on the farm, we trust that you will be able to appreciate all that you have experienced and learned. The hands-on work itself will be your greatest teacher and the people working with you will be able to share their years of experience as well. In order to enhance your learning experience, we incorporate a number of informal educational experiences throughout the season. These involve various homesteading skills such as soapmaking, food preservation, and medicinal herbal usage.  The ins and outs of CSA management, marketing, and small farm diversity will be shared through conversations during the summer.  We encourage interns to write an end-of-the-season “reflections” paper in order to help mentally organize their experience on the farm.  An internship evaluation is given to each intern at the end of their commitment.  Internships are available for credit through Winona State University (or perhaps other universities).

The Lifestyle of the Farm
We work hard on the farm but also have a great deal of fun and accomplish many things.  We are interested in healthy habits, and do so through recycling, composting, working hard, and eating good food. Community living can have its challenges but we try to find balance between personalities through open lines of communication. Working in the intensity of the growing season does not always allow one the autonomy he or she may be accustom. We value honest communication and encourage ways to keep it flowing. The process of living and working together will challenge you at times, but more often than not, you will appreciate the community of people around you and will benefit greatly from the process.

How to Apply:

To apply for an internship, introduce yourself to us in a letter describing your interests in and around sustainable agriculture. Describe why you would like to be involved with Smith Gardens. Attach a resume and names of references we can contact and send this material to the farm by mail or e-mail. After review, we will set up an on-farm tour and visit.  Feel free to contact us for further details.