Summer Farm Worker on Education-Focused Farm

The Chewonki Farm, on Chewonki’s Wiscasset property, is a small and diversified saltmarsh farm; its primary goal is to educate program participants while producing food, firewood, and fiber for our campus community. There are approximately 26 acres of open land; one acre is cultivated for vegetable gardens, and 25 acres are pasture and hay fields. The managed woodlot is approximately 150 acres. We raise livestock for meat, eggs, and fiber. The farm keeps a small herd of beef cows and a flock breeding ewes that produces lambs for meat each spring. We raise around 100 laying hens, up to four hundred broilers and 12 turkeys are pasture-pen raised in the late summer/fall. One to two batches of two to eight pigs are raised annually for meat. Education is central to Chewonki’s mission statement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement: any individual that works on the farm must consider themselves a teacher as well as a farmer. Because our working farm is the context for our education rather than a traditional classroom setting, the farm crew needs to be comfortable and adept with teaching as they work alongside students and program staff. Education about farm and food systems happens both formally and informally at Chewonki and may be grounded in a work experience, a classroom experience, and/or a food preparation and dining experience.

Job Overview

Summer Farm Workers support the overall farm operations at Chewonki, including garden and pasture management and animal husbandry. Summer Farm Workers help to integrate summer Camp Chewonki participants into the daily functions of the farm.   

Summer Farm Workers: 

• Help with tasks necessary for the production of crops and care of livestock
• Help with maintenance and care of pasture and harvesting of hay
• During the Camp Chewonki season, integrate campers into various work projects and tasks on the farm.

Special Benefits

Incentives include: travel stipend, room & board (shared housing with other Summer Farm Workers), and a $200 Refer-a-Friend bonus. 

Minimum Requirements

PREREQUISITES/REQUISITES:

• Must pass a criminal background check.
• Attend required onboarding and training sessions (in person).
• Must be at least 17 years of age.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Interest in education-based, diversified farming. 
• Ability to work long hours in a physically demanding setting.
• Good communication skills.
• Willingness to responsibly live and work in a small community.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lb at a time.
• Must be able to work in an active, outdoor environment in a variety of weather conditions.v