Why intern at Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center?
Internships support our farm, and we aim to support our interns by providing an immersive, real-world experience in non-profit agriculture, retail and education. You’ll come away with a sense of ownership of an important piece of the farm, forming a community with the staff as we spend our days outdoors, providing food and education for Westchester County and beyond. Working on a farm is an extremely rewarding experience. However, farming takes place in all weather conditions and is physically demanding at times. We value our interns and know you will enjoy your time at Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center!
Please email your resume to us at education@hilltophanoverfarm.org if you are interested in applying.
Ideal Candidates
We are looking for highly motivated, energetic, outgoing students to intern at the farm for the 2023 season; internships are available starting in March and ending in November. Candidates should generally be available at least 20 hours per week between 7am – 4pm, Monday through Sunday, for a minimum of 6 consecutive weeks. Each individual internship has slight variations in scheduling requirements, so please review each carefully for specific details. Feel free to apply to more than one, and note that each internship has its own application questions. All accepted interns will be required to attend an orientation, team building and training on May 7th, 2023.
Candidates who do not meet these recommended requirements are still encouraged to apply. We will evaluate each application on a rolling, case-by- case basis, offer interviews, and fill internships as the right candidates come along, so don’t delay!
Internship Outcomes
Working side-by-side with experienced farmers, Field Crew Interns will learn plant propagation, cultivation, harvest and the marketing of over 100 varieties of vegetables through retail and CSA sales.
Alongside inspired educators, Education Interns will learn to convey the farm’s values of sustainable agriculture through the fundamentals of experiential education, engage youth from diverse backgrounds ages 5-18, and continue outreach and program development.
Farm Stand/Retail Interns work with the Farm Stand Manager to learn the set-up and operation of our vegetable and value-added storefront, provide excellent customer service, become familiar with the produce and value-added products we offer, and gain proficiency in Square, our point-of-sale system.
Native Plants Interns will work with specialists to learn all aspects of native plant care. Interns will gain hands-on experience with wild seed collection, plant propagation, cultivation, nursery production, seed cleaning, and ecological landscaping. You will come away with an understanding of the importance of fostering biodiversity in an agricultural setting.
Internships at Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center are for academic credit only and are not paid positions. We do not provide transportation or housing. All interns will receive a staff discount in the Farm Stand.
Field Crew Internship
Field Crew Interns join our Field Crew team as honorary members, working alongside and assisting with all of the regular Field Crew responsibilities. Field Crew Interns are valued and loved members of our staff community and are encouraged to participate in staff lunches, team meetings, and available trainings. This internship is intended for people interested in learning the hands on techniques and technical skills needed to grow food for themselves and their community. Training happens on the job and will cover a variety of tasks, such as, but not limited to, weeding, transplanting, harvesting, trellising, and more weeding! Attention to detail, a can-do attitude, teamwork mindset, and ability to take care of your body and mind while doing physically rigorous tasks in all types of weather are a must.
Education Internship
The Education program at Hilltop Hanover Farm encompasses education of all types: schools, public, youth/scouts, and more. We teach so that others may come to value local, organic and sustainable practices (in agriculture and beyond) as much as we do! To that end, educational delivery is hands-on, information-saturated, and creates a sense of wonder and awe in every student of every age. The Intern will be successful if they, too, value these principles and especially if they seek to change the future generations’ relationship to climate, the planet and the health of both individuals and the community. The Outdoor Education intern will…
- Be excited about working with youth and young adults (including students of a similar age to your own!),
- Value creating a meaningful experience for visitors and prioritize their positive experience,
- Be interested in, or experienced in, the concepts of non-traditional education models (i.e. tactile, oral/aural, experiential),
- Be timely and flexible, knowing that programs are sometimes irregular,
- Be comfortable asking questions and working in a team, and
- Prefer being outdoors in all weather (remember, there is no bad weather, just poor gear and preparation),
…and can expect to
- Shadow, co-teach, and eventually deliver programs,
- Set up and take down program materials,
- Learn and support back-end outreach marketing and scheduling,
- Join the Field Crew when not working with Education
- Learn about, and be an active part of, the farm community at Hilltop Hanover Farm.
The intern must be available at least four days/20 hours per week, Monday-Friday between 8 and 4 (and sometimes Saturday mornings), for at least 6 consecutive weeks.
Farm Stand/Retail Internship
Our Farm Stand is open 3-4 days a week (including weekends) and welcomes dozens of shoppers each day. Our customers love getting to know the staff and interns who work in the Farm Stand and have come to expect pleasant and personable attendants. Our Farm Stand Intern is a person who loves meeting new people, educating shoppers about Hilltop Hanover Farm and Farm Stand, and can remain detail oriented while working in front of customers. In addition to interfacing with customers, the Farm Stand intern will be trained on our point of sale system, and assist with taking inventory, creating beautiful displays, helping keep the Farm Stand space neat and tidy, and provide support to the Hilltop’s Food Donations Program to local food banks. Ideally, the Farm Stand Intern loves preparing and eating vegetables from the farm so that they can share recipes and make informed suggestions to our customers. When not staffing the Farm Stand, the Farm Stand intern will join the Field Crew, and is expected to work at least one weekend day per week.
