Dairy Work

So You Want to Work on a Dairy Farm!

Dairy farming and small-scale processing are some of the hardest jobs you can take on. They require physical and emotional strength, perseverance, patience, flexibility, good observational skills, love of and respect for animals and ability to maintain routines. You may be required to stay up all night, get up in the dark or otherwise interrupt your sleep to check on animals or cheese. You may have to work outdoors in all kinds of weather, you might get really dirty or even splattered with manure. If you work at a creamery you may be required to interact with the public. For some reason, people do it anyway. The benefits and rewards of dairy farming keep many people going in spite of the hardships. If you'd like to try your hand at it, contact some of the farms below for information about their internships, apprenticeships or employment opportunities. How to place an ad.
Farm Name, Link & Location	Description
Pennsylvania
Contact Steve at 814-568-1207 or e-mail	Farm manager or, preferably, farm manager couple to manage successful, growing goat dairy/creamery (almost all solar-powered) in West Central Pennsylvania, small certified organic CSA, 80 pastured chicken egg operation, certified organic pastures and hay that could also support grass-fed beef, coordinate paid interns, manage weekly markets and store sales in Pittsburgh (2 hours away). Room and board and small salary. Options to rent. Must have experience in artisan goat cheese operation, pasture and herd management, and successful marketing. 9-11
No Location Given
Contact Tim	Looking for small goat dairy partner. I would like to set up a small (no more than a dozen animals) goat dairy in any part of the country. I am looking for a partner who is willing to share such a venture fifty-fifty. The aim is to produce cheese for local markets or co-ops. I currently run a herd share program which has been very successful but due to personal changes am forced to move on. Life style goals include semi-retired ease of living while enjoying all the joy and challenge that goats and cheese making bring. Location should be suitable for good goat browsing, affordable, preferably with existent housing for humans and animals, and temperate climate. 9-11
Please contact Dale Carter by e-mail or call 417-926-2087	Cloverhill Dairy is a grass-based, seasonal dairy, milking 200 cows. We are looking for an assistant herdsman to join our team. Minimum experience requied. We will train the right person or couple. What is required is quality work ethic, a team player, and being committed to the goals of the operation. Salary and quality housing based on experience. Advancement a definite possibility. We work with nature as much as possible so as to achieve healthy soil, quality forage, and healthy cows. 9-11
Positions Wanted
Contact Angela	We are a family of three wanting to move off our homestead in Kansas to run a farm full-time. Our ideal situation would be an already established organic farm where the owner is looking to retire and will provide mentoring. We are college-educated, been gardening all our lives and ready to make the move to a longer growing season. We are open to do a lease-to-own, crop share, co-own and operate etc. We are energetic, highly motivated self-starters with extensive know-how and experience with organic/biodynamic/ sustainable/permaculture techniques, growing and marketing, dairy/meat goats, sheep, equine, and poultry and basic maintenance to manage a farm. Please feel free to contact us with any possible matches in any part of the world and for more detailed information, resume, and interview. 9-11
Contact Sharon by e-mail or call (306) 979-7273	I am looking for a 3 month internship starting in Nov/11 (I'll help out with pre-xmas sales, but must leave for xmas with the family - will return in Jan if you'll have me). Currently, I work as a Public Health Inspector and have a very clear understanding of food safety issues. I have taken a few cheese making courses, and have the pasteurization course. I have made small batches of fresh cheese and really enjoyed selling them at our Farmers Market - Now I'm ready for some real work and would like the opportunity to learn all aspects of cheese-making in a creamery that process 200-400L/day. 9-11
Internship and Apprenticeship listings can also be found at the WWOOF and ATTRA web sites.
Free listings for dairy and creamery internships, apprenticeships and jobs with small-scale operations. Ads run for 2 months. To list your position, please e-mail details, location and contact information. Please be considerate of my time -- do your own spell-checking, use proper capitalization and punctuation. I prefer not to have to edit so that people can understand what you are trying to say. Sloppy ads make my site look bad. Want to support this web site? Donations of any size are greatly appreciated.