All available internships have been filled for 2023. No applications are being accepted for 2023 internships.
If your interested in 2024 let us know.
Our internships provide the opportunity to understand what it takes to orchestrate a whole ranch organism and provide food for and participate in a community. We work hard and play hard!
Internship time frame: early April – late November
Sustainable Settings offers three-six internships per year ranging from seven months to two years in length. Internships are built around the whole systems approaches that guide the dynamic integration of sustainable strategies on the ranch. All internships are a debt free opportunity. We do not charge for your learning during your time as an intern. Interns become an integral part of our working ranch. Participating in growing, irrigating, milking, and daily rhythms of the ranch.
Limited housing is provided, though we do have a good network of supports that may be able to offer housing at a subsidized rate. At peak season, Interns should plan on spending 9-10 hours a day, 5 days a week on the ranch. Weeks that are scheduled with special ranch events may require more hours. We work hard and have a lot of fun!
Interns, though working predominantly in an area of emphasis (green building/ renewable energy/ sustainable agriculture, etc.), collaborate and study in all areas of Sustainable Settings during their internship.
Expectations and Qualifications
- Interns must be at least 21 years of age.
- Interns must have personal health insurance or a financial plan for medical costs as
Sustainable Settings is not liable. - Interns should view this experience as a job. Interns will learn all aspects of the ranch. Interns are responsible for their own learning. We are not here to entertain you.
- Interns must be able to lift at least 50 pounds, work outdoors in variable weather, maintain a good attitude
and be willing to get dirty!
* Livestock, Dairy, and Management Intensive Grazing(MIG) Internship. Homestead Gardening * – working larger tracks of land for the production of meat, milk, and eggs is a critical link in sustainable food production and nutrient cycling systems. This internship opportunity focuses on our high mountain pasturelands and Management Intensive Grazing methods that build healthy pasture, the foundation of healthy food for our animals and us. Interns will learn the beneficial relationships of the soil microbes, fungi, major decomposers, and healthy pasture ecologies have with the cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry in the system. Hands-on learning with our Herdsman Jared Minori, includes rotational paddock development and operation; irrigation; soil and grass testing; forage development; livestock care; care and feeding and milking of our small Guernsey dairy herd; meat processing; product development and marketing.
How to make it happen….
To apply for upcoming internships send an introductory email, resume, a statement of intent, and a list of three references with addresses and phone numbers (Please no letters). Email attachments are accepted. We will review your email and get back to you to set up a phone interview. Give us a week or so to respond to your email, if you don’t hear from us PLEASE call 970-234-5100.
*Once you have been accepted and arrive at the ranch all interns will be required to sign a release of all claims.
EMAIL: info@sustainablesettings.org
