6-WEEK REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE INTERNSHIPS
Realised that ag school won’t teach you real farming? That’s why we’re here.
Unique in the field of regenerative agriculture, our program offers a practical and theoretical blend of learning that has become a springboard for an exciting new generation of farmers getting started smart.
Simply put, there is no other farm we know of where you can be exposed to all the things going on here under the mentorship of a globally regarded leader in the field.
Past participants have come from all corners of the globe and many business start-ups and life-long friendships have developed out of this program.
DESIGNING, MANAGAING AND MONITORING
Our past Internships have fundamentally served as a reality check for people setting out on their own farming enterprises.
We created this training as there aren’t really any opportunities like it. Ag schools don’t teach these innovative human scale models and there is nowhere people can be exposed to so much in one farm.
Alongside class based learning and field responsibilities, you will have a lot of time to develop your own land and business plans in a supportive and reflective learning environment.
Alongside 1 or 2 of your peers you will be put in a position of responsibility with a different enterprise every 2 weeks, leaving you with hands-on experience in managing larger livestock grazing and handling, pastured poultry (eggs and meat production) and market gardening.
In 2024 we purchased a famous old restaurant/events space/farm close by in the village. We will spend time establishing the farm at this location too.
There are public trainings where you will meet amazing people from around the world;
• 9-day Regenerative Agriculture Design Course
• 3-day Holistic Management Training
• 4-day Pastured Poultry Training
• 4-day No-Dig Market Gardening Training
The time around these trainings and farm responsibilities will involve directed and self-study in other areas, such as;
- Develop your own property plan/biz plans
- Keyline Design and water management
- Drone mapping
- Agroforestry Design
- On-Farm soil preparations
- Sales and Marketing
- Low tech mushroom growing
- Microgreens
- Drought resistant Sand gardening (Non-edible)
- Meat processing
- Food preservation
- Event planning and participation in our new restaurant/farm activities
INTERNSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Every Intern will be trained in the tasks required to run each enterprise at the farm. For 2 weeks you will work with 2 or 3 others with the primary responsibility for all aspects of running pastured layers/pastured broilers, larger livestock, and the market gardens. These responsibilities will involve regular daily tasks, giving you insight into what each enterprise requires. Constant observation, monitoring and record keeping whilst constantly interacting with Richard will leave you clear on the details that make things work. Groupings will also rotate so people work in different combinations throughout their stay.
By rotating through all the primary enterprises you are left with a real knowing of what you enjoy, what you might do differently, what your personal capacity is and how you can use this to forge your own business plan in your unique time, place and circumstance. A key part of this experiential training is gleaning from our extensive time and motion studies; challenging yourself to understand your potential. This is a strong aspect of the culture we create here at the farm, as ultimately this is the ‘testing ground’ before you put your own capital and time at risk.
Interns will cook and manage the kitchen for breakfast and all meals on weekends (unless there are official trainings) on a rotational basis where everyone supports the wellbeing of each other. We supply farmed vegetables, eggs and meat and fully organic whole foods. Courses that are open to the public are catered, and you will not be cooking during those periods.
Throughout the 6 weeks you are with us there are formal trainings included (open to outside participants too) as well as less formal class and field activity time covering other topics and responding to the groups needs. You will be responsible for conducting your management roles 7 days a week, and will need to be organised and diligent consistently to make the most of this opportunity.
Official trainings run until dinner time, but for the remaining time Richard will be with his children after 2pm. This leaves time for daily farm work/projects, self-study and group activities amongst yourselves.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Our objectives are that participants leave confident in diverse aspects of design, planning and enterprise management. Aside from learning a lot about yourself and working and living in groups, diligent and committed interns should leave the farm with these learning outcomes;
• Your Holistic Context and know how to test decisions in your life holistically
• Using the Keyline Scale of Permanence to organise your design work
• Applying Keyline cultivation patterning to varied terrains
• Deep understanding of maps, how to create them and how to use them in design
• Relevant software for design
• Producing a Bill of Quantities
• The vital elements and prioritisation in Farm Scale design
• Setting up a Holistic Planned Grazing Chart
• Knowing how to conduct basic field surveys to create tangible data for planning and monitoring pasture
• Confident in the daily farm tasks at Ridgedale and how to manage them effectively
• Understanding basic elements of Animal Husbandry
• Clear about how to plan farm enterprises and work with spreadsheets
• Able to identify biome characteristics and assemble appropriate species
• Knowing various approaches and strategies for implementing Perennial cropping systems
• Understanding how to establish Pastured Egg/Pastured Broiler/Pastured Turkey enterprises; including slaughter, processing and packing
• Understanding various ways to market your produce
• Moving and working with cows/sheep/pigs
• Producing abundant Market Garden crops with minimal effort
• How to grow and manage a diverse variety of crops
• How to set up and run a microgreen enterprise
• High-tunnel intensive production
• Harvest/ processing/ storage techniques
• Planning a Market Garden crop plan
• Creating a Market Garden year planner
• Knowing how to use a wide range of innovative tools
• Learning various hand skills
• How to build soil in a variety of ways suitable for different scales and climates, including various soil preparations
• Soil Microscopy
• With a solid design base for your own property (if you came with relevant data and put spare time into creating this plan and asking for reflection and feedback)
• With a 500gb (please bring an external HD with you!) hard drive packed with a lifetime of resources for all aspects of regenerative design through all climate zones
• With incredible memories and new lifelong friends as well as a developing professional network
• Inspired, engaged and empowered to take your plans to the next level
SCHEDULED INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
