Interns needed!

Mint Creek Farm is looking for interns.  We are a 230 acre, Certified Organic, grassfed livestock farm located in central Illinois.  Our farm is next to the progressive small community of Stelle, Illinois and 80 miles south of Chicago.  All our land is in pasture—we do not grow grain.  We raise all our livestock for meat—500 sheep, 100 goats, 50 beef cattle, and 30 pigs. We raise turkeys for meat in the fall and winter, and keep flocks of ducks and chickens for egg production.  Most of our farm products are sold direct to customers at farmer’s markets in Chicago.  At this time we also do a lot of wholesale sales to restaurants and stores.

Hours: 25-30 hours per week

Compensation: free room and board in our house, including very tasty Mint Creek meat and eggs.

Accomodations: We offer two rooms in our house (which is in the community of Stelle) available for interns.  One has a king size bed, the other has a twin bed, so we have accommodations for two people, or one couple and another person.  Camping is also available on our land.

Duties: Interns will be assisting with day to day livestock and poultry care, moving portable fencing for sheep and goats, and helping with farmer’s market preparation and sales.  This year we hope to get into raising chickens, ducks, and geese for meat, and we plan to expand our current laying flocks of chickens and ducks.  We also hope to expand our vegetable gardens to boost our own self-sufficiency, but most work will be livestock and poultry related.   In addition there will be farm cleanup work, tree planting, and maybe some fence building.

Interns will be expected to help with cooking and cleaning on a regular basis.

Time period: 3 months minimum stay, 2 week trial period.

Transportation arrangements:  We go to Chicago twice a week to deliver meat, so we can pick you up anywhere in the city of Chicago or south suburbs.  We also can pick up at Amtrak stations in Dwight, Gilman, or Kankakee, and at the University Park Metra station.

Surrounding area: We are located next to Stelle, Illinois, a community with residents interested in alternative energy, permaculture, and self-sufficiency.  Stelle has a community garden, pond, orchard, and pool.  We are 20 miles away from Kankakee River State Park, a good place for canoeing and hiking.  We are an hour and a half by car from Chicago, and we go there often, so it’s very possible you could get a ride there from us if you would like to go.

Our address and contact information:
Harry Carr
1693 E 3800N Rd.
Stelle, Illinois 60919
815-256-2202 or 815-953-3824
Email