Internship/Mentoring on a 27 cow dairy, creamery and sheep farm

Looking to mentor/intern someone

interested in small-scale dairy farming and more!

Keith and Selma are looking to mentor someone who wants to learn the ins and outs of becoming a dairy farmer and much more. Keith is a dairy farmer currently milking 27 cows, and Selma raises sheep, pigs and chickens. Together they run Flying Cow Creamery, where they make delicious yogurt from the milk of Keith’s happy, healthy cows. We are looking for someone who is very interested in learning about being a responsible farmer; someone who cares deeply about animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and small-scale farming techniques. This is a mentoring/internship position that requires dedication and the willingness to work incredibly hard. Milking takes place at 5:30 am and then again at 4 pm, with plenty of tasks to accomplish in between. Dairy farming will be the most labor-intensive aspect of this mentorship, but the intern will participate in all aspects of what we do, including yogurt making at the creamery. We live in the beautiful Independence Valley in South Thurston County. Located on the Chehalis River, we are 40 minutes south of Olympia and 30 minutes north of Centralia.

Compensation for all the hard work includes housing, any food that is grown on the farm, and a $400 monthly stipend. Housing available is a three bedroom doublewide mobile home across the road from the main dairy. We currently raise beef, lamb, and pork and have a large garden. We also regularly trade with neighboring organic vegetable farms. The intern is responsible for power, phone and internet connection. Fire wood is harvested on the farm.

This is an incredible opportunity for someone who is very serious about wanting to learn what it takes to be a good farmer. It is not for the faint of heart. We would prefer a person that is ready to dedicate at least one year to this venture – potential for long term. To learn every aspect of farming, a minimum of a whole year is needed. We would like to conduct one week working interviews beginning in January. We are willing to consider a couple, but the stipend for each would be smaller. Please only inquire if you are very serious about this opportunity- we are very busy people. Send us an email at . Please include why you are interested, tell us a little bit about yourself and give references.

To know more about us please read our websites. flyingcowcreamery.com and bonedryridge.com as well as this article that came out recently. http://www.teamyogurt.com/posts/2015/12/9/selma-bjarnadottir-and-keith-fagernes-of-flying-cow-creamery