RFC’s Full-Season Internship Program is a spring through fall immersion for aspiring farmers who want to gain significant farming or ranching production experience and don’t have a lot of previous exposure. For those seeking an experience for just the summer months, a Summer Internship Program is in development for 2021. The Full-Season Internship Program is an entry/intermediate-level, immersive program that combines hands-on training with skills-based education. No experience is required to apply, however some host farms do prefer applicants have some previous farming or outdoor work experience. RFC recommends some previous outdoor work experience.

Full-time participants engage in a seasonal average of 30-36 hours per week of on-farm experience. Part-time participants engage in a seasonal average of 14-24 hours per week of on-farm experience. In addition to the on-farm training experience, participants engage in a series of farm tours, classes, and discussion circles focused on a broad array of sustainable agriculture and food system topics organized by Rogue Farm Corps (see a sample Internship Program events schedule here). Participants also have an opportunity for an independent project if desired. Internship Program participants are exposed to the farm knowledge, networks, and expertise through engaging in the daily life of an agricultural community via their host farm.

To see an overview of all our farmer training programs, see our Programs At A Glance page.

The part-time Internship Program includes the same educational offerings as the full-time option, but participants train on the farm part-time. Check our host farm webpage in January to see which of our participating host farms will be offering this option.

NEW! Summer Internship now available. Summer interns can dip their toes into farming by training for 8-36 hrs/wk over 10-14 weeks with a host farmer during the summer and attend 5-8 of the Internship classes, farm tours, and discussions.

TYPES OF AGRICULTURE

Rogue Farm Corps partners with dedicated mentor host farms and ranches that focus on sustainable, regenerative, ecological, and/or organic approaches in their production methods. Host farm enterprises vary by farm and include animal (meat, dairy, eggs, etc) and plant-based production (vegetables, herbs, fruit, seeds, etc). Host farms are commercial, small-to-mid scale operations marketing to their local and regional community via a range of sales channels including farmers market, CSA, wholesale, and more. RFC participants are exposed to various farm production and marketing systems via RFC’s farm tour events.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Rogue Farm Corps is committed to an ongoing learning process around privilege, power, inequality and systems of oppression. RFC has a goal of making our programs welcoming to, inclusive of, and accessible to communities who are under-represented as farm operators in Oregon, including women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ individuals, low-income individuals and immigrants. Our desire to create a more equitable food system is reflected in RFC’s programs and collaborations.