Rotational Grazing Apprentice

Weathertop Farm is seeking 3-4 apprentices to join our team for the 2023 season.   

We are a family-owned and operated farm located on about 200 acres in scenic Floyd County, Virginia, looking for folks interested in and passionate about regenerative agriculture and pasture management in particular. Apprentices can expect to learn what it’s like to run a multi-species poultry and livestock grazing operation first-hand by actively participating in the daily work of the farm. 

We are dedicated to holistic regenerative agriculture through multi-species rotational grazing and intensive management. No antibiotics or hormones are used, and all livestock eat from pasture that is free of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. Any supplemental feed we use is non-GMO and locally sourced. Our diverse business includes raising and selling pastured chickens, eggs, pigs, lamb, turkeys, and cattle. In contrast to homestead or other non-profit operations, we are a for-profit business, therefore all facets of our farm must work together to enhance the whole business. We do the bulk of our sales direct-to-consumer here at the farm, another large portion through farmers markets, and a limited amount of wholesale to local food stores. 

Daily farm work and life at Weathertop shifts with the seasons. In addition to daily animal care we also do all our own poultry processing here on the farm.  That involves chicken processing on average once per week from June-October, as well as several days of turkey butchering in October and November. The hogs, sheep and steers all have assigned dates with the butcher, which involves catching and transport to & from the various processors. In our freezers, we maintain a fairly large inventory of meats which we take to farmers markets and sell here at the farm.   

Apprentices should be ready to work hard doing manual labor in all kinds of weather. We expect apprentices to put in 40-50 hours a week on average, depending on farm schedule and season; summer is our busiest time. Depending upon the day or task, apprentices can expect to answer to and work alongside farmers Cedric & Sarah for some tasks and independently or in teams for others.  Each apprentice will get the chance to rotate through all areas of the farm 

You can expect to learn about the nitty-gritty details of raising animals first-hand--what the daily work is like on a farm as well as the bigger picture of how we plan for the year and how to integrate multiple species in a pasture-based system. We will spend a lot of time in conversation about farming and related issues. You will have ample opportunity to ask whatever questions you have.  Through this experience you can gain an understanding of the daily ups and downs and ins and outs of a farming season.  Because of the diverse range of tasks we require help with--from raising animals to butchering to marketing and sales--you will gain an understanding of how the diverse multi-species grazing operation of our farm is integrated into one business, functioning as a whole. 

Compensation includes full housing with utilities, many shared meals, a share of food for yourself, a stipend of $1,000/month, living in a beautiful location, sharing life & work with a great team, and lots of education (direct hands-on learning and some class time). 

For a complete description with full details and to access the application please visit our website.