Internships 

Internship in Small Farm Education

Description:

Howell Farm interns learn by helping with the operation of a farm where crops and animals are raised with methods used at the turn of the 20th century. The farm invites the public and school children to learn about those methods through hands-on programs that let them help with operations such as ice harvesting, maple sugaring, sheep shearing, and planting & harvesting crops.

Farm Interns work under the supervision of full-time staff to learn a range of skills that are useful in careers connected with sustainable agriculture, veterinary science & medicine, environmental management, outdoor and museum education, and more. Interns work closely with individual mentors to develop a customized course of study, while having the option of living on site and serving as caretakers of the land and animals.

Seasonal internships run 10-12 weeks in the spring, summer, and fall – with longer programs available that span the entire growing season.

Responsibilities:

• Learn and apply sustainable farming and animal husbandry practices within the context of a living history farm
  
• Assist with farm operations including plowing, planting, and harvesting crops
  
• Help maintain and care for the farm’s inventory of period and contemporary tools & equipment
  
• Serve as historical interpreter to involve the public with seasonal farm work
  
• Support staff with programming and farming operations
  

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with agriculture, horticulture, animal care, or other outdoor work
  
• Interest in sustainable farming, American history, or animal husbandry
  
• Excellent people skills
  
• Ability to work independently with attention to detail
  

To apply, please submit a letter of interest and resume or current transcript to pwatson@mercercounty.org

Internship in Public History and Museum Operations

Description:

Living history presents unique challenges to the traditional collections philosophy, posing complex questions that aspiring museum professionals must answer: When is an object too valuable to be used in public programs? When is it safe and practical to let the public use historic tools? When a farm implement is damaged in the field, how far can restoration go without compromising its authenticity? 

Public History and Museum Operations Interns work with Howell Farm’s curator, executive director, staff, and volunteers to care for and interpret items ranging from draft horse harnesses to sewing machines to historical photographs and documents. Interns learn the importance of historical authenticity in behind-the-scenes farm work and equipment restoration, as well as in public-facing interpretation and school programs. They gain valuable experience planning events to maximize hands-on participation from visitors, and learn the interpretive techniques to get visitors involved in the field.

Responsibilities:

• Support interpretive staff with school tours and public programming
  
• Develop digital interpretation of seasonal agriculture, farm history, and archival research for mobile and web access
  
• Assist with production of 2-minute “SkillClips” on practical skills used in crop and livestock operations, equipment restoration, and interpretation of seasonal farm activities
  
• Catalog farm collections using Past Perfect software and grade items for farm use and preservation
  
• Scan, accession, and tag the photography collection for input into searchable database for research and exhibits
  
• Share farm events, news, and updates on the Howell Farm website, Facebook page, and in e-newsletters
  

Desired Qualifications:

• Strong organizational, multitasking, and people skills
  
• Coursework in American history, museum studies, English, public history, historic preservation, or a related field
  
• Experience using database and word processing software; familiarity with PastPerfect is preferred but not required
  
• Ability to work independently and think critically