Want to work with us this summer? We are in the final countdown to our annual internship application deadline, and we are still seeking enthusiastic, curious interns to join our team this summer and taking applications for our farm apprentice position.

About Us
Mustard Seed Community Farm is an evolving 11-acre, 17-year-old, volunteer-based farm dedicated to ethical food production/distribution, ecological land use, and community. We grow a diversity of fruits and vegetables using organic and sustainable methods, which are distributed to our volunteers, interns, CSA (community-supported agriculture) members, and donation sites around Ames. The farm raises chickens, sheep, and bees in addition to practicing prairie and savanna reconstruction. Interns are an integral part of our farm’s community by contributing to farm responsibilities and participating in farm classes and agricultural skills training. This is an opportunity for students of any experience level to get involved in local community-based food production. We welcome persons of all backgrounds, spiritual beliefs, genders, and sexualities.

Summer Internships

• Location: Mustard Seed Community Farm (12 miles NW of Ames, Iowa)
• Time Frame: About 30 hours/week for 8-12 weeks between May 15 - October 15
• Experience Level: No experience necessary. Come with curiosity and desire to contribute to food sovereignty-based agriculture and social justice.
• Compensation: We provide simple room and board on-farm. (Interns are also welcome to live off-farm if you already have housing in the Ames area. We will provide you with lots of vegetables to take home and meals while you are working on the farm.) We may be able to provide modest stipends; please inquire if you need additional support.

  Interns will obtain valuable horticultural knowledge through hands-on activities and gain leadership experience working alongside, training and managing volunteers from the local community. Farm work includes physical labor, daily planning, group cooperation and leading volunteers. Interns contribute a vital role in the life of the farm, including: meal preparation, daily chores and collaboration with the farm team through consensus decision-making. I've attached a copy of our 2025 internship flier and description. More information can be found on our website.

  

  Paid Apprenticeship

• Location: Mustard Seed Community Farm (12 miles NW of Ames, Iowa)
• Time Frame: 25-40 hours/week for at least 3 consecutive months between April and November
• Desired Skills: Any of the following: annual or perennial horticultural skills; farm systems management experience; communication and community engagement; sheep and poultry; Spanish-language skills; big-picture organizational talent. This is an opportunity for a skilled person to manage one aspect of our farm, with mentorship, while learning new and diverse skills.
• Compensation: Pay rate is $15 per hour or commensurate with experience and whether the worker is receiving room and board.

Our Labor4Learning Apprentice will be an integral member of our farm crew. Farm work includes physical labor, daily planning, group cooperation and leading volunteers and interns. Proven leadership skills are a must for this position. More information about the apprenticeship position is available on the Practical Farmers of Iowa Labor4Learning webpage.

How to Apply
To apply for either position, please submit a cover letter, resume, and two references via email to mustardseedbee@gmail.com and outreach.mustardseed@gmail.com by March 15, 2025 or as soon after as possible. Applications will be reviewed until the positions are filled.

Please reach out if you have any questions!