Position Overview
Work Activities
Job duties include planting, weeding and harvesting specialty crops like blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, sweetcorn, cut flowers and sunflowers, and working in all aspects of our shrimp production facility. Intern could also participate in sales and marketing along with developing social media for the farm. Ability to drive a tractor is a plus. If desired, this intern could also be involved in planting and harvesting row crops like corn and soybeans.
Training Opportunities
The trainee will work with employees and may supervise their work. They will learn production practices across a wide range of crops and equipment, shrimp production, and marketing techniques including social media. This internship may lead to a partnership opportunity with access to land and equipment in exchange for labor.
Minimum Qualifications
Able to work outside in all weather conditions. Valid driver's license. Ability to work independently with little supervision.
Desired Skills
Tractor experience, problem-solving ability, willingness to learn, and creative thinking.
Other Benefits
Fresh produce and cut flowers, raises for positive performance.
On-Farm Housing
Four-bedroom house available rent free (utilities included). Trainee responsible for groceries and yard care.
About the Trainers
Eric Franzenburg
Trainer Experience: We have been farming since 1993, and we are interested in developing a longer-term relationship with a young farm family in which we can provide land, equipment and experience in exchange for labor. We can help them get started farming and then they can decide whether they would remain with our farm or start their own farm operation. Since we started farming in 1993, we have had over 50 employees, primarily as seasonal workers. We have had full-time employees periodically during our farming careers.
About the Farm
We have row crops of corn and soybeans and also raise strawberries, blueberries, elderberries, honeyberries, sweetcorn, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in the field. We have grown tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in greenhouses and are looking at doing this again. We have a cut flower enterprise that we work with our son, Calvin, on. Calvin has taken over the majority of that enterprise. We have agritourism (Sunflower Experience) which we continue to grow. We also grow medicinal herbs for the wholesale trade in the United States. The addition of a shrimp production facility will occur during the 2026 growing season. We have endeavored to develop a diversified farm operation on the family farm. We are looking to focus more directly on developing an on-farm market where we can sell our farm production locally off the farm. Our crops are conventional, certified organic, no-till and strip-till.