Food Preparation & Preservation Internship


Our next intake will begin February 2025! The application dates will be announced via our social media so keep an eye out!

Winderong Farm is offering a 6 month residential internship focusing on food preparation and preservation.

Winderong Farm is an experimental project encompassing regenerative agriculture, bush regeneration, permaculture, sustainability and communal living. Our farm is set on 810 acres of stunning wilderness and farmland in beautiful Dharawal country, Kangaroo Valley. Our community consists of around 12-15 full-time residents, 6+ local employees, and a host of beautiful and much-loved farm animals and wildlife. We aim to embody the permaculture principle of “we are nature working” and develop a deep understanding and respect for the land we steward, all the time aiming to regenerate the earth and learn from her and each other. 

Food is a very important part of our life at Winderong and we value it’s ability to provide connection and care to the land and each other. All residents of the farm are integrated into at least one food production system, be it growing in the veggie garden, stewarding the beef cows, milking our dairy cows, caring for our chickens, or even just foraging! To honour the complete cycle of these contributions, all residents are involved in cooking (and eating) our communal lunches and dinners (Monday-Friday) in order to holistically experience living with the land and seasons. Through a Food Preparation Internship, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in some of the food production systems above, as well as build your knowledge and skills in broader food preparation practices. These include preserving our garden’s abundance through fermenting, pickling, canning, dehydrating and creative experimentation. You can also learn how to process dairy into cheese, yoghurt, butter, gelato and more! There is also opportunity to explore processing, curing, drying and smoking meat (generally beef or wild game).We are part of a great community of other growers and farmers and often get to swap produce with them, so sometimes have other animal protein to work with.

The majority of what we produce feeds back into our community, but we also share some of these goodies at the Kangaroo Valley Farmers market each month, and will cater for events we host.

Other areas the internship will focus on:

  • Menu planning
  • Foraging
  • Helping cater for community events
  • Growing & harvesting food
  • Best practice storing of produce
  • Rostering of cooks
  • Kitchen management
  • Food ordering

Whilst this internship allows food preparation to be your primary interest, we don’t currently produce enough for food preparation to be your only area of work during your time here. Our internships are diverse and integrate involvement with many different areas of the farm so please include any other areas of interest when applying (including any of the food production areas shared above). You’ll also be involved in various tasks to support the day-to-day running of the farm and community, eg maintenance, gardening, and house cleaning.

This is a working internship and is most suited to those who learn through doing. Additional educational opportunities include a weekly meeting for discussion, visits to local growers, and the option to participate in any workshops or events hosted by the farm.

We are happy to tailor the internship to your interests and meet any institutional requirements you have if you are doing formal study. We also welcome couples and families to apply.

Additional benefits that come with living at Winderong Farm:

  • Living in a community of diverse people with shared values
  • Access to an extensive library exploring permaculture, regenerative agriculture, growing guides, herbalism and other books
  • A great local community with monthly Crop-Swap, farmers market and other activities
  • Weekly Zoom yoga class
  • Seasonal celebrations
  • Communal gatherings such as singing/mending/crafting circle
  • Local First Nations community connections and activities
  • Beautiful bushwalks on and surrounding the property
  • Access to educational webinars and films

Our internships incorporate both volunteer and paid hours. Volunteer work is exchanged for accommodation, high quality food, and educational opportunities. This is generally structured from 8:30am-12:30pm, Monday-Friday (20 hours per week). All work beyond this 20 hours is paid work (generally completed in the afternoon). Occasional weekend work is required. Paid work commences 2 weeks after arrival and interns are expected to eventually contribute 12-15+ hours beyond their volunteer requirement. This internship is intended for people who are enthusiastic to deepen their involvement over time and support the growth of our farm through the growth of your own knowledge and skills.

Accommodation in a decked-out bus and delicious organic food is provided.

We are very open to interns extending beyond their 6 months to become long-term residents and employees. A post-graduate program is in development to provide further learning opportunities and reciprocity for involvement. We are also open to long-term residents developing their own microenterprises on the farm.

Note that Winderong does not currently sell fruit or vegetables commercially. The food we grow is primarily to feed our community, with excess being either swapped, sold at the monthly markets or donated to food banks.

Internship intakes occur every 4 months and the official application window is advertised via our social media. Feel free to contact us and express interest at any time via the email below!

To apply, send an email to winderongfarm@gmail.com with:

  • Your resume
  • A cover letter telling us:
    • Who you are
    • Why you would like to intern with Winderong
    • Which internship stream you have chosen and why
    • What skills and experience you bring

Testimonial:

"When I arrived at Winderong, I was excited and hopeful, but also a little nervous. There were times that I had to ask myself, ‘am I really ready for this?’. I had never really experienced communal life and the concept was daunting. But before I knew it, I was confidently milking cows in the morning and harvesting vegetables from the garden. After a while I was making cheese and other dairy products, and then cooking lunch and/or dinner for 15+ people. These are the things that give meaning to life, and Winderong offers the space to do it. At Winderong, all the noise is turned down, and everything that matters in life is turned up. My experience here is best summarised by a quote from Viktor Frankl, ‘the meaning of life is to give meaning to life’. If this means anything to you, then I encourage you to apply for the Winderong internship."
Ben, January - July 2024