Summer Farming Fellowship

About North Country School & Camp Treetops

Located on the outskirts of Lake Placid, NY, Camp Treetops and North Country School sit on a 300-acre campus amid majestic mountain peaks in New York State’s Adirondack Park. Since 1921 and 1938 respectively, we have been nationally renowned for pioneering educational programs rooted in progressive practices and experiential learning. Both Camp and School guide children to engage with the natural world, take on intellectual and physical challenges in a nurturing community, and cultivate independence and creativity. 

Camp Treetops is an overnight summer camp for children ages 8-14 years old, which nurtures an inclusive community with an emphasis on values that remain vital to this day – child-centered education, the fostering of self-reliance and self-confidence, living in harmony with nature, and preserving a child’s world through a summer unplugged. 

Position Overview

Come farm with us!

As a summer farming fellow, you will work in all aspects of our educational farm at the height of the growing season. Our goal is to engage you in every interconnected piece: from starting seeds and cultivating crops in our gardens, to caring for livestock and managing rotational grazing plans. Throughout the summer, you will work closely with campers, leading them through daily barn chores and integrating them into the daily rhythms on our farm. 

You will be an integral part of sharing the joy of meaningful work with campers over the course of the summer while connecting them to the value of food and farming.

What You Will Do

Leading children through twice daily barn chores is one of the primary roles of this position. Together our community will harvest chickens, stack hay in the barns, care for a variety of animals including pigs, sheep, laying hens, turkeys, and horses, and harvest, wash and pack various vegetables from our gardens for the kitchens. We typically grow over 30 varieties of annual flowers, and over 25 different annual vegetables and herbs. You will spend time preparing fields and planting, as well as working to tend tomatoes and cucumbers in our 100 ft greenhouse. Additionally, farmers will help operate our rotating drum composter to transform food waste from the camp into usable material in our gardens.

Each week, you will offer 1-2 one hour long activities with campers in the camp you are working in (Junior 8-11 or Senior 12-14). These are focused on farming and the natural environment here in the Adirondacks. Activities can be whimsical and based on your personal interests while connecting the farm to our campers’ experience. You will participate in and help lead weekly community mornings, where a large farm-related job takes place with the help of the whole camp community.

How You Will Spend Your Time

Farm Chores 25%

• Lead twice daily farm chores with campers and counselors in barn/pasture/compost/garden spaces
• Daily harvest of fruits, veggies, and herbs

Daily Farm Tasks 60%

• Varied and seasonal farm tasks and projects
• Crop cultivation, seeding, harvesting, processing
• Rotational grazing and fencing improvements
• Using farm equipment such as weed whackers, mowers, and various hand tools

Camp Activities 15%

• Lead a weekly farm based activity
• Assist with weekly community morning project
• Cook a weekly Garden Harvest Lunch with campers and counselors

Skills You Bring to Our Community 

• 21+
• Prior gardening or livestock related experience is helpful, but not required. This is a great learning opportunity to start your farming journey.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and part of a team
• Organizational Skills and attention to detail
• Must be able to lift 55 lbs, kneel for long periods, and be comfortable with repetitive tasks. There are often long days spent doing physical work in a range of weather
• Ability to work long hours outside in various weather conditions
• Night and weekend work
• Willingness to learn how to operate farm equipment
• A driver’s license and clean driving record

The Values You Bring to Our Community 

• Upbeat, able to find joy in simple moments, willingness to laugh and have fun. We work closely together and camaraderie is part of the joy of farmwork. Communication is vital for understanding instructions and maintaining a comfortable work environment
• A strong work ethic, timeliness, and an eye for detail and efficiency
• Proactive and forward thinking, both in daily farm tasks and your own education. Even if there is no explicit instruction happening, there are always opportunities to learn
• Eagerness to be a part of a summer camp community focusing on place based education
• Willingness to step outside of your comfort zone, and find value in hard work

The Benefits of Working Here

Summer farming fellows receive a monthly stipend of $1,800 a month plus housing and all regular meals.

Ultimately, this farm internship can be your stepping stone. This is a great opportunity to learn more about growing food for your community and farm education. We’d like to be your guides in that journey! 

Our Mission and Values
North Country School and Camp Treetops strives to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

We are a values-driven community and seek to have a positive impact the world around us by living out our core values on and off campus:

• Cultivate Community: We believe in the inherent value and contributions of every person, and in fostering connections to build and nurture a strong, inclusive community.
• Walk a Mile: We believe that understanding and honoring every person’s unique worldview, experiences, and challenges is at the root of empathy and compassion.
• Dig Deep, Keep Growing: We believe that by setting ambitious goals, working hard, and persevering, we build strength and character and set a course for lives of growth, purpose, and fulfillment.
• Stay Curious: We believe in the power of creativity and wonder. We believe that curiosity about ourselves, other people, and the world around us leads to growth, innovation, and sometimes unconventional ideas.
• Our Planet, Our Job: We believe in individual and collective responsibility for our planet, and in leading by example as a community that works to respect, protect, and restore the natural world.