Wright-Locke Farm

Volunteer Opportunities

Harvesting greens (E. James Whitehead)We have no shortage of volunteer opportunities on the Farm, and so we warmly encourage people to donate some of their time and energy to our organization. We will surely be able to connect you with projects that suit your interests, abilities, and schedule. No matter what the task, you’ll likely meet new people, learn new skills, and gain a heightened appreciation for food and farms. Please see our current volunteer opportunities below (please note that most opportunities are seasonal). No experience is necessary as instruction will be provided. If you want to help with a particular opportunity, send us an email and we will connect you with the appropriate person to further explore how you could help. In your email, be sure to include the opportunity for which you’d like to provide assistance (i.e. “I want to help care for the chickens”).

Volunteers must be age 14 or older for most volunteer opportunities. Most opportunities are available sometime between April – October only.

FARM ANIMALS

  • Help take care of our chickens (year – round): help our “chicken chore” volunteer group perform daily tasks for our flock, including bringing food and water, collecting, cleaning, and tallying eggs, and more. For more information or to sign up to for chicken chores, please e-mail our Education Director, Erika Gorgenyi. 
  • Help take care of our goats and farm cat (late December – February): help our farm staff perform morning feed chores for our goats and cat this winter while the farmer is on break; sign up is day-to-day (very flexible) and requires just morning chores like bringing food and water to the animals.

U-Pick Raspberry Season

  • U-Pick Raspberry Guru: Join us at the farm patio during our “open picking hours” to help welcome and instruct pickers. Help with setup and breakdown of our raspberry packing station and facilitate the flow as people go in and out of the fields. This is a great way to learn about the farm and spend time in the gorgeous late-summer and fall weather while getting to meet other community members. Logistics: Complete a half hour training session, volunteer hours will consist of 2-3 hour sessions concentrated on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays depending on weather (Morning and Afternoon sessions available). Volunteers should be 14+ (some exceptions for parents who volunteer with a child). E-mail U-Pick coordinator, Kim Kneeland to become a U-Pick Guru.
  • Raspberry Picking Squad: If individual, meditative raspberry picking is more your speed, come and volunteer in the raspberry fields! Because the raspberries can come in fast and furious and we don’t want to waste any of their tasty goodness, our Farmer is in need of a picking squad! If you find raspberry picking to be fun, want to help us pick for markets and for our famous raspberry jam (and maybe get some berries to take home as a thank you), then this is the opportunity for you. You’ll receive a short training session with our farmer, then will be placed on her E-mail list so she can reach out when the fields are full and in need of picking. Picking sessions will be concentrated Tuesdays-Saturdays during the mornings and early afternoons with some exceptions. Volunteers should be 12+ (Children may volunteer with parents). E-mail Farmer Adrienne to sign-up for our Picking Squad.
  • Farm Stand Ninja: If you’re looking for a challenge or some great cafe/retail experience, we are looking for a couple of dedicated volunteers to help run our Farm Stand as we head into Autumn. We are looking for folks who can commit to a two to five-hour shift once a week. We will train you so that you are knowledgeable in all things Farm Stand. This is a tough, but rewarding volunteer opportunity where you’ll get to interact with farm visitors while getting a close look at running a small business. Volunteers should be high school age or older. E-mail Farm Stand Manager, Mel Carden if interested in becoming a Farm Stand Ninja.

AGRICULTURE

  • Help our field crew (April – October): tasks throughout the season include helping plant seeds in the greenhouse or field, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting crops sold in our farm stand, at markets, for our flower CSA, and more. One time and recurring opportunities available (Tuesday – Saturdays only). Email our Farmer to let her know you’re interested in helping out.
  • Help our flower crew (March – October): tasks throughout the season include helping seed, plant, water, weed, maintain fields, harvest and a variety of other flower tasks; go to our Flower Volunteer page for more info.
  • Land Management (April – November): assist our staff and Board with mowing grass, trimming hedges, clearing brush, raking leaves, and more around the fields and pastures.
  • Ornamental Gardening (May – September): assist our staff and Board with ornamental gardening around the farmhouse, farm stand, and 1827 Barn.

EDUCATION

(local middle and high school student volunteers wanted)

JOIN OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Wright-Locke Farm aspires to a diverse Board, representing the broad spectrum of people who visit the farm and live in the surrounding communities. We will be seeking new candidates in August of 2019 for our Board of Directors to guide and support our organization as we enter a new stage in our history. Terms for members of our Board are 3 years in length. Click here for more information on this opportunity.

EVENTS

  • Help our events staff with special events (April – October): assist with the preparation or facilitation of the farm’s special events; volunteers are scheduled to help with a specific event or series of events (i.e. Family Farm Nights hosted June-July).

FUNDRAISING AND OUTREACH

  • Help our staff with fundraising and outreach to local communities (year – round): specific projects and recurring opportunities available.

Don’t see an opportunity that suits you? Send us an email describing how you think your energies might benefit the farm. Special projects relevant to our work are always up for consideration!