Roque Island Homestead
Roque Island Farm is a 200-year old working farm on a private island off the coast of Downeast Maine (Washington County). It has been owned and managed by the same family for that time.
We are a diverse, working farm whose mission is to provide high-quality farm products for island residents: meat and eggs, dairy products, vegetables and herbs, fruit, and flowers. Our focus is producing products to meet island needs, and we make contributions to local food banks when we have an excess.
The year-round livestock includes dairy cows, sheep, and laying hens, with a seasonal pig and broiler operation. We also care for a few retired horses. The quarter-acre garden is expanding but currently includes 24 raised beds, a main garden, herb and flower beds, and a small apple orchard. Poultry is harvested on-island, while larger animals are sent off-island for processing. In our small dairy, we turn our Jersey cows’ rich milk into butter, cream, milk, yogurt, and ice cream. We also produce our own hay, lumber, and firewood.
We are not certified organic, but we manage the garden to organic standards, do not use pesticides or herbicides and use a holistic and regenerative lens when making decisions about what is best for our soil, livestock and plants, and environment. Our seasonal rotational grazing operation provides our livestock with a low-stress lifestyle while allowing us to improve plant and soil health.
Location
243 Schoppee Point Rd
Roque Bluffs, ME 04654
Hours and Work Season
Apprentices are expected to work 8 hours a day, with 2 breaks for breakfast and lunch. We have found that longer stretches work better for island scheduling, so rotations are usually 10 days on, 4 days off, allowing time for people to travel if they desire. This is a Seasonal Role.
Our probationary period is 2 weeks, during which we will provide plenty of training and supportive feedback as we mutually determine whether the Apprenticeship is a good fit.
Payment Type
Stipend
Pay
Starting stipend of $80/day
Job Description
Farm Apprentices are immersed in both our livestock and garden operations, and work closely with management on a daily basis with plenty of independent projects once they are trained up. Most of our work is outside in all weather and requires physical labor of varying degrees.
There are three core elements of the apprenticeship position: livestock and dairy, garden and greenhouse, and serving as relief cook (8 days/month) when our full-time cook is on their off days.
Livestock and Dairy work
Daily and seasonal care and chores for all species (e.g. feeding, watering, mucking and cleaning, grooming)
Processing poultry: we harvest broilers on the island in the fall. Apprentices do not need to actually dispatch animals (unless they wish to), but all staff participate in processing the birds on these labor-intensive days.
Small-scale dairy operations, including: milking cows by hand and machine, making butter, cream, ice cream, and yogurt.
Rotational grazing for sheep, pigs, and poultry. Moving animal groups from one pasture to the next, building and re-setting fences.
Farm infrastructure: fence building and repairs, and other small carpentry/building projects.
Garden and Greenhouse work
We begin seedlings in our greenhouse and transplant to cold frames or garden beds as the season progresses. We continue throughout the season with direct seeding and continued transplanting successions with a low to no-till approach. Weeding, training, deadheading and harvesting are part of regular weekly tasks.
Spring and Fall will also include bed prep for the season ahead or to put things to bed. we harvest seaweed, sift and apply compost and put down mulches of various types depending on our needs.
We will teach processing produce e.g. canning, freezing, pickling, dehydrating
Relief Cook
Approx. 8 days/month (in two, 4-day rotations)
Prepare breakfast and lunch for 8-10 adults
If you are not particularly culinarily-minded, we hope you will still apply, because we can support you in this domain! We can provide simple, crowd-pleasing recipes, and do the food shopping. We are happy eating sandwiches for lunch and having a leftovers day. The three biggest duties of the relief cook is 1) preparing meals on time 2) preparing enough food and 3) keeping the kitchen clean, especially in warmer weather.
Apprentices should expect busy and varied days as we respond to daily, ongoing and uniquely seasonal needs of the farm, garden, and greenhouse.
Apprentices must be prepared to spend most of the day outside working in all weather, and be able to lift up to 50 pounds repeatedly (e.g. moving/stacking hay bales and feed bags).
Benefits
- Housing - private bedroom in shared apartment, with a bathroom and communal kitchen downstairs. There is Wifi and laundry, and we are working on building a staff living room.
- Meals - breakfast and lunch are provided each day you are on the island. Many of our meals feature farm meat, veggies, and other island products (e.g. dairy, maple syrup).
- Use of farm products and island recreation facilities and equipment as determined by the Island Manager(s).
- Domestic pets are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please discuss this with us early in the process if you wish to bring a pet.
- Academic credit may be available based on the requirements of your institution.
- Situated in a small archipelago, the main island is 1600 acres, about 50 of which are in pasture or hay fields. There are two large barns, several smaller outbuildings, 3 Member houses, and 3 staff houses, all located on the north side of the island. The rest of the island is wooded, with a few dirt roads, many hiking trails, and a mile-long sand beach. It is a beautiful place to hike, swim, kayak, or bike
What to Expect from Us
Approximately six staff live on the island year-round including an island manager(s), farm manager, cook, maintenance person, and boatman. Our seasonal team grows to 10+ including apprentices, interns, farm hands, and part-time/per-diem staff.
Our team is intergenerational, with both women and men in leadership roles. We say that we work hard and have fun! Many folks stay on-island on their off days to enjoy the island’s trails, swimming etc. while others travel, return home, or stay with friends on the mainland. We spend a lot of time together during the day, so the team tends to keep evenings to themselves, but there are movie nights, bonfires and occasional theme dinners. There are common areas in the farmhouse to socialize. With a diversity of political views among the team, we aim to keep politics conversations brief and respectful.
If what we’ve described above sounds interesting, we encourage you to apply! Our apprentices bring varied backgrounds, skills and interests. Many have had some exposure to livestock and/or agriculture, but for others, this opportunity is their first full-time exposure. We offer plenty of coaching and support during onboarding and on an ongoing basis.
We will prioritize Apprentices who are interested in committing to a full apprenticeship term, either early June – mid August or mid August – end of November.
Application Details and Deadline
Contact Catherine Sullivan, Farm Manager, at [email protected].
Please send a brief email detailing 1) your interest in the role, 2) whether you are interested in the June-start or August-start position and 3) any relevant skills or experience you possess. If you have a resume to send along, that is helpful, too. Interviews will generally be conducted via Zoom. We look forward to speaking with you!
Roque Island Homestead
- Physical Address
- 243 Schoppee Point Rd Roque Bluffs, ME 04654
- Website
- Phone
- 207-263-4704
