Sustainable Living & Farming Jobs

In a world focused on technology and getting ahead at all costs, it might be time to look at life in a different way and focus on what's really important. This channel is virtually about the simple life and living more sustainably and organically!

It's for those who want to transform their world into something completely different—learning to become more self-reliant, connecting with the earth, integrating skills from the "good old days" that many of us take for granted, and leading a more balanced and harmonious lifestyle. It is the same spirit referred to by the poet Gary Snyder when he advised, Find your place on the planet and dig in. This channel will give you the tools to do just that.

More to Explore
• Check out the Outdoor/Environmental Education Jobs channel for more food and farm job leads.

At the forefront of the biodynamic agricultural movement, Camphill provides a dynamic and nurturing environment for those interested in sustainable farming and gardening. Build community with people of all ages and abilities while working in harmony with the land and animals.

Camphill is dedicated to creating communities where the recognition of each individual’s gifts and contributions offer a model of renewal for the wider society. Live-in Volunteers live and work alongside children, youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in one of twelve communities throughout the U.S. (California, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont) and Canada (British Columbia). Volunteers grow faster than they imagined possible, build deep, lasting relationships, and develop practical and creative skills that open doors for the rest of their lives. Begin to master new skills and carry them forward into your future. Biodynamic farming. Artisan baking. Woodworking. Leadership and cooperative collaboration. Mindfulness.

Through a mix of structured training and hands-on practice under the guidance of mentors, you dive right in, and by the end of your year, you're not only comfortable with them, but you’re also leading others in learning. In addition to college loan support program, the community ensures that every volunteer's basic living needs are covered. This means you receive a monthly stipend, a private room in a beautiful environment, wholesome, mostly organic meals, medical insurance, and other essentials—from toiletries to use of community cars.

Unpause Your Life. A one minute peak into Camphill life.

• In addition to supporting individuals with disabilities in their daily activities, Volunteers will also be working on a farm, in a garden or in one of various craft workshops as well as cooking wholesome food for a household community and sharing meals together.

Interested in environmental stewardship? Nutrition? Local food access? Community building? A Way of Life Farm brings all these passions together, growing nutrient dense produce and pork for farmers’ market, CSA, and local food pantries in the beautiful foothills of Western North Carolina. The farm integrates this production into a broader permaculture design and land revitalization project, rejuvenating a former clear-cut forest into productive vegetable fields, fruit and nut orchards, wildlife habitat, and forage for pastured pigs.

2025 Seasonal Farm Apprenticeships—Now Hiring!
Farm Apprentices gain hands-on experience and learn the ins and outs of vegetable growing from seed to harvest including no-till bed preparation, seedling propagation, transplanting, harvest, marketing, and practical implementation of the five principles of soil health. Farmers Sara Jane and Jamie are passionate about sharing their knowledge and skills and take their role as educators seriously. Applicants should have good communication skills and self-motivation. Some previous experience on a farm is highly recommended and experience with physical labor or intense outdoor activity is important. Full season Apprentices work an average of 40 hours/week from March through mid-December 2025 and receive a stipend starting at $1,000-$1,200/month DOE, as well as cozy, basic housing with your own private room and kitchen, vegetables and meat from the farm, food staples, and participation in educational and community activities and monthly CRAFT farm tour. To apply, send a completed application along with your resume and two work references to Sara Jane Davis.

• Farming is our form of activism. We believe that providing people with truly healthy food that is also healthy for the land is a powerful act, and we’re excited to train new farmers. Learn the ins and outs of farming and the A Way of Life Farm’s broader vision for the land and what it means for our world.

As a Program Coordinator you'll gain experience in a wide variety of outdoor work, support the strengths and resiliency of others, and see yourself grow and develop in a collaborative vibrant community.

Located on 700 acres in Vermont's Green Mountains, Spring Lake Ranch is a long-term residential therapeutic community and farm with the mission to support and empower people with mental health and substance abuse challenges to grow and thrive. Through shared experience, meaningful work, and active participation in an accepting community, the Ranch helps each person to develop the confidence and skills to recover.

Program Coordinators (House Advisor/Crew Leader) serve as mentors to help residents in their recovery of esteem, direction, and well-being. Responsibilities include living and working alongside residents and leading a wide variety of tasks that keep the Ranch running through every season of the year. This may include caring for the farm animals, working in the garden, bringing in hay, shoveling snow, chopping wood, pressing apple cider, building furniture, producing maple syrup, clearing trails, and more. Compensation includes $15/hour, private room within a resident house, access to three meals/day, full health, dental and vision coverage, paid vacation and sick time, and use of all Ranch amenities including laundry, linen service, woodshop, art and pottery studio, sewing room, gym, tennis court, hiking/ski trails and equipment, and lake front access with a private dock, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards—as well as the many less tangible benefits that come from living and working in a close-knit community. Program Coordinators are hired on a rolling basis for an initial one-year period. Explore all employment opportunities at SpringLakeRanch.org.

• Do you have a passion for animals, gardening, or working with your hands? As a Spring Lake Ranch Program Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to lead and teach a crew of adults with mental health challenges, and support them in living their best life. Whether planting or harvesting in the vegetable gardens or tending to an array of livestock including sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, cows, llamas, turkeys, and more, residents and staff work together to maintain the Ranch's working farm (and more!).

Innisfree Residential Volunteers are motivated, passionate, and conscientious individuals seeking a new way of life in service to others and dedicated to community living with adults with intellectual disabilities.

Set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Charlottesville, Virginia, Innisfree Village is a residential, lifesharing community with adults with intellectual disabilities. Residents (known as coworkers in the village), volunteers, and staff live, work, and play together on a 550-acre therapeutic farm emphasizing empowerment, interdependence, and mutual respect of all community members.

As a Residential Volunteer, individuals will experience the joys and challenges of a lifesharing community. At the core of the volunteer experience is the building of genuine connections with the coworkers as well as other community members. Volunteers live with coworkers in family-style homes, providing support for their daily personal care, overall health, and emotional needs. Engagement in the therapeutic workstations is a part of daily community life. In the art studio, bakery, community kitchen, farm, herb and vegetable gardens, pottery, weavery, and woodshop, volunteers provide guidance and support, encouraging coworkers to pursue their creative passions and skill development, while having the unique opportunity to develop and learn new practical and creative skills for themselves. With a broad demographic of life experiences, personal backgrounds, and cultural traditions, volunteers enrich the community through their gifts, talents, and individuality. Fully participating in the events of daily life, along with special gatherings and social events, offers unique opportunities to develop connections that can last a lifetime. A monthly stipend, private room, meals, and plentiful benefits are provided. Applicants must be patient, empathetic, flexible, and positive, at least 18 years of age, and able to commit to a year of service. To learn more, explore InnisfreeVillage.org.

People from all over the world come to Innisfree Village to share their time and talents. Get to know current Innisfree Village volunteers and staff and the experiences that make their time at Innisfree so special.

Therapeutic work is intentional and mindful. It's a philosophy deeply rooted in the belief that meaningful engagement with the environment and each other can promote healing, growth, and a sense of purpose.
Read more about the volunteer experience at Innisfree Village.

WWOOF Adventures
Working in exchange for your keep is the basis of Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) — and you can do so in the U.S. and all over the world. Check out these links around the globe:
• Australia
• Italy
• Japan
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• WWOOF Independents
• WWOOF USA

I envisioned roaming the picturesque New Zealand countryside, living cheaply on farms, and spending my days happily sweating in the sunshine with like-minded people. Read more...

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