The Lund Fellows Program for Regenerative Agriculture provides Cornell undergraduate students across disciplines with the opportunity to broaden their perspectives and understanding of natural ecosystems and to learn about ecological and social approaches to agricultural systems. 

The Lund Fellows Program provides students opportunities to gain applied experience working on an agroecological farm and contribute to the farm in meaningful and helpful ways, while learning about the process and considerations involved in managing such an enterprise.

We work to spread awareness about the value and mission of agroecological biodynamic, organic, regenerative, and sustainable approaches to farming, strengthen relationships between the university and local farms and provide assistance to small farms that could not otherwise fund summer internships. 

Host farms participating in the Lund Fellows Program were prioritized based on the following values: 

• Explicitly uses agroecological, biodynamic and/or organic farming methods
• Diversified farm (not just certified organic with industrial farming approach)
• Small-scale farm (less than 200 hectares)
• Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers when possible

Internship description

The intern would be involved in most aspects of vegetable production, sowing, watering, planting, weeding, and harvesting. The intern would also assist with distribution at the Ithaca Farmers Market. Most work would be accomplished with hand tools and a knife. Tractor work is available for those interested who prove themselves responsible and capable.

Basic Qualifications and Preferred Experience

No experience required.  Interns should be prepared to work outside regardless of weather conditions (ie. Rainboots, sunscreen, water bottle).  Be able to work in a diverse cultural context (English, Spanish, German). Be able to follow instructions. Be able to ask for clarification. Be interested in efficient, fast, quality work.   

Internship schedule 

Full time (40 hours/week) work is available; Tuesday-Saturday 8:00am-5pm. Lunch break 12-1pm.

About the farm

Blue Heron Farm was founded in 1986 by Robin Ostfeld and Lou Johns. Situated just 26 miles north of Ithaca, the 112-acre farm is tucked between two gorges that meander down to lake Seneca and includes 30 acres of tillable farmland. In 2016, farm ownership was transitioned to Birgit and Erik Landowne who had spent the prior 15yrs. managing Kimberton CSA, a biodynamic vegetable farm in Phoenixville, PA. At Blue Heron Farm, Birgit and Erik Landowne focus on growing a wide variety of organic vegetables that ranges from your lettuces, tomatoes, and cucumbers, to watercress and an ever-expanding field of garlic! Customers can buy produce year-round at the Saturday Ithaca Farmers Market, as well as at the newly expanded GreenStar Coop, where during the late spring, transplants are sold as well.

Additional information

The accepted candidate is required to be Covid vaccinated prior to working on the farm.