ONTARIO / ALBERTA / BRITISH COLUMBIA / QUEBEC / INTERNATIONAL
* Open to all current students and graduating students
* Watch for requirements and prerequisites—if any—dependent on where you are in the program
How to Apply:
• See if there is a location near you
• Or see if there is a location that you’d like to travel to
• Read the Co-op and explore the website
• Students are asked to send a short note of interest, your resume (if applicable) and your general availability or follow the instructions for applications when given.
• Let the contact know that you heard about the opportunity through IHN
Keep In Mind When Applying:
• Each location can be applied to at different times
• Almost all of them are year round with work detail dependent on the season!
• All have different application processes
• All have different start times, lengths of Co-op hours required as a minimum, work schedules, experience details
• Most distant farms have accommodations and meals included for length of work/stay—review each one
• Contact the Co-op partner listed directly for details
• You would be welcome at each
Co-op Feedback
• IHN keeps feedback from students, so contact Julia Briski or Ann Siskos to learn about the farm or herbal feedback
Julia julia@instituteofholisticnutrition.com | Ann ann@instituteofholisticnutrition.com
Have A Farm You’d Like To Co-op At, That Is Not Listed?
• You are more than welcome, and encouraged, to seek an experience not listed here. IHN has had students look for Herbal, Farm & Retreat experiences closer to where they live.
ONTARIO
Blue Grass Farm / Farms
*last updated Feb 2022
Location: Jasper, ON (1 hour SW of Ottawa)
Contact: Leela Ramachandran | Email: leela@bluegrassfarm.ca | Phone: 343.542.1978
Accommodations and meals will depend on the length of work. Details to be discussed in the interview.
Bluegrass Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm growing an innovative system of heated greenhouses. They help supply the region with fresh local produce nearly year-round. Most of their produce currently goes to supply Farmhouse Food, a local farmer cooperative offering multi-farm local food boxes to Ottawa-Gatineau. Bluegrass Farm is committed to protecting ecosystem health and growing a diversity of produce, with a focus on salad greens and garlic. They hold an organic certification with Ecocert Canada, meaning they grow everything in accordance with the Canadian Organic Standards.
Co-op student duties will depend on the time of year of their placement. Tasks will likely include planting and caring for plants in the greenhouses and/or fields; harvesting, cleaning and packing produce; pruning perennials; prepping soil for new plantings; and greenhouse maintenance.
Website
Christel Lake Lavender / Herbal Medicine
*last updated June 2024
Location: Greenbank, ON
Contact: Christel von Engelbrechten | Email: christel.lake.lavender@gmail.com | Phone: 905.985.9060
Accommodations and meals can be included for length of work
Lavender, lavender and more lavender! This is IHN’s Toronto/Mississauga faculty member, Jennifer Papaconstantinou’s father’s farm! There is nothing you will not know about lavender when you leave this farm. A number of graduating students have participated in variety of work programs and reported that their experiences were wonderful! Like all of the other locations listed in this email, we receive positive and valuable experience feedback from students.
Crickhollow Gardens /Farms
*last updated July 2023
Location: Neustadt, ON
Contact: Rosemary Crick | Email: rosemary@crickhollow.ca | Phone: 519.369.0058
Accommodations and meals are not included however students are welcome to pitch a tent.
We love welcoming students from IHN to Crickhollow! Crickhollow is a farm and healing centre that operates on the principles of biodynamics and love consciousness.
Students will work with Rosemary, tasks include:
• Maintaining the perennial herb bed
• Planting, weeding, and harvesting the vegetable garden
• Creating a meditation walk through pine trees
• Maintaining the flower beds
Everdale Organic Farm & Environmental Learning Centre / Farms
*last updated March 2022
Location: Hillsburgh, ON
Contact: David Alexander | Phone: 519.855.4859
Accommodations: Tenting in summer (May to October) is available.
Meals are not included, students are responsible for their meals.
Timing: One week stay is ideal for optimal learning (Monday to Friday) but day-long volunteer work is available.
See “Get Involved” page on their website for all information!
Everdale’s mission is to be a farm-based organization that provides hands-on, solution-based food and farming education to build and engage healthy local communities. To accomplish this we deliver a wide range of hands-on learning programs on food and farming to people of all ages and backgrounds. The three main pillars of our work are:
Production Farm details, Farmer Training and School Programs—see website for details!
Website
Fiddlehead Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
* Fiddlehead Farm will not be accepting new Co-op students until 2025
Location: Prince Edward County, Demorestville, ON
Contact: Heather Coffey | Email: heather@fiddlehead-farm.ca | Phone: 613.970.5034
Accommodation and meals are not provided.
Timing: We can offer full-time short-term co-ops or year-round part-time co-ops to locals.
Fiddlehead Farm has been growing organic vegetables on a ten-acre plot since 2012. Their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program provides members with seasonal produce, bi-weekly bags in the Spring, weekly bags in the summer months, and monthly boxes throughout the winter. Inspired by the potential of small-scale organic farming to feed the world, they are committed to creating a sustainable local food system, promising to support their members, even in challenging times of drought, floods, and pandemics.
Co-op students’ responsibilities will differ based on their placement season. They may be tasked with seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, mulching, harvesting, packing, and storing produce. The students will gain familiarity with farm operations, the process of growing vegetables from seed to harvest using ecological practices, and different methods of irrigation and weed management, depending on the crop.
“This was a great experience. I honestly could fill this entire document with all that I learned. My co-op supervisors were very educated and willing to answer any questions I had. They went into great detail to share the science and background information to enhance my understanding of why they did what they did. This job was humbling. I have a new appreciation for the food I eat knowing how much goes into producing each vegetable.” – 2021 IHN Co-Op Student
FoGo Fresh Farmstead / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Mattawan, ON
Contact: Christopher Fisher | Email: chris.fisher@gmail.com | Phone: 416.624.4895
***Unsure of accommodations/meals/length of stay
Roslyn and Chris are the proud owners and operators of FoGo Fresh Farmstead. They dedicate their time and effort to creating simple, sustainable, delicious. They do everything by hand, putting a touch of love into each creation.
Co-Op students will assist with a variety of tasks, including but not limited to:
• Milking cows and assisting in the production of butter, cheese, and cream
• Collecting eggs from chickens and tending to the farm stand
• Assisting with preparation and setup at the local farmers’ market
• Helping with the forest school and preparing healthy snacks with the kids
“During my co-op experience at the farmstead, I found several elements valuable for my transition into the nutrition field. The environment I worked in provided a rich learning experience, allowing me to gain a deep understanding of food production processes. This first-hand knowledge has greatly helped my understanding of the quality and nutrient content of various foods.
My understanding of seasonal and locally sourced foods grew throughout this co-op experience. Working on the farm exposed me to the benefits of consuming foods that are in season and locally grown, both in terms of nutritional value and environmental sustainability. This understanding has shaped my approach to nutrition, emphasizing the importance of fresh, whole foods in promoting health.” – 2023 IHN Co-Op Student
Food 4 Life Market Garden / Farms
* last updated July 2024
Location: 215 Victoria Ave, Fenwick, Ontario (Niagara Region)
Contact: Emmy Suparmin CNP | Email: info@tucaninternational.com | Whatsapps: +1 647 280 9877 (text messages only)
Accommodations: Not available, Meals provided during Co-op day
Food 4 Life Market Garden is one of the first Regenerative Organic Certified™ farms in Ontario, Canada. It was founded by Meng Karbach, a certified chef turned Certified Regenerative Organic Farmer in the Niagara Region, who began cultivating 5 acres of land in 2015. Driven by a passion for providing highly nutritious food, her farm became one of the first to achieve regenerative certification for garlic and tomatoes. In 2023, Meng partnered with Tucan Holistic, a food company, co-owned by a Holistic Nutritionist (graduate of IHN), that is committed to using clean ingredients and sharing a vision of sustainability. This collaboration merges their expertise in holistic nutrition and regenerative farming to offer food with the highest nutritional value and cleanest ingredients in the market.
Food 4 Life Market Garden’s main crops:
• Organic Garlic with different varieties
Minor crops:
• Organic Tomatoes, Organic Asparagus
Main products:
• Organic Black Garlic Bulb, Organic Black Garlic Balsamic Vinegar, Organic Black Garlic Sea Salt, Organic garlic pickle (seasonal), Organic garlic scape salt (seasonal), Organic garlic scape pickle (seasonal), Organic Black Garlic Coffee Replacement, Organic Black Garlic Wine Jelly, Organic Black Garlic Powder
Tasks:
• Varies depending on the month, however here are our activities during the year:
• Off-the-farm → Health Food expos, markets, events, store tasting demos, and products presentation.
• On-the-farm → Weeding, Planting, pruning, harvesting, cleaning planting beds, crops management, compost fertilizing, and many more farming activities.
Glencolton Dairy Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Durham, ON
Contact: Elisa Vander Hout | Email: glencoltonfarm@gmail.com | Phone: 519.372.6570
Accommodations and meals are included for the length of work
Timing: minimum of 50 hours, each work day is 8-10 hours in duration. Placement can be tailored to any schedule.
Michael and Elisa have Master’s degrees in agriculture. They have collectively been biodynamic farming for over 60 years. Michael is an activist, international speaker, scholar, symphony conductor, musician, educator and arguably Canada’s most experienced and most famous biodynamic farmer. Michael has received national and international recognition and media coverage for his ongoing (and very public) legal and political efforts to legalize raw milk and raw milk products. Learn the fundamental principles of spiritual, creative and quantum forces in bio-dynamic farming that incorporate these ‘dynamic forces of nature’ into organic farming. Participate in all organic farming processes and understand the interrelationship of the soil, plants and animals as a self-sustainable; self-nourishing system, with its participants having an impulse for deep social change rooted in the practice. There are always teaching, large social and musical events happening at Glencolton!
Ignatius Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Guelph, ON
Contact: Lisa Conroy | Email: farmeducation@ignatiusguelph.ca | Phone: 519.824.1250 ext 244
Accommodations and meals are not included for the length of work.
Timing: Commitments and work days are flexible, throughout the year.
Each year, Ignatius Farm takes on workshares and volunteers during the growing season. Workshares volunteer regularly in exchange for a CSA share. Volunteers are an integral part of our farm team growing food for the community through our Community Shared Agriculture project, a 19-acre organic vegetable operation that supplies produce to approximately 275 participating members. The Community Orchard Collective cares for the orchard, and Community Garden volunteers support 3.5 acres of community gardens for about 280 households. We seek individuals who have a keen desire to learn about growing food organically, who are interested in building friendships and community, physically capable of working outdoors in any weather, and who are curious and open to new ideas. Successful applicants should anticipate working hard within a cooperative team environment.
Read more about our Guiding Principles to consider if our farm would be a good fit for you.
Lakehouse Lavender / Herbal Medicine
*last updated February 2022
Location: Conway, ON (near Napanee, across the water from Prince Edward County)
Contact: Alexa Colenbrander | Email: lakehouse.lavender@gmail.com | Phone: 647.271.5266
Accommodations and meals for the length of work/stay will vary
Timing: Co-op placement will be for a minimum of 50 hours, up to 100 preferred
We are a hobby farm with a passion for lavender! Our farm has 2000 lavender plants which we tend using organic practices, though we are not certified organic. We grow both English (culinary) and French lavender which we distill for essential oil to make our small (but growing!) product line available in our online store. Eventually we hope to offer weekend wellness retreats and special events in our heritage barn.
Responsibilities Include:
• Students will be involved in all aspects of growing, tending, harvesting, and propagating lavender
• Harvesting of lavender for distillation
• Product development in areas of interest using lavender essential oil, dried bud, and stems
• Responsibilities may include selling products at Kingston market on occasion in July and August
• The work will be collaborative in nature
• The work day will generally be 6-8 hours in duration, with some flexibility
• Our busy time is July and August – schedule to be negotiated.
• Students shall be responsible for supplying the following: rain gear, sunscreen and hat, gardening gloves, etc.
• Own car is an asset
• Creativity is an asset
Lifespring Organic Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Janetville, ON
Contact: Anastasia Parkes | Email: lifespringorganics@gmail.com (preferred)| Phone: 705.878.3363
Accommodations and meals are included for the length of work/stay. There’s a volunteer suite, trailer, or tent to stay in.
Timing: Year-round farming. Students are welcome anytime. Work varies by season.
We are caregivers of this gorgeous 100-acre Beyond-Organic farm in the beautiful Kawartha Lakes region, where we live with many companion animals. We grow, raise, and sell our own beef, vegetables, eggs and our Scottish Highland cows, as well as some truly wonderful health products.
Please read Anastasia’s bio. You will be incredibly impressed! Here is a bit of it, “I am a Certified Bowen Health Therapist, Certified in Applied Nutrition, Energy Psychology, Wellness Consultant and Health Coach who has worked in the Health Industry for the past 30 years across Canada, the U.S. & Europe.” Farmer Ken has worked with Radionics, Homeopathy machines, muscle testing, the latest health inventions, growing, etc. for over 40 years.
The Co-op includes (but is not limited to):
• Caring for animals, feeding, training, brushing, cleaning up and ensuring their safety
• Assisting with Highland Tours
• Learning methods of free-range chicken/cow farming
• Learning methods of biodynamic and organic fruit and vegetable farming, and soil building (working towards permaculture!)
• Gardens & Greenhouses: bed prep, seeding, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting!
• Prep for and help out at Farmers’ markets
• Assisting with or preparing organic dinners
• Repairing fences, and building projects
• Assisting with vet work and calving, if the student is interested
• Regular farm duties
• Working with farmers and other volunteers.
Soft rolling fields and forest, an incredible view, and large spring-fed ponds for swimming, it’s a little bit of a Paradise here at LifeSpring Farm.
Meadowsweet Farm / Farms
*last updated January 2023
Location: Gormley, ON
Contact: Melanie | Email: mel@meadowsweetfarm.ca
Meadow Sweet Farm is a 65-acre, four-season, certified organic farm. We specialize primarily in salad mixes and heirloom vegetables. Our salad is available at a number of retail stores across the GTA. Our goal is to produce delicious, nutritious, organic produce and run our farm on sustainable rotations. We are willing to cater Co-ops to align with your interests, achieve your goals and develop your skill sets. We also have llamas, cows, pigs, chickens and peacocks, etc.
Co-op tasks include but not limited to:
• Greenhouses: seeding, weeding, watering, bed prep, picking, etc.
• Field Work: seeding, weeding, compost, bed prep, picking, etc.
• Livestock assist with daily care
• Farm Maintenance: Learn what it takes to really run a farm! (a portion to be included in all Co-ops)
Middleton Neadow Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Frontenac County, ON
Contact: Amanda Neadow | Email: neadowamanda@gmail.com | Phone: 613.464.3200
***Unsure of accommodations/meals/length of stay
Middleton Neadow Farm is a Father-Daughter team passionate about farming and nature. Their farm is deeply rooted in Frontenac County, where family and community are integral to their identity and operations. They balance traditional farming with land stewardship, producing beautiful cut-flowers and maintaining a healthy beef herd.
The tasks for Co-Op Students could include:
• Assisting in agricultural business marketing, which involves managing the social media calendar, updating the website, writing blog posts, managing Facebook and Instagram, promoting our services, improving SEO, and growing our email list
“It was also interesting to learn about gardening, field mapping and flower care! I had never fully understood the planning, care and time that goes into agriculture – it was a very eye-opening experience. I have a deeper appreciation for agriculture, which I was already very connected to, now that I have experienced it more closely. Overall, I would recommend anyone interested in agriculture business planning, marketing and execution to connect with Amanda, she was such an amazing mentor to work alongside.” – 2024 IHN Co-Op Student
Moondance Organic Gardens / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Angus, ON
Contact: Kimberley Keckes |Email: mogfarm@gmail.com
Timing: Placement can be tailored to any of the following schedules with varied commitments. The most ideal timing though, based on projects and overall experience, is 4 weeks.
Off-site accommodations and meals are preferred but open to a conversation about on-site accommodations and meals included for length of work/stay.
Moondance Organic Gardens is a family market garden farm that started the dream of growing in 2001. The farm is the fourth generation, run by Kim and her husband. Kim has a degree in psychology and Phys Ed and worked in a hospital as a horticultural therapist! From an empty farm field, Kim and her whole family have worked towards creating a biodiverse healthy environment which supports growing healthy food and people. The gardens and Market Stand would not be possible without the help of so many amazing volunteers and WWOOFers who have come to be part of the farm.
Key Points About the Farm:
• The farm is highly community-oriented with a volunteer program, learning/sharing opportunities, an on-site market stand, and a children’s Forest and Farm school program
• Students will be involved in all aspects of organic farming, applying organic and biodynamic principles to ensure a high-quality local organic food source, such as: working in the greenhouse and fields transplanting, weeding, seeding, harvesting, etc.
• Opportunities for teaching/sharing about nutrition, food preparation, herbs and living a healthy lifestyle
Sentimental Farm / Farms
*last updated March 2022
Location: Grimsby, ON
Contact: Rob or Chris Croley | Email: info@sentimentalfarm.com | Phone: 905.309.7096
Accommodations and meals for the length of work/stay will vary, with no overnights.
At Sentimental Farm our mission is quite simple: to provide people the opportunity to take control of their food, and the chemicals they are exposed to and provide a means to reconnect with a lifestyle that is being lost. Food is free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Food that has not been genetically modified or engineered. Everyday products are free from harmful chemicals. We want to provide you with the option of living the way you would like to.
Responsibilities Include:
• Students can help with the courses taught and all of the work to produce vegetables, herbs, eggs and fruit!
• Any student doing a Co-op with Sentimental would be required to attend one of our “Backyard Farming” courses (free of charge).
• Year-round farming. Students are welcome anytime. Work varies by season.
• All the basics of growing organically will be taught—a fair bit of knowledge is passed on in the course of normal conversation.
• The minimum hours Sentimental would like to have a student for is 30. Anything less than that tends to not lead to understanding the concepts of the farm.
• Work hours are generally 6 hours per day 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, but there is some flexibility.
• We keep bees, so students may, depending on the season, have the opportunity to learn about them first-hand.
• We also keep Nigerian Dwarf goats, so students wishing to gain some experience with animal husbandry would have the opportunity to work with the goats. Milking, hoof-trimming, mucking stalls and in rare cases birthing kids.
Susan Elliotson Medical Herbalist / Herbal Medicine
*last updated July 2023
Location: 3 Millview Court, Caledon, ON
Contact: Susan Elliotson | Email: ElliotsonE@sympatico.ca
Accommodations and meals not included for length of work—45-55 minute drive from the Mississauga campus
Susan takes Co-op students all year long! She runs a busy practice and must fulfill orders/protocols 12 months of the year. The student will see the practical aspect (record keeping) of maintaining a herbal practice. Susan taught Herbal Medicine at IHN for over a decade and now teaches our Advanced Herbal Therapeutics Continuing Education course. The type of work a Co-op student would do with plants and herbals depends on the season.
Responsibilities Include:
• Production of tinctures and development of herbal remedies from seedlings, soil preparation, planting, managing the garden right to harvest, drying to the making of herbal medicines
• You’ll learn how to use herbals in practice and understand the extent of herbal practices
• A day could consist of orientation, harvesting, weeding, digging and processing. Because of the nature of medicinal plants, harvesting and weeding are often combined so a morning could consist of weeding and harvesting, depending on the herb involved. All weeding, harvesting, digging or processing (or winter season work) will include discussion of the plants worked with, their properties and actions, both medicinal and horticultural.
• Susan will let you know what to wear and bring as well.
Wheelbarrow Farm / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Sunderland, ON
Contact: Tony Neale | Email: wheelbarrowfarm@gmail.com | Phone: 647.335.3190
Accommodations and meals are provided for the length of work/stay but will vary. You must pre-book your room a minimum of a month in advance.
Timing: the minimum stay is 2 weeks.
Volunteering at Wheelbarrow Farm typically involves committing to a minimum 2-week stay at the farm. During your stay, you will live and work alongside the farmers, managers and apprentices. We offer a private room or cabin and food is provided. You are expected to work 6 hours/day, 5 days a week.
Day volunteering is also an option during the summer months. While we encourage a longer commitment (as some training will be required in advance) we can arrange for you to come up for the day only, throughout the season. We also have public volunteer days during the growing season. Please contact us with your availability and interest, we appreciate all helping hands.
Join our lively crew of young farmers excited about creating sustainable and restorative agriculture!
This is a great link to their Employment, Apprenticeship and Volunteer page!
Whole Village / Farms
*last updated June 2023
Location: CSA 20725 Shaws Creek Road, Caledon, ON
Contacts: Vesna Nikolic | Email: vesna.nikolic5@gmail.com + Carrie Rubel | Email: carrierubel@gmail.com | Phone 519.942.4010
Accommodations and meals are provided for short or extended lengths of work/stay
There are many opportunities for IHN students at Whole Village (WV)! WV is an eco-village just one hour drive north of Toronto in beautiful hill of Caledon, on a 191-acre organic farm. We wish to extend the learning and working opportunities to IHN students who are interested in hands-on learning about all aspects of regenerative agriculture, organic food growing and what it’s like to live in an Eco-village! There are currently 25 full-time residents at this farming and housing co-operative.
Whole Village is preparing to launch the extended volunteer/education program for 2022 season. Potential IHN Co-op student placement is seen as aligned with Whole Village’s aim to increase food production towards self-sufficiency, to continue with its land regeneration and to provide tools and motivation to others who are interested in living healthy and sustainable lives, in harmony with nature.
Timing: Various programs are available, dependent on the seasonal needs of Whole Village and flexibility of IHN Students. There are half-day or full-day programs, where students will commit to specific time and days for a period during the growing season of May to October.
Lunch is provided for both full and half-day commitments. There is also a live-in and immersive program, where students will receive room and board (vegan/vegetarian options available). Wifi is available for usage during your stay in the common areas as well as the library. The immersive program allows students to be included in all aspects of community life and will be assigned specific duties to support Whole Village’s mission.
Responsibilities, depending on the placement, may include the following:
• Biodiverse agriculture including planting, composting, weeding, mulching, invasive species removal, harvesting, hay collection, and creating and maintaining paths and garden beds
• Caring for our vegetable gardens, fruit trees, berry bushes, perennial flower beds and tree plantations
• Animal husbandry including care of chickens and cows
• Farm handiwork including wood collection, tool repair, barn preparation
• Learning the principles of holistic food preparation including meal preparation canning, fermentation, freezing, drying
• Event development for community celebrations and social activities
ALBERTA
Thistle Hill Farms / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Lacombe County, AB
Contact: Ryan Klassen | Email: thistlehillfarms03@gmail.com | Phone: 403.872.2010
***Unsure of accommodations/meals/length of stay
Thistle Hill Farms is a family market garden situated just outside of Lacombe, Alberta. They are deeply passionate about soil biology and are committed to chemical-free, natural farming practices. Their operation includes two greenhouses and just under an acre of field production, where they cultivate more than 70 varieties of the most colourful and flavorful vegetables suitable for Zone 3B. The family enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, crafting mouthwatering meals using products raised, grown, or made on their farm.
Through a co-op placement at Thistle Hill Farms, our students have learned how to develop and operate a successful regenerative farm. They’ve gained knowledge on maintaining soil health using compost and rotational practices, planning and preparing for a planting season, integrating animals into the farm’s life cycle, and preserving and fermenting foods to withstand Canadian winters.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Cherry Lane Farm / Farms
*last updated July 2023
Location: 9571 Beckwith Rd, Richmond, BC
Contact: Miles Smart | Email: theboss@cherrylanefarms.com
Accommodations and meals not included for length of work/stay, but volunteers are welcome to crops produced on the farm May through to November.
Timing: While you’ll learn the most from a full season, volunteers are welcome to join us down at the farm Monday to Saturday 9-5 from May through November.
Cherry Lane Farm is the small family farm in North Richmond that seems to be close to everything. The farm was started by Miles’ grandparents in the mid 50s who operated a fruit stand for many years on Bridgeport Road. We’re famous for our organic heirloom peppers, edible flowers, herbs, and greens that we grow for over 25 of the best restaurants around Vancouver. New and exciting at our place is that we’re experimenting with traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and are currently undergoing the second year of our organic certification.
We strive to show our volunteers how to grow healthy prodigious crops hand in hand with nature. Things we’d love help with, include caring for transplants, planting and seeding a wide variety of herbs and vegetables, weeding, watering, harvesting and packing produce, as well as brainstorming and helping to implement marketing strategies. Feel free to get in touch so that you can drop by and see what we’re up to!
Website
Farmers on 57th / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: On the grounds of George Pearson Centre, 780 West 57th Avenue
Contact: Britt So Farm Manager | Email: hello@farmerson57th.ca
Accommodations and meals not included for the length of work/stay.
In exchange for a weekly commitment, volunteers learn small-scale agriculture skills and are invited to share the “farmer’s take” of veggies.
Timing: Ideally students enroll in our Urban Farming Volunteer Learning Program for a full season’s exposure to food growing. Urban Farming Learning Program Volunteers commit to 4-6 hours per week from March to October.
Placements are conditional on shift availability with intake throughout the growing season as shifts become available. Farmers on 57th also has a Grow Your Own Food Course, which supports Community Garden Plots and Therapeutic Programming with George Pearson Centre Residents and newly-arrived families. Volunteers with the Market Garden in the Urban Volunteer Learning Program may have exposure to our other programs, but will primarily join our field crew (which has its own therapeutic elements to it).
With Farmers on 57th, you will learn about soil health: nutrient balancing, composting, soil erosion, and cover crops. You will expand your knowledge of crop rotation, irrigation systems, beneficial organisms, and organic pest control. You will also learn skills in preparing your own garden and how to troubleshoot problems as they arise. There are opportunities to contribute writing, recipes and photos to our website, blog and social media channels.
Southlands Farm /Farms
*last updated July 2023
Location: Vancouver, BC
Contact: info@southlandsfarm.ca | Phone: 604.261.1295
Accommodations and meals not included for length of work/stay
Southlands Heritage Farm includes a working, educational farm, a non-profit therapeutic riding program, as well as a riding school. Their goal with the farm is to: Grow, Educate, and Protect. To grow quality food following agroecological principles; to provide sustainability, farm and food education through empowering people of all ages with traditional skills and knowledge; and to protect and preserve the Agriculture and Land Reserve (ALR) in BC by advocating and supporting other local farmers and food producers.
Responsibilities Include:
• Assisting with weekly farmers market (seasonal): collecting eggs, harvesting, preparing produce for sale, preparing weekly recipe ideas with farm ingredients, cooking samples of prepared produce to provide inspiration for customers, sharing knowledge of holistic nutrition and what you are learning. This can also extend into marketing through various channels to help spread the word and draw more people to the market days.
• Help create a Southlands Heritage Farm cookbook: assist the owner of the farm in creating a cookbook showcasing recipes that highlight our farm produce – this would include researching nutritional facts etc.
• Research holistic remedies and treatments for our animals: We love our animals at the farm and they work hard for us! We would love to find holistic remedies and treatments that are safe and beneficial so that we can spoil them with love.
• Help with our Market Gardens: weeding, preparing the soil, planting seeds, transplanting, watering, harvesting and everything else that is involved in growing delicious, locally grown produce. This is a seasonal opportunity, however, we are also interested in building ‘cold frames’ for winter growing which could be a great IHN project!
• Prepare products for sale at markets: making jam, baked goods, tomato sauce, apple sauce or cider, dried herbs, pickled goods, or even beauty products – the options are endless and we are always open to ideas!
Terra Nova Nature School / Farms
*last updated July 2023
Location: Richmond, BC
Contact: Emily & Kate | Email: natureschool@richmond.ca | Phone: 604.238.8437
Accommodations and meals not included for length of work/stay
Timing: Hours are flexible, but require a weekly commitment for 4-6 weeks
The mission of Terra Nova Nature School is to connect young children with their community and the outdoor landscape by offering direct experiences with nature and gardening on the Terra Nova Rural Parklands.
From Emily & Kate: “We believe that the whole community benefits when children learn to value and recognize our natural resources; participate in the cultivation of a local food system; and represent their knowledge, ideas and perspectives in a multitude of ways.”
Responsibilities include:
• Assist with planting, garden care and maintenance of raised beds
• Caring for the eco-systems of Terra Nova Rural Park alongside the children
• Collaborating with facilitators to plan and execute education programs around gardening, food and nutrition
UBC Farms / Farms
*last updated July 2023
Location: Vancouver, BC
One of our Vancouver students completed an internship with the Indigenous Gardens of the University of British Columbia (UBC) back in 2018, but since 2019 we have not had a direct contact to reach out to. Their website for volunteering is pretty thorough though!
Vegetable Gardens for Medicine / Herbal Medicine
*last updated June 2024
Location: New Westminster, BC
Contact: Petra Sovcov | Email: healinghouseherbal@gmail.com | Phone: 778-866-3320
***Unsure of accommodations/meals/length of stay
At Healing House Herbal, the focus is on ensuring that all clients have the opportunity to be heard and make informed decisions about their healing process. It supports and nurtures each decision, whether clients choose to pursue natural or herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, or use natural medicine in conjunction with any other modality.
Healing House is also a hub for learning. It invites students and community members to explore traditional and Western clinical herbalism, natural medicine, and nutrition. Furthermore, it hosts small workshops and webinars on a variety of topics.
A Co-Op with Petra can provide learning opportunities through tasks such as:
• Preparing and processing heirloom foods
• Assisting with the growth and maintenance of new projects
• Gaining hands-on experience in herbal medicine-making
• Planting seeds, as well as growing and harvesting vegetables and herbs
• Preserving vegetables for canning and dehydration
Yarrow Ecovillage Community Farm / Farms
*last updated July 2024
Location: 38-42312 Yarrow Central Road, Chilliwhack, BC
Contact: Meg Jordan | Email: meg@restorearthconnections.ca | Phone: 778.549.0469
Accommodations and meals for out-of-town, long-stay students can be discussed for length of work/stay.
Timing: Co-op students are welcome between May and November.
Yarrow is a small community located 90 km east of Vancouver and 12 km southwest of downtown Chilliwack, in British Columbia, Canada. Nestled in the Fraser Valley at the foot of Vedder Mountain, Yarrow is part of the City of Chilliwack. The village was first settled by Mennonites in the late 1920s, following the draining of Sumas Lake and the reclamation of the former lake bed for agriculture.
Groundswell/Yarrow Eco Village is a multi-generational confluence of individuals and families who choose to live in community for a more socially and environmentally sustainable life. This intentional community consists of 33 clustered households within Yarrow Ecovillage, where members live in close proximity to foster a rich community life and steward a 20-acre organic farm and a salmon-bearing stream. Members of all ages, from different cultures, backgrounds, incomes, family configurations, and abilities are respected and empowered. The community embraces personal growth and social responsibility inspired by communal living.
The village features a 15-acre community farm with 13 different farm entities. Additionally, there are riparian restoration areas along salmon-bearing Stewart Creek, an alternative wastewater system with four constructed wetland ponds, a community barn, a wash station, and farm roads, making up a total of 20 acres within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The only livestock in the community are chickens.
A Co-op placement at Yarrow is a practical, hands-on experience in growing, gardening, harvesting food and edible weeds. Learning farming and permaculture practices, and participate in what the current focus of the season is. There are 13 different farm entities. Students can explore the 13 different spaces and help care for the land, plants and people.
Website
QUEBEC
Verte Sante / Herbal Medicine / Farms
*last updated March 2022—must read/speak French
Location: St-Eustache, Quebec.
Contact: Marie-José Minard | Email: jardins.verte.sante@gmail.com | Phone: 514.527.5059
Accommodations and lunch meals are provided for length of work/stay will vary
Immersion Experience fees run from $250 to $800 a week depending on the length of stay and the accommodations chosen, which range from camping to private roomTiming: Weekends and 1-2 week Immersions Experiences; internships range from 1 to 6 months
Take a look at their website for all the details:
INTERNATIONAL
Anamaya Body Mind & Spirit Resort | Rancho Delicioso / Retreats
*last updated February 2022
Location: Southern Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Contact: Geoff McCabe | Email: volunteer@ranchodelicioso.com
Ask if there are any opportunities available at either location *just* in case there may be
How To Apply/Approach: Anamaya’s volunteer opportunities as well as another property owned by Geoff McCabe’s Rancho Delicioso’s former internship—interesting to understand when seeking out international Co-ops Rancho Delicioso’s volunteer opportunities
ANAMAYA Website | RANCHO Website
Belvedere Farmstead / Farms
*last updated June 2024
Location: Wadsworth, OH 44281
Contact: Raelene | Email: hello@belvederefarmstead.com
***Unsure of accommodations/meals/length of stay
• To nurture their children to become hard-working, compassionate individuals who understand, appreciate, are in awe of, and thoughtfully contribute to and care for the natural world around them.
Gracious Living / Retreats
* preferred retreat training, Co-op partner
* last updated June 2024
Location: Gracious Living Oasis, Northern Nicaragua
Contact: Grace Van Berkum | Email: grace@gracevanberkum.com
IHN proudly continues to offer their collaboration with Grace at her GLO retreat. We have been partners for over a decade. We have had over 100 Co-op students do their Co-op with Grace from 1 week to 1 month stays.
If you want to know what it is like to own/run a retreat, this is the most immersive Co-op IHN has.
Email Julia Briski at julia@instituteofholisticnutrition.com and ask to see the full, detailed Co-op about the work/learn experience at GLO!
Hawaiian Sanctuary / Retreats
*last updated February 2022
Location: 13-3194 Pahoa-Kalapana Rd, Pāhoa, Hawaii
Contact: grow@hawaiiansanctuary.com | Phone: 808.657.7771 or (800) 309-8010
Have a look at all of the Internships Tracks. Roles relevant to IHN would be i.e. Permaculture, Elixir Bar, Kitchen and Dining Hall
Timing: Hawaiian Sanctuary expressed that they prefer students stay for 3 months but you can bring up other timelines in your application and see if it’s doable. Please note there are costs associated with this opportunity (meals/accommodation).
Jiwa Damai Organic Garden and Retreat Centre / Retreats
*last updated March 2022
Location: Mekar Buana, Banjar Bindu, Badung – Bali
How To Apply/Approach: See internships page with all details.
Jiwa Damai is a hands-on, socially responsible organic garden, retreat and educational center. Jiwa Damai is situated on 4 hectares of land amidst lush tropical vegetation in the heart of Bali. We provide a sanctuary in an idyllic and powerful environment where people can experience tranquillity and reconnect to the life-giving qualities of the earth. It is a meeting place for people from all over the world to find and initiate peace, to learn from each other and the land. Our agro-permaculture garden is organically certified and created with much heart. We do not keep livestock.
Jiwa Damai’s/Lagu Damai internship program is intended to be of mutual benefit to both the Foundation and the intern. We request participants to propose a project of interest that aligns with the values of Jiwa Damai/Lagu Damai, as well as with the learning goals of the intern. The cross-cultural interaction and tropical climate will give an extra dimension to any internship undertaken with us. Students will have access to local and/or international experts in their respective fields.
Navdanya / Farms
*last updated March 2022
Location: India
Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm and Earth University is located in Ramgarh Village, 23 km from the center of Dehradun city in Uttarakhand, Northern India. It is a one-hour bus ride from the city of Dehradun, which is a 5-hour express train ride from Delhi.
Complete description and application for Navdanya’s Earth University
This is one of the most heroic and distinguished farms in the world, founded by Dr. Vandana Shiva. She has been called one of the 8 most influential women on our planet today—exposing the dangers of genetic modification. Navdanya means “nine seeds” (symbolizing protection of biological and cultural diversity) and also the “new gift” (for seed as commons, based on the right to save and share seeds In today’s context of biological and ecological destruction, seed savers are the true givers of seed. This gift or “dana” of Navadhanyas (nine seeds) is the ultimate gift – it is a gift of life, of heritage and continuity. Conserving seed is conserving biodiversity, conserving knowledge of the seed and its utilization, conserving culture, and conserving sustainability.
The Healing Cuisine / Retreats
*last updated March 2022
Location: Costa Rica
Contact: Joanne Gerrard Young | Email: thehealingcuisine@gmail.com
Joanne Gerrard Young is an incredible practitioner and educator. Her story is amazing, as is her business. Joanne would run Co-op opportunities with us but recently began to focus on her private cheffing and launched her culinary school. The best thing to do is just connect with her directly to see if she is running any retreats. Email her, introduce yourself and let her know that you heard of her through IHN. Send your resume along with your note of interest to have her consider you!
Viva La Raw Project / Retreats
*last updated March 2022
Location: Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica
Important Preliminary Requirement: If interested, email Julia at julia@instituteofholisticnutrition.com to set up a short call to determine if this placement will be a good fit due to its unique off-the-grid fully vegan nature
Contact: Eric Rivkin | Email: EMrivkin@gmail.com ask if he is still accepting Co-op students, where you heard about him and if he can send you an application form. You can also try to reach out to him through his personal Facebook page linked below
Daily basic whole food, plant-based meals and fresh fruit snacks are provided for the length of stay.
Timing: the minimum stay for Participants is 30 Days at $400 per month.
Join our forming permaculture farm for a unique eco-experience in an optimal healthy, high prana, tropical, sustainable environment. For the period of your participation, your personal goals are integrated with shared goals to foster a rewarding and co-creative experience for all.
A sheltered and raised bamboo tent platform, camping style tent, mattress, sheets, blanket, towel. (You may bring your own backpacking tent, bedding, mattress)
Learning experiences with making healthy, plant-based farm-to-table cuisine, permaculture farm lifestyle, gardening, eco-building, furniture or internet projects.
WWOOF / Farms & Cultural Exchanges
*last updated July 2024
WWOOF is short for “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms” and provides opportunities for sustainability, permaculture, agriculture, horticulture and more! You can WWOOF locally in Canada, or travel for this experience. Just navigate the WWOOF website to learn more!
Each country has their own website and may have a small membership fee.
WWOOF is popular since it is internationally recognized, professional, safe and offers exceptional experiences.
Go to their website, choose your worldwide destination and start exploring!
Workaway / Farms & Cultural Exchanges
*last updated July 2024
Workaway provides opportunities for sustainability, permaculture, agriculture, horticulture, education, animal welfare and more! You can Workaway locally in Canada, or travel to 1 of 170 countries for this experience. Just navigate the Workaway website to learn more!
How it works:
To access the farms and cultural exchanges worldwide, you need to join as a member. To sign up as an individual, the fee is $49.00 US . You can also sign up as two friends/classmates for a combined fee of $59.00 US/~$80 CDN.
Choose a country you are interested in exploring and become a member to connect with Workaway hosts!
Workaway is the largest cultural exchange community (50,000+ opportunities worldwide) and is internationally recognized, professional, safe and offers exceptional experiences.