EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Would you like to be involved with working on a biodynamic and regenerative farm? Do you care about top soil, regeneration, conserving trees and biodiversity? We don't have predecided roles here, but can create space for you if our thoughts resonate.

Write to us at mongoose@yarrowayfarm.com with your profile, education, experience, and background details to start the process.

SKILL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

An opportunity to live and learn with us, and pick up some life skills on our farm, while living close to nature and wilderness. Our goal is to meet more like-minded souls from the alternative space, and learn new skills from each other. Listed here are the skills that can be exchanged for the duration of the program.

SCREENING PROCESS

Our farm is our home, so we need to literally absorb you in as a family member. We need to match at-least one skill in the list on either side, and go through a screening process to enter the program. This involves sharing requested information, phone calls, video calls, and meeting in person.

Write to us at mongoose@yarrowayfarm.com with your profile, education, experience, and background details to start the process.

TESTIMONIALS

Rahul Pillai

Phd Student in Anthropology – IIT Madras

  • "I had the good luck of being one the first interns at Yarroway Farm, in the summer of 2022. Over the three months that I stayed and volunteered on the farm, I got to see many aspects of what it takes to run an organic farm. Anjali and Kabir were considerate and gracious hosts, always willing to share their experiences and learnings. I came to Yarroway as a complete novice but I like to believe that I didn’t leave that way. The hands-on character of the internship went a long way in ensuring that. My time at the farm will always be memorable and I am glad that it’s a place that I can keep returning to.”

Shreya Katyayini

Film Maker and Video Editor at the Peoples Archive of Rural India (PARI)

  • "The opportunity to intern at the beautiful Yarroway farm came to me at a time I needed it the most. I worked in the Bombay film industry for 5 years and I had decided to quit and move on to a different job. The transition period of three months from one field to another was spent at the farm. I had always been interested in growing and I really wanted to spend more time learning this skill. This internship provided me with all the things I needed. A beautiful home in a beautiful land with the very patient teachers – Kabir and Anjali. Who patiently answered all my questions and alway motivated me to make the most of my time while I was there. Vikram, their canine army and all the wildlife that I was surrounded with just made the experience very wholesome and memorable.I have come back home with an evolved understanding of our relationship with the land. How we treat them is how it treats you back. I am very grateful to have experienced a full season from sowing to harvesting vegetables, herbs, fruits and grains. The process was the lesson that will always stay with me. The learnings have equipped me to start my own food garden. The time spent here will forever be one of the most special time of my life.”

Timo Marchant (Edinburgh, Scotland & United Kingdom )

Jazz Pianist ,Teacher & Storyteller

  • "My two-month internship at Yarroway Farm was memorable and enriching on many levels. It was inspiring to see Anjali and Kabir’s genuine respect for their land, and to witness the care, curiosity, and dedication with which they’ve tended it and helped transform it into a flourishing microclimate over the years. During my stay, I learned to see cultivation through a biodynamic lens, coming to understand that no part of the system functions in isolation, and that all actors, from the microbial to the cosmic, have important roles to play. Living at Yarroway required full immersion not only in the hands-on tasks of running the farm, which ranged from building compost piles to testing, counting, logging and packaging seeds, but also in the practicalities of family life. The latter had as much to teach as the former, from the technique required to strip and crack open a coconut for the breakfast chutney to the ingenuity needed to keep four-year-old Vikram entertained. Some of my fondest memories are of the evening swims in the nearby reservoir, of the home-made sourdough pizza feasts, and of learning a few words of Kannada from the staff (and being made fun of for my appalling accent). A big thank you to you all!"

Bobbi Gillespie (Ireland)

HEDip Regenerative Food & Farming at Schumacher College

  • "I spent two months at Yarroway Farm, participating as an intern to undertake the practical placement element of my degree in Regenerative Food and Farming at Schumacher College. While at Yarroway, I was fully immersed within Anjali and Kabir’s day to day lives, helping with everyday tasks, playing with their son Vikram or their dogs, and of course, getting involved with the farm work. Monsoon season had just begun after a drought year so we saw the landscape drastically change into a beautiful bursting vibrant green carpet with layers of ground cover and a diverse canopy of trees and shrubs. I found it inspiring to see many of the regenerative farming practices that I have learned in my degree being utilised on this biodynamic family-run farm. Anjali and Kabir’s aspirations for their land have already been so fruitful both for the landscape and soil health but also to themselves, by producing a vast array of densely-nutritious and organic food and crops. I particularly found an interest in working with seeds, I really enjoyed learning the processes to get from plant to packet. Under Anjali’s direction, we were involved from seed germination testing to the decision making process when packaging. It is clear that Yarroway Farm produces excellent produce and strive for the highest quality of products on sale. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from this experience."

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long can I stay for the program?

1-3 months is a typical length for the skill exchange to happen. You can possibly extend the internship if there is more to learn or absorb. The first one week is a trial period. We can agree to stop the program at any point in case of an emergency.

Where will I stay?

We have a furnished cottage with two bedrooms with bathrooms, combined living space, a coffee kitchen, and laundry machine. The cottage is located within the farm campus, 500m away from the main house.

Do I need to clean and cook for myself?

Self-reliance is a very important skill to sustain here. You should be able to clean up after yourself, and keep the cottage clean. Meals are usually with the family, unless you follow a specific diet that would like to prepare yourself in the main kitchen. You can also access produce grown on our farm based on the season and availability.

Is there any payment involved?

There is no exchange of money involved in this program from either side. We do not charge for the accommodation, lunch, and facilities provided in the cottage such as electricity, water, gas, etc.

Do you allow non-Indians?

Yes. However, you need to handle your own visa formalities.

Can I do this program part time or on weekends?

No. If you have a full-time job elsewhere, this might not be the right program for you.

Do I need to be concerned about the wild?

We live close to the forest range, so does not work for the faint hearted. There are certainly snakes on the farm, and wild life that enter the estate at nights. So you need to follow the safety rules prescribed by us when you live on the farm.

Who else lives on the farm?

Our family of three, and 3-4 staff members. Not to forget the dogs, cows, and chickens.

What do I need to carry with me?

Clothing by season, whites and light colors will be tough to wash. Breathable comfortable clothing, cargo pants, sun hat, rain boots, slip-on Crocs, and a torch. And whatever essentials and medications you need on a daily basis.

What about internet and phone connectivity?

Airtel network works best on the farm. Jio has patchy network, and Vodafone does not work.

Can I bring my vehicle and park it at the farm?

Yes you can.

Can I bring a family member, children, or pets?

Family member – Yes, if both of you are a part of the program on the farm together and get through the screening process. Children – we can discuss and agree based on the child’s age and how much monitoring they need. Pets – Sorry but domesticated pets are a challenge when we have our own dogs and animals on the farm, and its wild out there.