I found joy in the day to day. I even volunteered on my day off to feed the bum lambs Sunday mornings.

You can listen to as many podcasts as you want or take some classes but nothing gets you more prepared to be a farmer than waking up every morning and farming. The immersive nature of this internship allowed my body as well as my mind to be ready for the work involved. Rain or shine, animals need to be cared for everyday. Learning in all types of conditions helped me realize the effort and respect ranchers even more. Challenging at times, but I’ve never found any other work that is as fulfilling.

I made life long connections with my fellow interns. I am so grateful we had each other through this experience. I’d love coming home from a hard days work to hangout, exchange stories and hearing about different departments. It was such a unique experience, we are bonded by it for life. I think we all grew and evolved for the better, from our time living in Bluffton at White Oak Pastures.

Whether you want to pursue farming or just want to understand what it takes for your food to reach your plate. This internship allows you to dive deep into the life of a farmer, gain new knowledge, experiences and community.

The structure of the internship was instrumental in making it as beneficial and impactful as it was. Being able to spend two weeks in each department, getting to know the team, learning about the animals, and the logistics it takes to raise livestock was something that could not have been done on a weekend or shorter period. Getting into a routine with the crew and the livestock, I was able to build relationships with my co-workers, gain an understanding of each department's schedule and responsibilities, and get to know the behaviors and dynamics of the animals. I did the day-to-day chores that come with raising livestock: feeding and moving, as well as annual projects like sorting cattle, weighing turkeys, and monitoring lambing season. I have since used the skills I learned at White Oak Pastures on other farms. Skills such as fixing hoses to catching birds to how to herd and be close to cattle, I have all since utilized and called back to to be able to handle and be a valuable worker on other farms. Thinking about my comfortability and knowledge level before White Oak Pastures and after White Oak Pastures, I know to value this internship program like no other.

... the internship so powerful. 

A weekend workshop or week-long program can introduce you to regenerative agriculture, but it can’t prepare you for the real rhythm of a large-scale, multi-species, pasture-based production farm. Over those three months, I experienced the full intensity of a Georgia summer, the fast-paced energy of processing days, the early-morning joy of moving cattle to fresh grass, the satisfaction of troubleshooting irrigation after dark, and the quieter rhythms of harvesting and planting that bookend the seasons. Twelve-plus weeks gave me time to move past the initial “wow” and actually internalize how weather, animal behavior, soil health, labor, and markets all interact in real time. By the end, I wasn’t just helping—I was anticipating issues, making real-time adjustments, and understanding decisions made months in advance. That depth simply isn’t possible in a short visit.

The hands-on responsibility was incredible. I rotated through cattle, hogs, poultry, sheep, goats, the garden, and beekeeping, and I even got behind-the-scenes access to the abattoir and the direct-to-consumer packing and shipping process. Will, Jenni, Jody, John, Kris, Debi, Scott, Jess, Bridget, the ranch managers, and every single team member were unbelievably generous with their knowledge and time. You all don’t just teach technique—you teach philosophy: why radical, traditional respect for animal welfare, soil biology, and the rural community produces better food, a better business, and a happier team.

The one real challenge every intern faces is housing in Bluffton. Most of us stayed in rented rooms when we could find them or in camping trailers, which eats into time, energy, and money that could otherwise go toward learning. Dedicated on-farm or in-town lodging would remove the single most significant barrier to attracting more aspiring farmers and providing the long-term immersion they need. Stable, affordable, close-by housing would easily allow the farm to increase the number of interns each season, meaning more young people carrying regenerative practices out into the world.

White Oak Pastures is already one of the most important regenerative farms on the planet. Giving the internship program the infrastructure it deserves—especially long-term lodging—would exponentially amplify its impact. I’m proud to have been part of it, and I’ll support any effort to make the program even stronger.