Work Program

Forestry & Grounds Team

When guests arrive at Gould Farm they are generally assigned to work on the Forestry & Grounds Team. The team's tasks are diverse, and through the work, guests have the opportunity to become familiar with the campus and the surroundings. It’s a good spot for a newcomer. Team members get to know each other while tending to the woodlands, trails and grounds as well as indoor common living areas. Work includes lawn mowing, seasonal landscaping, splitting and delivering wood to the community’s many houses, maple tree tapping and syrup production. Instruction is given in maintaining and repairing equipment and tools for forestry and, as with all teams, coming to work on time, participating in team meetings and working with teammates are emphasized.

Farm Team

The Farm Team is responsible for the care of the dairy and beef cattle, pigs and hens. Guests on the Farm Team tend to the animals, collect and clean eggs, work in the dairy barn, harvest hay, repair fences and farm equipment and respond to other needs as they arise. The team gathers every morning to set the schedule for the day and discuss any special assignments or issues that need attention. Coming to work on time and cooperating with and supporting team members is essential.

Garden Team

The Garden Team raises many of the vegetables that feed the Farm community. Guests start the seeds in the greenhouse, prepare the fields for planting, transfer the seedlings to the fields and tend to them throughout the growing season. Weeding, watering, inspecting for bugs and diseases and harvesting are skills guests can attain. The ultimate self-esteem comes when the results of their labor appear in the dishes the Kitchen Team prepares for the community. There is a strong connection between the Garden Team, the Harvest Barn Team and the Kitchen Team, and guests benefit from the collaborative efforts among the three. Teamwork requires that guests arrive at work on time, follow directions and fully participate in the tasks at hand. Guests learn to appreciate how each team’s work enhances the others and that dependability is a key to success.

Harvest Barn Team

Gould Farm’s Harvest Barn Team operates from a beautiful three-story barn on the lower half of the campus. The team uses the barn’s commercial kitchen to process and prepare a variety of food products that help sustain the Farm community. Experienced staff help guests develop baking and food processing skills (often with Farm-grown ingredients), learn to market the products, manage inventory and package and ship products that are sold in the marketplace and through the Harvest Barn’s mail order operation. The team manager encourages on-time attendance, consistency in the quality of a guest’s work and a team approach to productivity.

Kitchen Team

The Kitchen Team prepares three meals a day for 80 to 100 guests, staff and the families of staff. Under the supervision of a creative team manager, guests learn the importance of preparing healthy and balanced meals using ingredients from Gould Farm products. Guests enjoy preparing their favorite recipes from home and learn how to prepare them in large quantities for Farm meals. The team manager watches for guests’ on-time arrival at work, nurtures a collaborative team spirit and helps them manage the multitude of tasks they undertake in this very focused area of work.

Maintenance Team

Gould Farm maintains 35 buildings on its campus. Among them are guest residences, staff houses, barns, repair shops and a large farmhouse that serves as the administrative and clinical headquarters as well as the community gathering place. Whenever possible, building repairs and maintenance are handled by the staff and guests on the Farm’s Maintenance Team. Guests have the opportunity to acquire a variety of skills that can be useful when they move on to independent lives. Projects can range from refurbishing entire houses to furniture repair, plumbing, electrical work and painting. Staff are flexible in assigning tasks to guests, evaluating their ability to handle particular projects and encouraging them to rise to new challenges.

Roadside Store & Café Team

The Roadside Store & Café is located on Route 23 - get a stone's throw away from the Farm. A restaurant and cafe with seating for 28 customers, the Roadside is open to the public for breakfast and lunch. This program is particularly attractive to guests who are thinking about transitioning off the Farm and would like some experience in a faster paced, sometimes challenging work program as they wait tables, prepare meals and learn how to operate the grill. The Roadside is open Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30 to 2:30. The menu includes food and products from our Farm, including fresh eggs, cheeses and our famous pancakes with our own maple syrup.