Well, what I learned wasn’t pretty. Basically, it came down to this: on-farm internships are illegal as long as it can be proven that the farm benefits financially from the un- or low-paid intern. Even though it takes time and lowers productivity to train interns, the hard lesson learned by the presenters (Blue House Farm in Pescadero was one) is that it is a good idea to just treat interns as employees from the get-go, lest you want to risk mega-fines from the government.

There are far too many details to go into here, and I’m not a lawyer, so I would advise that you look into your state labor laws and make sure you’ve covered all the angles before you start a well-advertised internship program on your site. Also, being on good terms with your neighbors is a good thing, since you are most likely to be “raided” for illegal help if your neighbors notice and call the authorities.

Good luck!
Antonio

What did you learn in the workshop about internships? I hope to take interns in the future, but I’m worried that it could bankrupt my farm, if I run afoul of the law. I learned most of what I know as an intern, so I know what a rich experience it can be. I’d love to open up that opportunity to others, but I also don’t want to risk losing everything. Did you learn anything that might help me resolve this dilemma?

Thanks,

-Andrew