Happy Farm Six Month Volunteer Program
Join the Happy Farm Community at Deer Park
Do you want to live and practice at Deer Park for a year and help start the new Happy Farm? Are you inspired by the practice, by regenerative farming, and living close to the land?
Help build the Happy Farm community!
Program Details
Duration: 6-month firm commitment
Start Dates: March 7, March 21, or April 18, 2025
Available Positions: 5 volunteers
Housing: Solidity Hamlet (open to couples, males, and assigned-male at birth persons)
Mindful work is the foundation of the Happy Farm. We aspire to nourish seeds of joy and happiness, build siblinghood, and transform suffering. We use the breath to anchor ourselves in the present moment, stopping to listen to the bell at times throughout the day, and having regular team sharing. Each farming session begins with grounding and a group check-in.
Schedule on Farm Days (Tuesday-Saturday)
5:00 am Wake Up
5:45 am Sitting Meditation
7:30 am Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:15 pm Mindful Farming
12:30 pm Lunch
3:00 pm – 5:30 pm Mindful Farming
6:00 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Sitting Meditation or Evening Activity
Day of Mindfulness on Sunday and Lazy Day on Monday
Accommodations
Volunteers will stay in Solidity Hamlet dorms. Camping and staying in a private vehicle at Solidity Hamlet is also an option. During some busy retreat periods, volunteers may also be requested to camp. Housing for the project follows Solidity Hamlet guidelines and is limited to males, couples, and assigned-male-at-birth persons. We apologize that we are unable to accommodate other genders at this time.
Volunteers will share rooms where we practice with the joys and challenges of community life. Our experience is that living communally in this way leads to great friendships and spiritual growth.
Joys of the Practice
Laying the groundwork for the new Happy Farm at Deer Park is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
We expect the farm to become part of the lifeblood of the community, opening many Dharma doors and modeling a healthy relationship to land, ecology, and human flourishing through food production.
There will be training in mindfulness practice and how to facilitate the basic Plum Village practices.
Benefits include: increased self-awareness, deeper joy, increased confidence, and a better ability to care for suffering. Many participants in the Plum Village Happy Farm report a life-changing experience.
Living and practicing within the monastery enriches us through daily contact with monastics and lay practitioners—we both contribute to and benefit from the community’s collective practice energy.
Requirements
We aspire to establish a vibrant and stable Happy Farm community that can support food production for years to come. We are looking for applicants who can deeply support the community.
Applicants will require robust physical, emotional, and psychological health. The work can be physically and mentally challenging, requiring stamina and commitment.
Working on the farm is very different from regular retreats at Deer Park. Although rewarding, it requires more physical work, time, and flexibility.
We have a responsibility to the community for food production. That means we may have responsibilities that require us to sometimes work outside the usual hours.
We are also responsible for contributing our practice energy to the community.
As a Happy Farmer you:
- May have some experience in: farm site preparation, timber work, land management, farming (particularly sustainable, human-scale methods)
- Want to deepen your practice of mindfulness
- Are enthusiastic and passionate about ecology and food production
- Can do strenuous outdoor physical work
- Can work well both in a team and independently
- Are happy to live a simple life (e.g. sharing bathrooms, willing to camp)
- Respect both the farm and monastery schedule
- Are familiar with Plum Village mindfulness practice and have attended at least one retreat in the Plum Village tradition, ideally at one of our monasteries
- Take responsibility and follow through with tasks
- Are willing to support short-term volunteers
At the core of our community is a commitment to live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings. We also ask all volunteers to commit to the Happy Farm Agreements. These include not pursuing or engaging in new romantic relationships throughout the volunteer period and attending the mindful service and practice schedule.
Living in harmony with the community, according to the Mindfulness Trainings and Agreements, is a continuous requirement for staying at the monastery.
All volunteers are housed at Solidity Hamlet and must be either part of a couple that is applying, male, or assigned-male-at-birth.
Application Process
- Review all of the information and agreements on this page.
- Submit an online application along with the $25 application fee. (This will be refunded for those not accepted to the program.)
ONLINE APPLICATION - Send the following to happyfarm@deerparkmonastery.org:
- One-page letter of aspiration
- Resume or CV
- Recent photo of yourself
Because of space limitations, we will prioritize applications from those having a combination of monastery and farm experience, while also working to create a diverse community.
Important Notes
- Two-week trial period: An initial trial period is required for all volunteers.
- Commitment: Please commit to six months of practice and arrange your life accordingly.
- Housing: Our housing follows Solidity Hamlet guidelines.
- Schedule: No work on Monday lazy days and Sunday Days of Mindfulness
- Time off: One or two 7-day breaks during the program
- Agreements: All volunteers must sign and follow Happy Farm Agreements.
- Arrival: Arrive only on specified days. Please arrange your travel accordingly.
- Costs: This is a volunteer position. There is no expected contribution for staying at the monastery. There is no compensation or living stipend. You must cover all of your additional financial needs.
- Health Care: You must arrange for health insurance coverage.
Join us in cultivating mindfulness, community, and sustainable agriculture. Help lay the foundation for a thriving Happy Farm that will nourish future generations at Deer Park Monastery.