The Secret to a Successful Farm Volunteer Program

Got a question? 🤔 Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/farm-volunteer-program/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! Description In this episode, Deborah Niemann welcomes Anne Petersen of Rosasharn Farm —one of the longest-standing Nigerian Dwarf breeders in the U.S.—to talk about her farm's long-running and highly successful volunteer program. What began as hosting a foreign exchange student over two decades ago has evolved into a dynamic educational experience that has inspired many former volunteers to start their own farms and even veterinary careers. Anne shares how her program organically developed through her involvement in 4-H, homeschooling, and local agricultural organizations. She emphasizes that the key to a successful volunteer program is education, not free labor, and dives into how she models tasks and responsibilities for volunteers of all ages. Whether you're thinking of starting a volunteer program or just love hearing about farm-based community building, you’ll find inspiration, insight, and practical advice in this thoughtful and experience-rich conversation. What You’ll Learn: How Anne’s volunteer program started and evolved over 40+ years Why education is at the heart of her farm’s volunteer experience The importance of modeling and working with your volunteers Lessons learned from early challenges, including personality mismatches Why understanding a volunteer’s intentions and mindset is critical How former volunteers have launched their own farms and careers Advice for farmers considering starting their own volunteer program Resources Mentioned: Rosasharn Farm Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) 4-H Youth Programs Local Young Farmer Networks Thanks for tuning in! If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar . No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information. 🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership 🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy 🔹 Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store . Happy goat-keeping! 🐐