Apply today to join us for the 2026 season!

Apply to the ZA Fellowship

Zumwalt Acres (ZA) is a multifaceted farm, community, and educational hub. We steward vegetables, fruit and nut trees, mushrooms, honeybees and chickens. We also conduct climate change research and implement sustainable soil management practices. We host events to exchange learnings, gather community, make music and art, and celebrate Jewish and other holidays. We work towards regeneration of the local ecosystem, climate change mitigation, providing food for our community, and creating a space where young people can collaboratively implement their vision of an abundant future. We’re looking to invite farmers, artists, leaders, and activists into our community in 2026.

ZA fellows are self-directed folks who live at the farm, co-create community, and support farming operations, event hosting, and other organizational work. Fellows and long term community members collaboratively build work and community systems that are mutually supportive and center learning.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We strongly recommend filling out the application form as soon as possible, especially if you are interested in joining us for spring.

Photo by Simo Kline

What type of work will you be involved in?

  • Farm Work:

    harvesting, weeding, planting, processing produce, tending compost, tree care, mushroom cultivation

  • Marketing:

    maintaining a good relationship with distributors and directly marketing products at Down at the Farms, Sheldon Food Pantry, our local grocery store (and more); carving paths for equitable food allocation

  • Event Planning:

    Help host farm events by preparing and tending the space and contributing to applicable programming

  • Community Building:

    creating a healthy and conscientious communal living environment with other members of the house and ZA community

  • Community Outreach:

    maintaining ZA’s connections with the Sheldon community, other farmers in the area, other food and climate justice organizations, and participants at community events and research field days

  • Imagining and implementing ideas that excite you and the community! We are excited to engage with applicants who are passionate about our mission -- so if you have a skill set that isn't listed, we want to hear about it in your application!

  • Other Skills:

    grant writing, research proposals, social media and website management, art, graphic design, music, etc.

  • ZA is a space for people of all identities, faiths, and ranging abilities (we center disability justice and work together to meet each other’s needs). Queer identities are celebrated and we take safety seriously as a diverse community living in rural America.

    The age range of ZA Stewards living at the farm in 2026 is 24-28. Our larger network of community members and visitors span generations. We are open to hosting fellows of any age who are eager to gain farming and communal living experience. Prior experience in these areas is not a pre-requisite, but we will be looking for demonstrated understanding of the challenges present in both farm work and communal living when assessing if this program is a good fit.

  • Entire 2026 growing season: March 9-November 13

    Spring: March 9-May 29

    Summer: May 31-August 21

    Fall: August 23-November 13

    Work hours are decided collectively, but usually ~8am-4pm, Monday-Friday. There will be several event weekends throughout the growing season where everyone will be working together to host the event for its duration.

  • We are committed to accessibility and want to work with each fellow, within our means, to meet financial needs. As a standard, we are able to cover the cost of food and housing for fellows, along with the following stipends:

    • $1000 stipend for a 3 month season

    • $500/mo for fellows who stay for multiple seasons

    ZA’s events, culture-building, fellow co-learning (structured and otherwise), farm and research skill-building, and other learning opportunities at the farm have developed and evolved over the past 5 years and have so much to offer each community member. These learning opportunities are a precious resource that everyone co-creates and benefits from.

  • The housing options we have available are as follows (all include access to house amenities)

    • Share a room in the farm house with 1-2 others (private rooms may be available, depending on the season)

    • Stay in a three-season lodge outdoors (in one of the three bedrooms in this structure)

    • Camp in a large tent near the house (we have cots and camping equipment for use)

If you have any questions about the hiring process, please reach out to Acacia at zumwaltacres@gmail.com.

Photo by Andrew Kaplowitz