Position Description:
Thoreau College Farm and Labor Program Coordinator
October 2025
Thoreau College seeks a qualified and enthusiastic new staff member to lead the development and management of our agricultural projects and facilities, as well as to develop and lead curriculum connected with agriculture, manual labor, and holistic land management. This full-time, in-person role based in Viroqua, Wisconsin calls for a “Farmer Professor” - a jack-of-all trades who is passionate about teaching, regenerative agriculture, practical problem solving, and active participation in day-to-day community life. This is a unique opportunity to engage physically, socially, and intellectually while participating in the development and growth of an innovative model of holistic, humanly-scaled education.
Thoreau College is a small, innovative educational non-profit organization rooted in the beautiful Driftless Region of southwestern Wisconsin. As our core mission, Thoreau College offers holistic residential higher education programs for small groups of young adults, modeling a form of “higher education for the whole human being” that we describe as a “microcollege.” Our offerings, which include semester-long gap year programs, year long fellowships and residencies, and shorter focused programs lasting several weeks, all incorporate a mixture of academics, manual labor, community self-governance, art, and experiences in nature.
All of our programs are small, with between 5 and 15 students. Students generally split their days between academic classes, which can include everything from local history, to comparative religion, and hands-on labor sessions spent gardening, working on the facilities, volunteering, or learning folk crafts. Each semester, students also participate in camping and canoeing expeditions as well as solos where they spend several contemplative days alone in nature. The Driftless Region, where Thoreau College is located, is a hub of small-scale organic agriculture, with a strong network of co-ops, local art, and civic organizations. Students participate in many field trips often learning from local farmers, craftspeople, and community leaders. School activities take place throughout the small town of Viroqua (population roughly 4500)- with students living together in residential houses in town, eating lunch and taking academic classes in a local community center (the Commons/Arkadia) and learning agriculture at a 10 acre farm on the edge of town, which Thoreau College operates. This farm includes livestock, a vineyard and extensive gardens.
As part of its curriculum, Thoreau College operates a small farm with livestock and a vineyard and extensive gardens, with smaller household gardens and chicken coops present at student houses in town. In 2025 Thoreau College began offering college credits for our summer and gap semester programs through a partnership with Prescott College. In the summer of 2025 we began serving as a host for students from Stanford University participating in the People, Politics, and Place Fellowship, a program of the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, as well as students from Oberlin College participating in their Internship+ summer program.
Thoreau College is inspired by the example of Deep Springs College, the life and works of Henry David Thoreau, the Scandinavian folk high schools, and the model of Waldorf education. As a leader in an emerging field of microcolleges and other small experiments in higher education, Thoreau College has created an interview podcast show called “Microcollege” and participates in several national and international educational associations, including Springboard, the League of Nunnian Schools, the Folk School Alliance, and the Gap Year Association.
Thoreau College was founded in 2015 and in 2021 merged with the Driftless Folk School, another local grassroots organization offering workshops in homesteading skills, folk arts and crafts, and nature skills for adults. This partnership enables sharing of instructors, facilities, and other resources, as well as opportunities for cross promotion of programs and events.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The key roles and responsibilities of the Thoreau College Farm and Labor Coordinator are as follows.
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Farm & Garden Manager:
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To lead and coordinate the management and development of Thoreau College agricultural operations on our several properties, including planning and cultivation of garden plots, fruit trees, and vineyard, and care of livestock, including sheep, chickens, and pigs
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To coordinate these agricultural efforts with our landlords and local partners, with other members of the Thoreau College staff, faculty, and students.
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To work with Thoreau College bookkeeper and administrative staff to develop, track, and report on budgets for farming and labor program activities.
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Farm and Labor Faculty Lead:
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To develop and offer a comprehensive and holistic curricular cycle related to agriculture, manual labor skills, animal husbandry, and seasonal rhythms
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To participate as a member of the Thoreau College Faculty in mentoring, advising, and supporting Thoreau College students and fellows individually and as a group as they progress through their time with the college
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To serve as designated mentor for the Thoreau College Farm & Garden Fellow, a yearlong internship with responsibilities parallel to this position
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To develop and implement comprehensive safety protocols, equipment, and training for all farm and labor activities
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Facilities and Equipment Steward:
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To work with students, fellows, and staff to coordinate and oversee the care and maintenance of Thoreau College facilities and grounds, including lawns, snow removal, eaves troughs, landscaping, and interior and exterior repairs. Facilities include up to 4 residential houses, several outbuildings at Compostella Farm, and occasional projects at the Commons, our main educational building.
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To assemble, organize, and ensure maintenance of an appropriate set of tools, equipment, and materials for farming and labor program activities, including pickup truck, tractor, handtools, etc.
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Desired Qualities/Traits:
The ideal candidate for this position would possess the following qualities:
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Successful prior experience in farming, commercial gardening, facilities maintenance, or other activities requiring diverse applied manual skills and practical problem solving with a limited budget.
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Excellent personal organizational skills and habits, with a capacity for self-management
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A strong attention to safety and risk management in contexts of physical activity and manual labor
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Practical knowledge and experience with biodynamic agriculture, as well as other holistic agricultural paradigms
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Successful prior experience with teaching manual skills and practical activities with young people, especially college age adults or high school students
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A love for interacting with people of all kinds, especially young people, and an aptitude for supporting deep personal growth and transformation through the cultivation of long-term mentoring relationships characterized by care, insight, honesty, and openness.
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Confidence, initiative, creativity, and enthusiasm for their work.
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A strong understanding of and passion for the mission and ideals of Thoreau College, as well as a knowledge of, or openness to learning about our key philosophical inspirations - Deep Springs College, Henry David Thoreau, the Scandinavian folk high school movement, and Waldorf education
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Anyone hired for this position will also need to have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record
Time Commitment, Compensation, and Organizational Culture:
This will be a full time position, the third such role in our small growing non-profit. As such, the ideal candidate for this role will be someone who can wear multiple hats and respond flexibly and creatively to emergent situations, while also being able to set and maintain strong personal boundaries, frameworks, and goals.
Initial compensation for this position is $45,000 per year. In addition, all staff members receive weekday lunches when programs are in session and can participate in up to 5 Driftless Folk School classes annually and take part in other Thoreau College programming. At this time, we are not able to offer health, retirement, or other benefits, although these are objectives for the near future, pending continued success with recruitment and fundraising.
Thoreau College strives to cultivate a work environment that is meaning-centered, stimulating, joyous, collaborative, and humane. All staff members participate actively in decision making and we work to create a culture of peer mentorship, affirmation, and mutual support. The staff works together closely and flexibly to ensure that each member has the paid time off for illness, family, or vacation that they need to thrive.
Thoreau College/Driftless Folk School is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. Thoreau College/Driftless Folk School is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
To Apply:
Interested applicants are invited to submit a resume, a letter of interest, and at least 2 professional references to:
Annie Kelley
Thoreau College Administrative & Development Fellow
650-304-4970
We hope to fill this position before January 1, 2026, with work starting as soon as possible thereafter.
Please note that there will be a background check required before hiring is complete.