The Secret to a Successful Farm Volunteer Program

Jul 9, 2025

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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

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