Our mission
Absorbing knowledge (knowing) and then gaining practical experience by apling what you learned untill a particular skill became ingraned in you (knowing how) is probably how you acquired most of the abilities that now feel like a part of your being (knowingness). In much the same way, practical learning in farming involves knowledge and application of the knowledge to enable you to take a knowledgable next step. And hundred more.
There are not many places where your knowing about all aspects of farming could transform into knowing how due to the set up of the eductional system. With us this is possible step by step through all four seasons and different production sectors (vegetables, fruits, field crop), processin and marketing approaches.
Absorbing knowledge (knowing) and then gaining practical experience by apling what you learned untill a particular skill became ingraned in you (knowing how) is probably how you acquired most of the abilities that now feel like a part of your being (knowingness). In much the same way, practical learning in farming involves knowledge and application of the knowledge to enable you to take a knowledgable next step. And hundred more.
There are not many places where your knowing about all aspects of farming could transform into knowing how due to the set up of the eductional system. With us this is possible step by step through all four seasons and different production sectors (vegetables, fruits, field crop), processin and marketing approaches.
About the farm - Golden Thoughts
In 2004, when still studying, we had a lot of knowledge and ideas without an actual farm or land. Our dream was rooted in connecting with the local community and education. Since then we created a 16 ha farm in Jarenina, North East Slovenia. We produce vegetables, fruits, field crops and greenhouse products in four seasons for our local community in the form of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and the first crowdfunding project in Slovenia.
The orchard in 2014.
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Our paradise in 2024.
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Why a paradise?
Can you imagine a space where you are growing more than 40 different vegetables all year round? Where 12 different varieties of apples grow and you harvest your own blueberries, hazelnuts and more. On the fields old grain varieties (Einkorn, Emmer and Spelt) are grown next to sunflowers and non-gluten buckwheat and millet. In winter you are taking care of green lush vegetables in non-heated greenhouses. All of this nutrient dense, healthy food is then shared with the local community. How do you even start to imagine a word that would describe it better then paradise?
We are certified organic and biodynamic with regenerative practices (green manure, using mulch, minimal cultivation). We are constantly learning and improving our farming and life style to fit with the changing times and climate! All this was shared in 10 years with more than 250 individuals from all over the world in forms of internships (shorter and longer) and all season learning in practice.
Ultimately, on the farm you can in a few months or in the whole season connect the knowledge that you gained during your studies and connect your education with real understanding of processess, task, solutions and more. With this strong foundation you can start your own farm, be an advisor in different areas of sustainable farming practices, become a person of change in academia or influence the course of policy for a sustainable future of farming and humankind.
If this sounds like a paradise for you too we’d like to be your guides in that journey!
Can you imagine a space where you are growing more than 40 different vegetables all year round? Where 12 different varieties of apples grow and you harvest your own blueberries, hazelnuts and more. On the fields old grain varieties (Einkorn, Emmer and Spelt) are grown next to sunflowers and non-gluten buckwheat and millet. In winter you are taking care of green lush vegetables in non-heated greenhouses. All of this nutrient dense, healthy food is then shared with the local community. How do you even start to imagine a word that would describe it better then paradise?
We are certified organic and biodynamic with regenerative practices (green manure, using mulch, minimal cultivation). We are constantly learning and improving our farming and life style to fit with the changing times and climate! All this was shared in 10 years with more than 250 individuals from all over the world in forms of internships (shorter and longer) and all season learning in practice.
Ultimately, on the farm you can in a few months or in the whole season connect the knowledge that you gained during your studies and connect your education with real understanding of processess, task, solutions and more. With this strong foundation you can start your own farm, be an advisor in different areas of sustainable farming practices, become a person of change in academia or influence the course of policy for a sustainable future of farming and humankind.
If this sounds like a paradise for you too we’d like to be your guides in that journey!
In 2018 we received an award as the most inovative young farmer in Slovenia called Newbie award (video above).
How does the opportunity look like?
You will participate in all aspects of growing high-quality vegetables, fruits and field crops using organic and biodynamic practices. Candidates must seriously be considering a career in farming. You will not just be a "worker" on this farm, but will learn a variety of different farm skills as the season progresses, and be a part of a fun and dynamic team.
Tasks include:
Due to the nature of marketing on the farm (direct marketing in the form of a CSA and crowdfunding) all strategies and tools necessary for an efficient and system based approach for sucessfull marketing are explored and deepened.
We work as a tight farm crew all season, and good communication and social skills are vital! It is important to remember that no matter how simple, tedious, or insignificant a task may seem, everything we do is critical to your learning outcome and the overall farm success. Focus and concentration on tasks is crucial. Farming is in many aspects a production work, quite a bit different from home vegetable gardening. With families depending on us for their weekly groceries, speed and efficiency matters. Of course, while you are learning it will take a while to achieve the necessary skill set and knowledge, but by the end of the season you will be a pro! We expect you to have a true dedication to improving your skills on a personally competitive level, and being attentive to quality as well as speed. Every morning we get together and prioritize tasks, so punctuality is crucial.
You will participate in all aspects of growing high-quality vegetables, fruits and field crops using organic and biodynamic practices. Candidates must seriously be considering a career in farming. You will not just be a "worker" on this farm, but will learn a variety of different farm skills as the season progresses, and be a part of a fun and dynamic team.
Tasks include:
- vegetable production (sowing, planting, irrigation, row cover management for pest control, weeding, mulching, harvesting, and possible processing). Many of these tasks involve opportunities to learn a variety of farm skills, and thorough training will be provided. We produce 40+ different vegetables in greenhouses, smaller plots and some field production.
- fruit production (planting, prunning, thining, harvest, post-harvest management and processing). We produce apples (12 varieties), nuts (hazelnuts, chestnuts, walnuts), blueberries (4 varieties) and a small amount of strawberries.
- field production (the work is done primarily with machines - tractor) but there are postharvest and processing tasks that the produce can be used by the consumer. We grow grain (gluten and non-gluten), oil crops (sunflower), protein crops (beans, soybeans) and cover crops for mulch use on the field areas.
- animal husbandry (management of a sheep heard with regenerative grazing practices).
Due to the nature of marketing on the farm (direct marketing in the form of a CSA and crowdfunding) all strategies and tools necessary for an efficient and system based approach for sucessfull marketing are explored and deepened.
We work as a tight farm crew all season, and good communication and social skills are vital! It is important to remember that no matter how simple, tedious, or insignificant a task may seem, everything we do is critical to your learning outcome and the overall farm success. Focus and concentration on tasks is crucial. Farming is in many aspects a production work, quite a bit different from home vegetable gardening. With families depending on us for their weekly groceries, speed and efficiency matters. Of course, while you are learning it will take a while to achieve the necessary skill set and knowledge, but by the end of the season you will be a pro! We expect you to have a true dedication to improving your skills on a personally competitive level, and being attentive to quality as well as speed. Every morning we get together and prioritize tasks, so punctuality is crucial.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for someone who has a passion for agriculture. You don't necessarily need to have tons of farm experience, but you need to be seriously considering a career in farming. Love of physical labor is essential, as is a love of being outdoors in all kinds of weather. You should be the type of person who is always looking for a better way to get a job done. You must be kind, respectful, and empathetic of others. Finally, you should love to laugh and have fun! Farm work can be physically demanding, so only those who enjoy it should consider to apply. The more initiative you take and interest you show the more responsibility you will be entrusted with.
Qualifications:
A quality learning environment:
We are committed to creating the best learning environment possible. This is a true “hands on” program meaning learning through doing is the core of the experience. Context and a wider connection of tasks with knowledge is always a priority. We work hard but we also work intelligently with strategies, tools and processess which makes our farm efficient in terms of labor and finance. Every morning we will get together and prioritize tasks. Custom spreadsheets are utilized for crop planning and will determine planting schedule. Interns will be exposed to and encuraged to perform all farm operations increasingly independantly. Greenhouse management, transplant production, primary tillage, secondary tillage, cultivation, a systems approach to farm management, weed control through many methods, and careful efficient harvesting for maximum crop quality are just some of the many things you will learn. You will learn how to enhance soil fertility through the use of composts, minimal cultivation, organic fertilizer, and cover crops. Farm rotations and insect and/or disease control will be discussed, understood and implemented.
Ultimately, however, what you learn is up to you. To make the most of this experience it takes openness, a curious nature, and a desire and initiative to learn and grow. A farm library will also be at your disposal, and certain key texts will be recommended reading.
We are looking for someone who has a passion for agriculture. You don't necessarily need to have tons of farm experience, but you need to be seriously considering a career in farming. Love of physical labor is essential, as is a love of being outdoors in all kinds of weather. You should be the type of person who is always looking for a better way to get a job done. You must be kind, respectful, and empathetic of others. Finally, you should love to laugh and have fun! Farm work can be physically demanding, so only those who enjoy it should consider to apply. The more initiative you take and interest you show the more responsibility you will be entrusted with.
Qualifications:
- Positive attitude and good communication skills.
- Enjoy being part of a team.
- Enjoy working outdoors in all weather.
- In farming your body is a tool and you have to have the ability to lift, bend, squat, and use your body as such.
- Serious interest in farming.
A quality learning environment:
We are committed to creating the best learning environment possible. This is a true “hands on” program meaning learning through doing is the core of the experience. Context and a wider connection of tasks with knowledge is always a priority. We work hard but we also work intelligently with strategies, tools and processess which makes our farm efficient in terms of labor and finance. Every morning we will get together and prioritize tasks. Custom spreadsheets are utilized for crop planning and will determine planting schedule. Interns will be exposed to and encuraged to perform all farm operations increasingly independantly. Greenhouse management, transplant production, primary tillage, secondary tillage, cultivation, a systems approach to farm management, weed control through many methods, and careful efficient harvesting for maximum crop quality are just some of the many things you will learn. You will learn how to enhance soil fertility through the use of composts, minimal cultivation, organic fertilizer, and cover crops. Farm rotations and insect and/or disease control will be discussed, understood and implemented.
Ultimately, however, what you learn is up to you. To make the most of this experience it takes openness, a curious nature, and a desire and initiative to learn and grow. A farm library will also be at your disposal, and certain key texts will be recommended reading.
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Matjaž studied agriculture in Maribor. Did his Erasmus year in Denmark and Wales and finished his studies with a PhD in biodynamic farming and alternative crops. He was working as a young researcher on the Faculty of Agriculture and Applied sciences in Maribor and is since 2011 the head and heart of the farm project.
Personally he is a member of the Demeter international representatives for Slovenia and Biodynamic fruit growers. His passion is creating organisms where everthing from earthworms to humans can be in balance. |
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Maja studied agriculture in Maribor. Did her Erasmus semester in Witzenhausen, Germany and finished her studies with a PhD in organic farming and field crop production. She was working as a young researcher in a company. She is a part of the educational team since 2016. As a person she is passionate about women circles and the connection between female farmers. |
Practical information of the location and schedule
The farm is located in the Jarenina vilage (the Podravje region) which is connected by public transportation (bus stop is 200 m from the farm) to all the main cities of Slovenia. Jarenina is a village of 1.200 inhabitants and is close (15 km) to the second biggest city of Slovenia called Maribor (with 97.000 inhabitants) with a hospital, theaters, music festivals in the summer (Lent festival), cinemas and enables to be connected by bus or train to all parts of Slovenia and neighboring countries. Maribor has a strong base of different NGO's from arts to seed conservation.
The prefered language of communication is English; in addition German works as well.
We have public (bus, train) and personal (bike, car) transportation options.
The activities are structured through the week and depend a lot on the seasonal and climate conditions. A week is structured in five days of in practice farm experience. The afternoons and weekends are always free for personal activities. From Monday to Friday the day starts at 8 a.m.. At 12 a.m. we have a small lunch until 1 p.m. and we finish the day at 4 p.m..
The day-to-day on-farm activities are focused on:
- vegetable, fruit and field crop production;
- the on-farm processing of more than 100 products (flour, cereals, bread, marmelades, processed
vegetables);
- direct marketing strategies of the farm CSA (community supported agriculture) and crowdfunding.
The farm promotes theoretical and practical skills important in efficient organic farming, bio-dynamic agriculture, production, processing and marketing through lectures, seminars, workshops and excursions. We host more that 6 events (excursions, lectures, workshops, open gate days etc.) every year which are visited by more than 200 individuals. The events are normally held in Slovene with some events in English and/or German.
Regarding the financial compensation the internship is financed through the Erasmus + internship opportunities. What the framework, financial support and time-frame is concerned contact your coordinator for international cooperation at your University or school. The general framework of the intern opportunities are presented on this web-page as well. This is not a job opportunity and the cost of living (accomodation, food, transportation) are covered by the Erasmus + internship program to the intern directly. The farm can help with finding a suitable living situation (local), sustainable transport, help with the official paperwork (municipality) and other things which are easier to organize with our help.
The farm is located in the Jarenina vilage (the Podravje region) which is connected by public transportation (bus stop is 200 m from the farm) to all the main cities of Slovenia. Jarenina is a village of 1.200 inhabitants and is close (15 km) to the second biggest city of Slovenia called Maribor (with 97.000 inhabitants) with a hospital, theaters, music festivals in the summer (Lent festival), cinemas and enables to be connected by bus or train to all parts of Slovenia and neighboring countries. Maribor has a strong base of different NGO's from arts to seed conservation.
The prefered language of communication is English; in addition German works as well.
We have public (bus, train) and personal (bike, car) transportation options.
The activities are structured through the week and depend a lot on the seasonal and climate conditions. A week is structured in five days of in practice farm experience. The afternoons and weekends are always free for personal activities. From Monday to Friday the day starts at 8 a.m.. At 12 a.m. we have a small lunch until 1 p.m. and we finish the day at 4 p.m..
The day-to-day on-farm activities are focused on:
- vegetable, fruit and field crop production;
- the on-farm processing of more than 100 products (flour, cereals, bread, marmelades, processed
vegetables);
- direct marketing strategies of the farm CSA (community supported agriculture) and crowdfunding.
The farm promotes theoretical and practical skills important in efficient organic farming, bio-dynamic agriculture, production, processing and marketing through lectures, seminars, workshops and excursions. We host more that 6 events (excursions, lectures, workshops, open gate days etc.) every year which are visited by more than 200 individuals. The events are normally held in Slovene with some events in English and/or German.
Regarding the financial compensation the internship is financed through the Erasmus + internship opportunities. What the framework, financial support and time-frame is concerned contact your coordinator for international cooperation at your University or school. The general framework of the intern opportunities are presented on this web-page as well. This is not a job opportunity and the cost of living (accomodation, food, transportation) are covered by the Erasmus + internship program to the intern directly. The farm can help with finding a suitable living situation (local), sustainable transport, help with the official paperwork (municipality) and other things which are easier to organize with our help.
Application and deadline
From 1st of March 2025 untll end of November 2025 we are looking for up to 3 interns, which could stay with us from 2 to 9 months. In special cases a 12 month stay can be discussed. Due to the pedagogical approach during the internship and the seasonal aspect of the experience (the four season cycle) it makes sense to stay as long as your academic situation allows. In any case, when the number 3 in a specific time-frame will be reached we will not be able to accept more interns.
Please share the news and if you have any questions please write us at [email protected].
From 1st of March 2025 untll end of November 2025 we are looking for up to 3 interns, which could stay with us from 2 to 9 months. In special cases a 12 month stay can be discussed. Due to the pedagogical approach during the internship and the seasonal aspect of the experience (the four season cycle) it makes sense to stay as long as your academic situation allows. In any case, when the number 3 in a specific time-frame will be reached we will not be able to accept more interns.
- all aplicants have to fill out an online questionaire (as a CV and motivation document);
- in the second step interviews will be held via zoom. If you have the opportunity to visit the farm we are really supportive of this step as it gives you and us a better opportunity to clarify the expectations and make sure that the internship outcome is the best possible option for both sides.
- after this step we will inform you abour your acceptance for the internship.
Please share the news and if you have any questions please write us at [email protected].
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