Volunteer with Prescott Farm
Our dedicated volunteers allow Prescott Farm to continue enhancing and expanding our educational programs for the Lakes Region community and beyond. Volunteers are engaged in all aspects of our work; from hands-on efforts like maintaining our gardens, maple sugar program, and trails to behind-the-scenes work on committees and office administration. Along with enjoying a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie, volunteers are invited to attend exclusive events at Prescott Farm that honor their work. We hope as you look through our volunteer opportunities you find something that sparks your interest. If you do, please fill out the volunteer form linked throughout this page.
Overview of Volunteer Opportunities:
Maple Sugaring Team
In March it’s all about maple sugaring at Prescott Farm! Our sugar maple bush at Prescott Farm provides the perfect resource for visitors to learn about what it takes to make the iconic (and delicious!) maple syrup. Our Maple Sugaring volunteers help throughout March in our Tap into Maple Programs by engaging program participants, keeping our sugarhouse running, and helping out with special projects.
Click here to learn more about our Maple Sugaring Volunteer Team.
Trail Team
Adopt-a-Trail/Trail Maintenance: If you love hiking and are handy with a pair of clippers, our trails need you! Adopt one of our seven trails for a one year commitment and walk your trail monthly to ensure it is in the best care possible for visitors to hike. In the Winter enjoy free snowshoe rentals to walk your trails and pack down the snow.
Click here to learn more about our Adopt-A-Trail/Trail Maintenance Volunteer Team.
Nature Observation: Sharpen your identification skills and become a citizen scientist! Using your smartphone and the iNaturalist app you can photograph and post nature observations you see at Prescott Farm. Enjoy a worldwide, online community that will help to verify your observations. Our Nature Observation volunteers help improve our programs and give educators a resource for additional educational materials.
Click here to learn more about our Nature Observation Volunteer Team.
Forest Management: Tackle different projects throughout the year, helping to maintain our 160-acre property. This team is active when projects are available, examples of past projects include removing invasive plant species and fortifying our fencing to keep digging critters out of the gardens.
Click here to learn more about our Forest Management Volunteer Team.
Gardening Team
The Heritage, Perennial, and Learning Gardens help Prescott Farm engage children, adults, and families in learning about where their food comes from. Prescott Farm gardens grew almost 200 pounds of produce in 2021, all thanks to our dedicated garden volunteers. Garden volunteers spend time caring for the gardens May-October, weekly. Whether you have had a green thumb all your life or you’re just starting out, joining our garden team is sure to be a fun learning experience!
Click here to learn more about our Gardening Volunteer Team.
Chicken Care
Prescott Farm keeps a small flock of chickens in the Summer for WildQuest Campers and Fledglings Preschoolers to learn all about our feathered friends. Our volunteers help care for our flock on the weekends and gain first-hand knowledge about backyard chickens.
Click here to learn more about our Chicken Care Volunteer Team.
Committee Teams
Risk Committee: A volunteer role designed to draw from the experience of committee members to consider and recommend to the board of directors and staff strategies for risk mitigation at Prescott Farm. Areas of expertise may include human resources management, financial management, insurance, camp and preschool licensing, emergency preparedness, and others.
Click here to learn more about our Risk Committee.
Community Engagement Committee: A volunteer role designed to draw from the experience of committee members who share a commitment to Prescott Farm’s mission of awakening appreciation for nature and concern for the environment in the greater Lakes Region community. Committee members facilitate community engagement and the work of Prescott Farm’s development staff by helping to build relationships between Prescott Farm and individuals and businesses in the community. Volunteer committee members support Prescott Farm’s fundraising efforts in support of our environmental education programs.
Click here to learn more about our Community Engagement Committee.
Group Volunteer Opportunities
Prescott Farm can accommodate various group volunteers throughout the year and work individually with each group to best match the needs of our organization and group goals. Previous group volunteers have assisted in seed starting in the gardens, cleaning and organizing our basement, Spring clean-up, stacking wood for maple sugaring programs, and other special projects.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Turtle Care Team: Our turtle care volunteers help to care for our resident box turtle, Bucky! Bucky is used in multiple programs at Prescott Farm and even travels to local schools to teach children all about turtles. Our volunteers sign up for a weekly care shift to clean Bucky’s tank and feed her. We are not currently accepting volunteer applications for this team, please check back later.
Photography Team: Spend time in nature and help Prescott Farm capture the joy brought by our camp, community connection programs, and so much more! Our volunteers photograph various events on Prescott Farm property year-round to assist in marketing and outreach.
Marketing Team: A fully remote volunteer opportunity, our marketing volunteers help promote the programs and events at Prescott Farm by assisting our Development & Communications Director in posting to various online calendars monthly.
Administrative Team: Our administrative volunteers help out with tasks from filing papers, washing rags, preparing mailings, and stocking our lobby with pamphlets. These are great opportunities for busy individuals who are looking for small opportunities to make a difference.
Have a special skill that you think could contribute to our volunteer program? Let us know!
Prescott Farm is always looking for ways to engage our community. If you have an idea of ways that you, your employer or another group can help out at the Farm, please let us know. Volunteering is a great way to get outdoors and get active.