June 2012 Longterm Internship

Rak Tamachat, Panya Project’s sister site in Korat, is now accepting
applications for interns.

Internships run for a minimum of 6 months and applications are now open for 3 interns per month.

Rak (‘Love’ in Thai) the Farm Community

Rak Tamachat is a 50 acre commercial corn/rice farm, strategically placed in the Korat Plateau of central, rural Thailand. We are a brand new Permaculture Project working towards implementing a diverse range of integrated permaculture systems to create an abundant, functioning, sustainable, regenerated and profitable system of agriculture and intentional community. We are surrounded by other similarly degraded agricultural land which continue to employ the conventional farming methods of chemical application and machinery. We are working towards influencing local farmers, by leading by example and integrating with the local community to create a replicable system.

Rak the Internship goals

Interns will develop a sound knowledge of permaculture systems and gain skills of practical permaculture implementation. Overall aim is to understand and communicate the elements involved in establishing a rural permaculture system.

Rak the Intership skills you’ll get

Communication, teamwork, effective holistic goal creation, problem solving, initiative, planning and organising, self management, learning and many many more….

Rak our format of education

This internship is based around hands-on permacutlure implementation to build a solid foundation for understanding permaculture systems. We will have ongoing projects, sometimes with a lesson of theory, though you will be mostly learning the practical skills of implementation based on that project. It is a self-directed internship and you will have the opportunity to pursue your own projects of interest relating to achieving our Master Plan. We have a flexible, yet structured work day of 4 hours, 5 days a week, allowing time for theory, permacutlure implementation, own projects, reflection and self-development, design skills, farm maintenance, community integration projects and the brainstorm, co-creation and meeting co-ordination that is essential in community living.

Some of the areas of focus will include

• Permaculture ethics and principles
• soil fertility
• forest systems/farm forestry
• water in the landscape
• design methodology
• home garden design
• seed saving and managing a seed bank
• community facilitation
• natural building

Who should apply with Rak

If you are looking to experiment and practice hands-on skills of permaculture application and are interested in living, sharing and learning in a creative, enthusiastic permaculture community, this is the place for you! As this internship is flexible and self-directed with some theory, it would be best to have previous permaculture experience and preferably to have completed your Permaculture Design Course. We have no other requirements, just to come with energy, honesty, willingness to learn, communicate with an open-heart and share the abundance.

Rak Tamachat Permaculture Farm’s Goals for 2012:

• Produce 80% of community food on site
• implement basic water systems
• establish beginnings of our food forest
• continue working toward soil fertility
• begin integration with local community using permaculture strategies
• have established a solid foundation for resident community systems
• Sala (community building) is a functional, comfortable, welcoming environment
• create a functioning nursery

Rak the Costs:

Our Internship costs 6500THB (approximately $206 US) per month, a total of 3900THB ( $1238 US) for 6 months, the first months installment is a non-refundable deposit. This full amount includes all costs of living such as food and accommodation and also permaculture experiences (any personal holidays and items, of course, is at your own expense). This fee is recoverable through our profit sharing program. The initial month must be paid a minimum of one month before your internship begins. If you cancel the Internship with at least a one month notice then the deposit will be refunded to you. The balance of your internship will be due after your first month on site.

How to apply:

Please visit our website www.raktamachat.org for application details.