Farm & Butchery Apprentice – Melvin Hill Meats

Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2026 at 12:04PM MST

Internship information

General Farm Description: Melvin Hill Meats is a small farm, butcher shop, and USDA-inspected meat processing operation in Polk County, North Carolina. We raise livestock, slaughter and process animals, sell meat directly to customers, manage orchards and perennial plantings, keep bees, and continue developing new agricultural enterprises on the farm.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: January 2027
Internship Ends: January 2028
Number of Internship Available: 1-2
Application Deadline: October 10
Minimum Length of Stay: 1 year

Internship Details:

What you’ll learn
A significant part of your time will initially be spent learning meat processing and slaughter.
That may include:
– trimming meat
– grinding
-sausage making
-packing and vacuum sealing
-labeling
-freezer and inventory organization
-cleaning and sanitation
-animal receiving
-slaughter-floor work
-skinning
-evisceration
-carcass preparation and washing

As your skills develop, we intend to train you in whole-animal butchery, including:
-breaking carcasses
-breaking primals and subprimals
-identifying cuts
-portion cutting
-producing consistent retail products
-understanding yield and product utilization

The goal is not for you to remain a helper forever.
The goal is for you to become a butcher.

You’ll also work on the farm
The rest of the job is much broader.

Depending on the season and what is happening on the farm, you may help with:
-raising and rotating pigs
-paddock setup and fencing
-livestock feeding and watering
-fence construction and repair
-compost management and spreading
-orchard maintenance
-apple and pear tree care
-mulching and weed management
-berm and swale maintenance
-vegetable production
-mowing and weed eating
-landscaping and farm improvement projects
-seasonal beekeeping
-honey harvesting and packaging
-farm dinners, tours, and educational events
-planning and establishing a future vineyard
-eventually helping with wine and mead production

Some of these systems are already established. Others aren’t.

Part of the opportunity is eventually helping us figure out how some of these enterprises should operate.

You’ll work with customers too
We sell directly to people who care about where their food comes from.
As you learn the business, you’ll also help with things such as:
-our on-farm butcher shop
-farmers markets
-preparing customer orders
-local deliveries
-boxing meat for shipment
-maintaining the retail area
-greeting customers
-answering questions about cuts of meat and how our food is produced

You do not need to arrive knowing the answers. We’ll teach you.

Educational Opportunities: Yes, see description.

Skills Desired: No

Meals: We provide a team lunch each working day and generous discounts on meat and other farm products.

Stipend: Yes

Housing: We do not currently have housing to offer, but are open to exploring housing options for promising applicants.

Contact information

Farm Address:
584 Melvin Hill Rd
Columbus, North Carolina, 28722

Primary Contact: Craig Taffaro
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 8287221233
    Email: butcher@melvinhillmeats.com

Website: https://www.melvinhillmeats.com

Preferred method of Contact: email