An LMI Pioneer shows a camper how to card wool from a sheep he tackled and sheared
Five college-age students participated in the first-ever Lama Mountain Internship (LMI) in 2013, Residential stays ranged from 1-3 months, and interns spent 30 hours a week engaging in activities related to homesteading in the high desert—from sheep shearing to food preservation, from composting to construction.
Shepherded by charter school founders Todd Wynward and Dr. Stephanie Owens, LMI was of significant benefit to both the interns and the host community. The individual interns gained new knowledge, deep friendships, improved skills, and clarified personal values from a “time apart” characterized by healthy localized living, meaningful work, wilderness experiences, group discussions and opportunities for deep reflection. The Mountain at large benefited significantly from the labor interns brought to projects—cultivating community gardens, caring for sheep and goats, installing a drip system, building a greenhouse and sustainable housing, and practicing youth leadership with SCYR Summer Camp and Roots and Wings Community School.
We are currently accepting applications for the 2014 internship season. College credit may be available to participants. Contact Todd for more information.