Do you enjoy cooking, canning, food preservation, or sharing practical skills with others? Join our Cookery Tent team and help bring these time-honored traditions to life! Program Assistant Volunteers are needed to assist with engaging, hands-on demonstrations throughout the day, including hot water bath canning, pressure canning, dehydrating meals for travel, cast iron care and seasoning, and both historic and modern camp cookery. Whether you're an experienced home canner, outdoor cooking enthusiast, or simply enjoy helping visitors learn something new, you'll play an important role in creating a fun and educational experience for families and community members. Share your knowledge, inspire others to build confidence in the kitchen and outdoors, and help preserve skills that have been passed down through generations. Come be part of a welcoming team and make a lasting impact—one demonstration at a time! This opportunity will require you to have some culinary knowledge or experience with at least one of the stations offered. Period clothing is not required.
Impact
Program Support volunteers add depth to an event or program, help things run more efficiently, bring a 21st-century skill to share at an event or program, but are not Historic Interpreters. These volunteers will support the staff to enhance the experience guests have at Carriage Hill Historic Farm.. This opportunity will allow people to enjoy an experience at the historic farm, learn more about the various stations, and get a personal introduction to life on the farm.
Tasks
- Assist the staff lead or work with other volunteers during the event to create a better learning environment for the interactive stations.
- Engaging participants and families in the activities on the farm during this day-long program
- Stations for the event will be throughout the Historic House and Farm, and volunteers will be matched based on interest and experience with the topic. Outdoor Cookery Stations will be under the Cookery Tent at the Historic Farm, and include:
- Hot Water Bath Canning: Volunteers will assist with providing basic principles of hot water bath canning, equipment and supplies needed, and seasonal items to can.
- Review Hot Water Bath Canning
- The Basics of Pressure Canning: Volunteers will assist with providing basic principles of pressure canning, equipment and supplies needed, seasonal items to can, and pressure canning safety.
- Learn more about a History of Canning
- Dehydrating Meals: Volunteers will assist with providing basic principles of dehydrating meals for travel, equipment and supplies needed. As part of this station, suggestions will be provided for healthy, nutritious but frugal items to consider.
- Caring for Cast Iron: Volunteers will assist with providing basic care and handling of cast iron, and how to best season it.
- Additional information can be found using these resources: Lodge Cast Iron and Kent Rollins Cast Iron Cooking (YouTube)
- Camp Cookery: Volunteers will assist with providing basic information on camp cooking, equipment, and supplies needed. As part of this station, suggestions will be provided for caring for camp cooking items and practicing safety.
- Hot Water Bath Canning: Volunteers will assist with providing basic principles of hot water bath canning, equipment and supplies needed, and seasonal items to can.
- Coverage for various stations and volunteer breaks as needed.
- Afternoon shift will assist with tear down of stations.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual long-Term volunteers, ages 18 and up.
- GET STARTED: This opportunity requires Volunteer Onboarding (Profile, Volunteer Handbook Signature, and, for those 18 and up, an eligible background check). Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications, or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Volunteers Check In at the Visitor Center, and then walk the path to the Historic Farm and meet the staff lead. Click here for a map of Carriage Hill MetroPark. Volunteers arrive 15 minutes before the beginning of the program for the first shift, and there will be an overlap of 15 minutes for the 2nd shift. Staff leads will orient volunteers to the day's agenda, review specific stations, and provide other important information.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This opportunity takes place primarily outdoors. Volunteers may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects 5 lbs or more. Be mindful of seasonal conditions, heat/humidity (sun, insects, allergies) and be prepared. Volunteers who respond should have some experience with one or more of the stations listed.
- Dress: Period apparel is NOT required. Volunteers should dress for the weather. Please wear your volunteer name badge, and volunteer apparel. Volunteer vests will also be available at check-in.
- Visit the Historic Interpreter page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Historic Interpreter volunteers.
Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build n
ew skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider this opportunity:
Shadow Experience: Historic Interpreter
