Group of people planting trees in a forest, some have raised arms, with smoke rising from burning debris on the ground.

events, retreats & Programs

Volunteering at Ekone

Caring for this land and sustaining this work depends on so much labor and generosity! Are you interested in joining our dynamic team for a weekend, a month, or more? Ekone volunteers learn so much and come away with invaluable life skills. Scroll for more.

Four people working together to dig a hole in a forested area with tall trees and green foliage, with a dog lying nearby.

Workparties

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Three women standing behind a dessert table with a decorated cake, in a kitchen or bakery setting. The woman on the left has long gray hair and is smiling, the woman in the middle is wearing a gray hoodie with a name tag, and the woman on the right has braids, is wearing a cap and a brown jacket, and has her arm around the middle woman.

Extended Volunteering

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A person in a plaid shirt squats in a wooded forest, smiling with eyes closed and giving a thumbs-up, grilling sticks over a small fire surrounded by logs and branches.

Internships

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Workparties

Workparties at Ekone Ranch are an excellent way to visit, recharge your batteries, meet some wonderful people, and make a contribution to this special land. We have 4 work parties each year, focused on a variety of many-hands projects including forestry, firewood, gardening, spring cleaning, grave digging, and lots more. They are always great gatherings with wonderful food, fabulous company, and the deep satisfaction of a day's good work. 

​Workparties are a perfect introduction to the ranch and a great first step in scoping out longer volunteer opportunities.

Learn more about workparties, and what we have coming up, by clicking below.

About Workparties

Extended Volunteering

Want more than a weekend? Come live at Ekone and help with allllll the things! 

Ranch volunteers help with feeding chores, cleaning and organizing projects, cooking and dishes, gardening, invasive plant removal, stacking firewood, stacking hay, moving things from one place to another and then later moving them back, rummaging through storage looking for random things we need, and all the other tiny and gigantic things we do to keep this place up and running.

Ranch volunteers must be 18+ and stay on site for 1-2 months. You’ll live in a room, trailer, tent, or your own camping set up, eat heartily, and become a master of finding the fun in everything.


To learn more about extended volunteering at Ekone, email michelle@ekone.org

Internships

Internships are a form of extended residential volunteering, but have a slant toward a particular facet of ranch life. Interns still participate in lots of general volunteering activities, but spend 50-70% of their time on their focus area. Interns are generally expected to stay 2-6 months, and offer a deeper dive into ranch skills and mentorship from staff. Interns also build leadership in their area and may lead general volunteers in projects as well from time to time.

Scroll to browse the basics and click through for a full description of each internship. For application materials or any questions you may have, contact: michelle@ekone.org

Display of various decorative gourds and pumpkins on a rustic wooden shelf in front of a window.

Garden Internship (April – September)

  • Prep garden beds, set up and maintain irrigation, plant seeds and transplant starts, identify pests, harvest fresh veggies, keep the garden shed ship-shape, and do an absurd amount of weeding!

  • Read more about the Garden Internship here

Forestry Internship (October – December)

  • Help to keep our forests healthy and fire-resilient. Learn how to use and maintain a chainsaw, and how to fell small and large trees. You’ll learn a ton about the ecology of our dry East Cascades landscapes, and why this kind of management is good for the forest

  • Read more about the Forestry Internship here

Group of people working together to lower a wrapped body into a shallow grave in a wooded area, accompanied by a dog.

Cemetery Internship (March-November)

  • We prepare burial sites by hand. It’s hard work, and such meaningful labor to tend a person’s final resting place in this way. Cemetery interns also support burials, give cemetery tours, and learn all about what it takes to run a natural burial conservation cemetery.

  • Read more about the Cemetery Internship here

Horse Internship (year round)

  • Join Ekone’s wranglers to care for the herd and ensure that the horses are physically and mentally prepared to connect with so many kids and adults each year. Help with feeding, riding, training, hoof care, supplements, grooming, tack care, and program delivery. 

  • Read more about the Horse Internship here

A lemon and mint cake decorated with lemon slices and yellow flowers on a glass cake stand, sitting on a wooden counter next to a wooden sign that reads "Yummy Tummy Cafe."

Kitchen Internship (spring and summer)

  •  Help to feed the people! Learn all of Chris and Liz's amazing Ekone recipes and all their secret tips and tricks for cooking delicious, healthy food for large groups of hungry campers.

  • Read more about the Kitchen Internship here

A unique house with a steep A-frame center and extending wings, set against a dramatic sunset sky with colorful clouds.

Facilities Internship (fall, winter, spring)

  • Mill lumber, fix broken stuff, help build things, drive the tractor, maintain the power tools, cut firewood, and learn all about how the shop and facilities crew keeps the ranch going.

  • Read more about the Facilities Internship here

Multiple houses with green roofs on a hill, dark storm clouds overhead, dry ground in the foreground, trees in the background.

Programs Internship (spring and summer)

  • Learn about all the behind-the-scenes wrangling that it takes for Ekone magic to happen! Navigate spreadsheets, camp handbooks, schedules, group orientations, staff station inventory, and all the other important pieces that keep programs running smoothly.

A group of people riding horses in a forest with tall trees and green foliage during fall.

Summer Camp Internship (summer - for ages 16-22)

  • Our Intern program applies to youth aged 16-22 seeking an in-depth volunteer leadership opportunity at Ekone Summer Camps, usually for 3 weeks at a time.  Interns will work closely with camp staff, and participate in planning the camp program, daily decision-making, and leading activities as appropriate.

Application materials can be found HERE 

Other Ways to Support

Your gifts of time, expertise, hand-me-downs, financial support, and love are always welcome, and a giant part of what keeps Ekone thriving. Please check out our Wish List , Donations Page, and email sacredearth@ekone.org if you can help in any of these ways!

A garden with green plants and flowers, with a hand-made sign that says 'Gratitude' and 'Patience' hanging from the plants.
Three people, two women and one man, wearing yellow hard hats, standing outdoors among tall trees in a forest setting, smiling at the camera.
A girl riding a horse leans over the horse's neck while smiling, and another girl standing beside the horse holds the reins, smiling at the camera. They are outdoors in a grassy field with trees and blue sky in the background.
People gathered around a small campfire in a wooded forest during daytime, with some standing and others sitting near a table with drinks and food.