Tulsa's Family Guide

Jan. 3rd - May. 13th

Heart of the Shepherd's
Intern / Apprentice Program at Shepherd's Cross
Spring Semester January - Early May

Shepherd's Cross is a working sheep farm, with several hundred sheep. There are many other animals and activities on the farm. The animals include cattle, horses, donkeys, chickens, llama, alpaca, sheep dogs, geese, and barn cats. Other areas of the farm include a Farm Museum, a Farm Store, hay harvest, pecan harvest, walnut harvest and hulling, a wool mill, shearing school, fiber arts classes, a Bible Garden which produces vegetables and fruit for farm use and for sale, and a Mission Shop.

The internship program at the farm equips students with basic farming skills. As well as supplies them with Biblical references to farming and shepherding. Students gain an awareness and develop skills of basic agriculture. They are taught historical agriculture, mixed with a healthy appreciation for industrialized agriculture and exposed to agricultural parables found in The Bible.

The internship is under the direction of Dr. Diane Dickinson. She is an agriculturalist with a Bachelors in Agriculture, a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, and over five decades of farm and livestock experience. She serves as an on-site veterinarian and operates a veterinary care unit on the farm. Students will learn in the same manner as an apprentice learns. Watch the shepherd, practice with the shepherd, and then preform the task unassisted.

Internships may be geared toward one of the following six areas:
1. Sheep and Shepherding Internship: this internship has a primary interest focused on shepherding. The busiest season is the spring season, with many opportunities for learning. Learn what Psalm 23 really means while being the shepherd to the pasture raised flock on the farm. Learn how to give Shepherding Tours, and work in the Farm Animal Barn.
2. Bible Gardening Internship: Learn about natural gardening for sustainability, train to be a Bible Garden Tour guide, assist with Garden related educational activities in the Farm Museum.
3. Wool Mill Internship: Learn how to process wool "green" - including washing, carding, spinning, weaving and more. Learn how to give Wool Mill tours and assist with Wool related displays in the Farm Museum.
4. Farm Museum Internship: The Farm Museum & Educational Silo is an agriculturally based museum with hands on learning activities. The museum is indoors and outdoors. Learn how to manage a museum; assist with upgrading the farm museum, be a farm museum tour guide, and learn how the Bible and agriculture are related.
5. Heart of the Shepherd Missions and Missions Shop Internship: Emphasis is on the International Mission Shop operations and fundraising. Learn how to tell the story of the nations and their needs, and how to maintain brick and mortar gift shops.
6. General Farm & Shepherding Internship: This internship experience includes all the previous categories, working in the fields, working with the sheep and other farm animals; assisting with the Pumpkin Festival; providing Christian, agriculturally based educational tours; as well as a vast array of support farm tasks such as field and tree maintenance, harvesting, planting, cleaning & fence maintenance; assist in the Farm Animal Barn.

The spring semester is the busiest Sheep and Shepherding season to intern, as this is lambing season and sheep shearing on the farm. This is an authentic working farm, not a hobby farm.

Interns will experience some of every segment of farm life and are not restricted entirely to their internship emphasis. Therefore, each Intern will be learning from all six categories. However, their primary focus will be in their interest area.

Steps of the application process:
1. Submit a Resume
2. Receive an Internship application & return the completed form to our office.
3. Reference checks
4. Personal interview
5. Background Check

College credit may be received for students enrolled in college classes.

Following successful completion of the Internship, the student may apply for the Apprentice/Residency Program. This program allows the student to remain at the farm for eight additional months to experience all the activities of a farm year. This is beneficial in terms of understanding seed time and harvest, and the Biblical Implications.

Experience is advantageous, but not required.

Internships are full or part time and live on-site or live off-site. Compensation for internships may include room, board, and a monthly monetary stipend. The stipend is not a salary, and it is performance based.

Several graduates have been hired to be part of the Shepherd's Cross and Heart of the Shepherd team.

Website: https://shepherdscross.com/intern-residency.html
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShepherdsCross
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shepherds_cross/


Contact Information:
Shepherd's Cross & Heart of the Shepherd
16792 East 450 Road, Claremore, OK 74017
Dr. Diane Dickinson, president & executive director
SheepFarm@ShepherdsCross.com 918-342-5911

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Feb. 2nd - 4th

PRESS RELEASE -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winter Barn Sale (Garage Sale)

February 2, 3, & 4, 2023 - Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
7:00 am - 5:30 pm Rain or shine

Donated items graciously accepted. Please drop off your donations at the barn Tuesday through Saturday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm after January 1, 2023.

Huge, Multi-Family Garage Sale of donated articles including appliances, antiques, farming items, furniture, wall decor, housewares, DVDs, farm and garden items, children's games and toys, home decorator items, bedding, office supplies, books, and collectibles, as well as clothing for the entire family.
Photographs of sale items can be found on our Facebook page the week before the event at: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross

Indoors and heated. Free cider & hot beverages will be available.

Sale benefits Farming Missions, Starter Flocks, and Wool Mills in remote locations around the world. Locally, the sale benefits Rural Veterinary Outreach and Baby Blessing Bags.

100% of funds from the barn sale will go directly towards these projects.

Monetary Donations towards these missions are greatly appreciated. A tax-deductible receipt is provided upon request.

In addition, the following activities are always available at the farm (on a donation basis):

Touring the educational & interactive Farm Museum & Silo
Touring the Bible Garden - guided or self-guided
Spinning and Wool Mill demonstration

Shepherd's Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, a Made in Oklahoma Company, and is Animal Welfare Approved.
Website: https://shepherdscross.com/index.html
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShepherdsCross
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shepherds_cross/

Heart of the Shepherd is a public Christian non-profit organization; 501C3. The mission of Heart of the Shepherd is to teach about agriculture and its relationship to the Bible, both locally and globally.


Contact Information:
Shepherd's Cross & Heart of the Shepherd
Dr. Diane Dickinson
Farm@ShepherdsCross.com
918-342-5911


The Lord is my Shepherd

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Feb. 9th - 10th

Table Loom Weaving Retreat

February 9 & 10, 2023, Thursday & Friday

8:30 am - 3:30 pm

Table Loom Weaving is a two-day class. You will learn to weave on a harnessed table loom. Cost is $133 fiber included, and you will leave with at least one finished product: a table runner or scarf.

In-person or virtual
All materials included. You may bring your own loom or use one of ours at no additional charge.

You will learn to warp and to weave, completing a sampler scarf or table runner to take home. We are open until 5:30 pm each day, and you are welcome to stay and practice or work on your project.

Please bring a lunch each day. There is a class size minimum of two, and a maximum of 6 participants. Our classes go a degree farther than most, and teach some history of fiber arts, and practical technology. As well as being augmented by hands on learning tools available in the Educational Farm Museum.

Shepherd's Cross offers weaving and fiber arts classes year-round, on an individual or group basis. Shepherd's Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, a Made in Oklahoma Company that processes the only Animal Welfare Approved fiber sold in the U.S. (that is chemical free, hormone free, free range, all natural). Shepherd's Cross hosts a mini wool mill, processing the wool from their own sheep raised on site.

Heart of the Shepherd is a non-profit organization (501-C3) that operates at the farm and establishes wool mills in remote, impoverished areas around the world. Heart of the Shepherd teaches Biblical references to the harvest, the animals, farming, and gardening.

Shepherd's Cross and Gift Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday 8:30 - 5:30, year-round (closed some holidays).

Registration is required. You may find information and registration form at: https://shepherdscross.com/table-loom-weaving.html or call 918-342-5911.

Website: https://shepherdscross.com/index.html
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShepherdsCross
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shepherds_cross/

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