The Trade

The Trade The Trade is a life-preparatory program for young adults with a work-skills component based on a classic apprenticeship model.

Program candidates are invited to “trade us a year for the rest of their life.”

Where else can you get this kind of hands-on, supported work experience—living on-site, with miles of natural beauty in ...
05/27/2026

Where else can you get this kind of hands-on, supported work experience—living on-site, with miles of natural beauty in every direction?
With summer right around the corner, it's the best time of year for work and play in New Hampshire. And we're excited to announce that we have limited openings for apprentices to join The Trade. If you're interested in learning more, email our Director of Enrollment at wwhite@tradeforlife.org.

Pressure creates diamonds 💎"It's not real if you don't feel the pressure" has been our mantra for the past few weeks. Un...
05/15/2026

Pressure creates diamonds 💎

"It's not real if you don't feel the pressure" has been our mantra for the past few weeks. Under this bustling pressure, we really come together as a team to support each other and to rise to the challenge of the day. Just a few projects apprentices are immersed in on The Mountain:

-Planting 100 Christmas trees with mentor and forester Andrew Westerman
-Installing a cooling system with mentor Jim at The Homestead
-Finishing off a new deck and staircase at the Parker Barn with mentor Forrest
-Mowing and w**d whacking across the property with mentors Nick and Bill
-Last but certainly not least, two of our apprentices have been green lighted to work independently with mentor Eric at Lavoie's Auto Shop. That means they're on-site three days a week to help keep up with the busy spring season!

Location, location...Our location in Pike, NH is perfect for outdoor activities without the crowds. Days and nights are ...
05/07/2026

Location, location...

Our location in Pike, NH is perfect for outdoor activities without the crowds. Days and nights are quiet and distraction-free. But we’re also located near several larger towns that provide countless entertainment options:

🌲 Fairlee VT (Lake Morey summer concerts, Sunnyside Coffee Co, and the longest continuous ice skating trail in the country)
🌲 Plymouth, NH (Home of Plymouth State University, a cute downtown with lots of shops and restaurants, and the Pemi River for floats and kayaking)
🌲 Hanover, NH (Home of Dartmouth College, Division One sports, museums, and a busy downtown scene)

Recently our Director of Enrollment Dr. Will White spoke on a panel featuring the renowned professor Dr. Temple Grandin....
05/03/2026

Recently our Director of Enrollment Dr. Will White spoke on a panel featuring the renowned professor Dr. Temple Grandin. From her groundbreaking work in livestock handling to her decades of neurodiversity advocacy, Grandin has reshaped how we understand the "autistic brain." At the panel, Grandin championed the importance of hands-on work and building real skills, aligning perfectly with our mission at The Trade:

https://www.tradeforlife.org/blog/temple-grandin-message

04/30/2026

Another form of wood work: using the compact router on beams at the Parker Barn! Carpenter and mentor Forrest is working with apprentices on a new deck and staircase that will provide access to the barn's upper level.

Snapshots of life on The Mountain this past week! Now that spring has sprung, apprentices are laser focused on keeping a...
04/25/2026

Snapshots of life on The Mountain this past week!

Now that spring has sprung, apprentices are laser focused on keeping acres of lawn looking crisp and clean, beating back the growth on our miles of recreational trails, and balancing all of the other property needs that arise during a busy season. Maintenance, mowing, construction…the list goes on!

04/22/2026

Splitting wood is satisfying! Forester and mentor Andrew Westerman worked with apprentices today to turn logs into a seemingly unlimited stockpile of firewood. Some of the wood will be sent to local community members to heat their homes, and some will be used to stock The Innstead's fire pits this summer!

Throughout the year, we stay busy representing The Trade and meeting with folks at conferences across the country. Next ...
04/16/2026

Throughout the year, we stay busy representing The Trade and meeting with folks at conferences across the country. Next week is a big one in Georgia, The Autism Symposium. The Trade is one of the sponsors and our enrollment leaders Dr. Will White and Greg Hitchcock will be attending!

Dr. White will be presenting alongside Jake Weld, M.Ed. on “Preparing Neurodiverse Young People for Work and Purpose in the AI Era” on April 22. This session explores how rapid changes—particularly the rise of AI and shifting labor markets—are impacting neurodiverse young adults, and highlights practical, hands-on approaches that support successful transitions into work and independent living.

If you’ll be attending, we’d welcome the opportunity to connect, share more about our work, and learn about the young people you’re supporting.

Spring cleaning ✔Lately, apprentices have been cleaning up The Mountain's property for the busy months ahead. That inclu...
04/10/2026

Spring cleaning ✔

Lately, apprentices have been cleaning up The Mountain's property for the busy months ahead. That includes rejuvenating the orchards on the property with mentor and forester Andrew Westerman. More outside time is welcome after a long winter!

Back inside, they are making great progress on the stairway for the Parker Barn, which will open access for upper storage. The new boiler and piping arrived to The Homestead, and apprentices worked with mentor Jim to begin to assemble the puzzle of putting it together.

Over at Lavoie's Auto Shop, apprentices continued the weekly dive into the (sometimes) dirty job of car maintenance, including a tire mount, new rear brakes, oil and filter service, and replacing a turbo on various vehicles.

All in a solid week of work!

04/02/2026

One unique part of The Trade is the integration of occupational therapy (OT). We're lucky to have Zack Schafer, MS, OTR/L in charge of OT programming. Zack has more than eight years of experience in the field and is also the executive director at Mountain Valley Treatment Center. What exactly does OT mean for our apprentices? Watch to find out!

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Pike, NH

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