Organic Farm Management Internship Growing Gardens of Boulder County
- Date Posted November 15, 2018
- Location Boulder, CO
- Category Agriculture / Nonprofit
- Job type Internship/Apprentice
Growing Gardens is a Boulder based non-profit organization established in 1998 with the mission to enrich the lives of the community through sustainable urban agriculture. Growing Gardens helps people experience a direct, deep connection with food, the land and each other through our programs for diverse populations: the Children’s Peace Garden (Ages 3-11), Community Classes, Community Gardens, Growing Gardens Food Project, and Cultiva Youth Project (Ages 12-18). Our activities are centered in the heart of Boulder on 11 acres of land that has been in agricultural use for the past 100 years. We expanded our programming in 2016 to include a 1 acre farm in neighboring Longmont, Colorado, which provides fresh produce and agriculture-based education to the Longmont community. To learn more about Growing Gardens, visit www.growinggardens.org.
Internship description The focus of this internship will be to support production for the Cultiva CSA Farm, a two-acre certified organic vegetable farm. Produce from the farm is principally sold through our on-site Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. We also manage a small number of wholesale accounts and donate a significant portion of our harvest to those in need in our community.
The Farm Management Intern will report to the Boulder CSA Farm Manager and work extensively with the Cultiva participants and must have both the ability and desire to engage with, and mentor, young people. The Farm Internship is fast paced and requires a great deal of hard work, focus, and care. It is also deeply rewarding.
Farm Intern Duties
- Assist the farmer in all aspects of farm operation:
- Operation and maintenance of tools and equipment.
- Planning, installation, and operation of irrigation systems.
- Seeding, transplanting, thinning, and fertilizing seedlings.
- Early season greenhouse growing for the plant sale and field crops
- Cultivation and weeding.
- Pest and disease management.
- Harvesting, washing, and packing of crops for CSA and wholesale accounts.
- Cover cropping and soil sampling
- Maintenance of grounds and site infrastructure.
- Assist with the CSA pick up (Wednesdays 4:00-7:00pm June-October)
- Lead the Farmers’ Market gleaning program (Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 pm June-August)
- Oversee evening harvest shifts (Tuesdays 4:00-7:00 pm August-October)
- Oversee the produce donation program
- Prepare and weigh produce for donation and coordinate pickups with our organization partners
- Keep records of all donations
- Mentor and teach teens in the Cultiva Youth Project
- Compile and update records for organic certification.
- Assist, teach, and oversee volunteers and groups of volunteers with greenhouse and field-related tasks.
- Be available to work three weekend plant sale shifts in May.
- Be available for weekend watering shifts March-July.
- Lead tours of the Growing Gardens site to groups and individual volunteers.
- Assist with farm dinners and other events (this requires some weekend and evening hours).
- Small scale organic vegetable production techniques including:
- Soil health
- Tractor skills and maintenance
- Irrigation systems planning, implementation, and maintenance
- Direct seeding and transplanting practices
- Pest management
- Harvest and post-harvest techniques
- CSA management experience.
- Produce sales and marketing experience.
- Experience operating and maintaining tools and equipment.
- Management and leadership experience working with diverse populations.
- Exposure to the operations of a non-profit, community-based organization.
- Experience working farm dinners and other farm-based events.
Structure of Internship
- Internship duration is March 4 – November 1, 2019
- Intern must attend mandatory orientation March 4th and 5th, 2019.
- Intern position is 40 hours per week. *Note: hours may vary between weeks; however, the average number of hours per week will be 40 hours. Hours primarily take place during the week, however there is some required weekend and evening work.
- Required attendance at seasonal orientation meetings with all GG interns, mentor, intern supervisor and additional GG staff
- Each Intern is supported by a Mentor and Supervisor
- Mentor oversees daily activities and supports each Intern’s growth during weekly meetings throughout the duration of the contract
Benefits of Interning with Growing Gardens
- Experience working on, and managing, a diversified vegetable operation.
- Hands-on experience making a positive impact in the lives of children, teens, and adults.
- Community connections and networking within the burgeoning local food movement.
- Friendly, relaxed environment.
- Develop marketable teaching, leadership, and management skills.
- Additional training offered through Growing Gardens classes, workshops, and staff shadowing
- Access to a wide variety of discounted organic seeds and plant starts.
- Opportunity to garden in the intern community garden plot at the Hawthorn Garden site.
- Fresh vegetables from the garden as the season permits. This benefit has the value of $20-$35 per week depending on the time of year.
- Site is centrally located and easily accessed via public transportation.
- Monthly stipend of $800 and 1 week paid vacation
Qualifications
We are looking for individuals who are passionate about learning how to grow food and develop community. Applicants must be CPR and First Aid certified by March 4, 2019. Growing Gardens depends on the plants and food produced in the greenhouse and fields to sustain our programs. The Farm Management Intern must be responsible, dedicated and organized. While some growing experience is desired, it is not required for this position. This experience is a great opportunity for someone interested in a job in horticulture, farming, or community organizing.
Application instructions