Job description

City Roots, Columbia, South Carolina' s first urban sustainable farm, is located on a three acre site tucked between a small airport, soccer fields, and a residential community. We grow a variety of vegetables for our CSA, local farmer s markets, restaurants, and for our market on site. Our retail building on the farm is designed to suite the SC climate, minimize site and environmental impact, and is seeking LEED certification. In our green house we raise tilapia and produce micro-greens. The tilapia are raised in a tank which has an adjacent biological filter that consists of two race ways with watercress to serve as both filtration and as a marketable item. We also grow citrus and use the greenhouse for propagation for our field production as well. City Roots grows around 40 varieties of vegetables and fruit. We have several bee hives for both pollination purposes and for honey. We have a variety of chickens that we free range and move in our chicken tractor. We have a large scale composting operation which aides to the fertility of our soil and is also used for growing several specialty mushrooms. Even our street trees that are required by the city' s zoning produce fruit. One of the key factors in starting our farm is an education component and a community out reach program. City Roots provides farm tours for local schools, universities, and the public and offers a workshop series. Our vision is to produce clean, healthy, sustainably grown products while enhancing and educating our community about the benefits of locally grown food, composting, vermicomposting and other environmentally friendly farming practices.

Number of Positions Available: 4

Job Description: City Roots is seeking interns for specific positions in intensive vegetable production and small farm management. These positions will offer the opportunity for interns to learn how to grow vegetables organically, to perform all of the tasks required on an organic farm, to operate small-scale farm equipment, and even to plan and manage finances on a small commercial farm. Interns can learn the necessary skills to work on other farms, and the internship can serve as an excellent learning opportunity for those interested in starting their own farm.

Qualifications: Interns must be:

• at least 18 years of age
• physically and mentally able to perform required tasks
• able to commit to a recurring work schedule of 24 hours a week for six weeks(we must know about any vacations or time off in advance)
• interested in pursuing a career in sustainable agriculture
• capable of working without supervision,self-motivated and organized
• able to receive constructive criticism and give honest feedback
• and of a generally positive frame of mind.

Salary or Compensation: City Roots is not able to pay for these positions at this time. However, interns will be able to take vegetables from the free " volunteer box" and they can receive a 50% discount on purchased items from the farm. Upon successful completion of the internship, interns will receive a positive written recommendation from City Roots if they so desire.

Compensation

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Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline