Company description

Founded in 2000, Calypso Farm & Ecology Center is a non-profit educational farm located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Through hands-on education programs like field trips, summer camps, the Farmer Training Program, workshops and a network of school gardens, Calypso works to encourage local food production and environmental awareness at every age level. Situated on a hill surrounded by boreal forest, Calypso cultivates 3 acres of terraced fields, producing vegetables for CSA, community markets and restaurants.  In all of our programs, we strive to increase access to and awareness of the benefits of purchasing and eating local foods.

Job description

Put your farming experience to practice in a dynamic network of school gardens in Fairbanks, Alaska! 

 

POSITION OPEN UNTIL FILLED

HOURS:  Seasonal, 30-35 hours per week

DATES  April  1 – August 30, 2019

WAGE: $15.00/hour, a share of school garden vegetables during the growing season & mileage compensation between gardens

About the School Garden Initiative (SGI)

The School Garden Initiative consists of a network of three school gardens in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, planted and maintained by Calypso. The goal of the gardens is to provide hands-on education to youth in a school garden setting. Summer programming includes: LEAF Summer Camps and the Engaging Alaskan Teens in Gardening (EATinG) Program. These gardens are a special part of the school and communities!
 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The School Garden Manager is Calypso’s lead farmer for the School Gardens, responsible for the health and production of the three school gardens. The SGM will join Calypso’s staff at the beginning of April and will spend time learning garden locations, meeting school staff, planning and outreaching to schools to recruit student gardeners for the EATinG Program. Weather permitting, bed prep and seeding of the gardens will take place throughout May. The SGM will supervise a short-term garden prep crew (for approximately 2 weeks in late May).  In June and July, the SGM will work with summer education program staff on all garden maintenance and harvest (as needed). At the end of the season, the SGM will clean up the gardens and sheds, compile all garden records and complete a season evaluation with Calypso staff.

 

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

   Garden Care & Operations

• Lead bed prep, planting, seeding, irrigation, cultivation, weed-whacking, mowing, harvest, etc. in all 3 gardens
• Transport transplants from Calypso to each garden.
• Maintain good communication and work with summer garden program on garden maintenance.
• Make sure these public gardens look beautiful!

   Marketing

• Assist with school garden Farm Stands mid-June to mid-August as needed.
• Help share updates on garden activities & Farm Stands through our social media outlets.

   Garden/School Relations

• Participate in spring and fall garden activities with students and teachers as needed.

   Planning & Organization

• Attend regular Calypso staff meetings and/or weekly check-ins with a Calypso Farmer
• Maintain a complete inventory of tools and supplies.
• Maintain excellent records of all garden seeding, planting, production, harvest, produce sales and donations
• Compile production notes into an end of season evaluation 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 2 years of organic farming experience, (management preferred)
• Farming skills including but not limited to: harvesting, bed prep, seeding, transplanting, compost building, cultivating, drip irrigation (system set-up and maintenance), weed whacking and mowing, etc.
• Experience working with youth, preferred
• Must feel comfortable teaching gardening techniques
• Experience setting up and running a farm stand.
• Must work well under a deadline and be able to handle several projects at one time.
• Reliable vehicle to transport self, plants and tools (mileage will be reimbursed)
• Positive, hard working “can-do” attitude
• Flexible
• Detail-Oriented, with excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work independently
• Good interpersonal communication skills
• Enjoy working with youth.
• Belief in Calypso’s mission (see overview above)
• Have a sense of humor!
• First Aid & CPR certified (training provided)

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline