Company description

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is a private operating foundation, located a little over an hour west of Washington, D.C. in the rural Virginia Piedmont between the Blue Ridge and Bull Run Mountains, on what was once the private residential estate of Paul and Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon. A devoted horticulturist, gardener and collector, Bunny Mellon cultivated an impressive collection of books and art objects over the course of her life that now form the core of the collections of the Oak Spring Garden Library.

While the estate has a long and interesting history, OSGF is a young organization that has only existed in its current form for about eight years. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire fresh thinking and bold action on the history and future of plants, horticultural practice, the art and culture of gardens and landscapes, and the importance of plants for human well-being. Its activities toward providing a public benefit include the sustainable management of a 700-acre landscape, as well as stewardship of the other legacies of Mrs. Mellon, which include an endowment, the formal garden, the library and substantial residential accommodation. The current President, Sir Peter Crane FRS, reports to a small but distinguished Board.

The Education and Outreach team primarily leverages the resources and learning opportunities around sustainable agriculture and plants provided by OSGF’s Biocultural Conservation Farm. The BCCF is a small, diversified vegetable operation that supplies fresh produce for the array of programs that take place onsite at OSGF by working closely with the OSGF Chef to supply short-term and long-term guests with nourishing farm-to-table meals. Produce also supports a small Community Supported Agriculture (‘CSA’) program from May-October in which community members pick-up a curated share of fresh vegetables once a week across a 25-week season. Importantly, the BCCF is committed to donating at least 50% of what is grown on-site to local food banks. Since 2019, this has amounted to over 100,000 lbs of produce delivered to those in need. Given our geographic location and the agrobiodiversity and cultural foodways in our region, we are very interested in growing and perpetuating the cultivation of heirloom crops of regional cultural and historical significance. In addition to its high-intensity, ecological vegetable production the BCCF has growing plots dedicated to production of seed, as well as plants used by people for a variety of purposes, including natural dyeing, paper and fiber making, and medicine.

 

Job description

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) seeks a creative, energetic, and enthusiastic teaching assistant to join the small and highly motivated OSGF Education and Outreach team. The primary goal of this position is to support the Education and Outreach Specialist and the day-to-day efforts made by the Education and Outreach team both on and offsite.

The Education and Outreach department was formed in July 2022 and has quickly grown its presence in the community, impacting over 1,000 youth and seniors in 2023, with plans of increasing its impact even more in 2024. The primary goal of OSGF’s Education and Outreach programs are to engage with and support our local community, primarily in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties, with particular focus on working closely with audiences that are traditionally underserved. The programs that are offered are meant to be hands-on, purposeful and joyful experiences and aim to inspire community members to connect with plants, nature and each other.
The Education and Outreach Teaching Assistant should be a self-starter who can assist with the design and implementation of educational programs that leverage OSGF’s unique resources including the Biocultural Conservation Farm (BCCF), the Biodiversity Management Team, Library, Gardens and landscape. This is fast-paced position, that works closely with youth and seniors, both on and offsite, and both outside in the elements as well as indoors in a classroom setting. The individual should be able to work exceptionally well with community members of all ages, be comfortable speaking in public, and be passionate about plants, the outdoors, community and education.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline