Company description

Growing Gardens’ mission is to cultivate community through sustainable urban agriculture. Our programs empower people of all ages, income levels, and abilities by connecting them with their local food system, each other, and the environment.  

Our organization values the diverse skills and individuals that come together to create a thriving community and workplace. We are committed to the work we do, and bring our best selves each day, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously, have fun, and enjoy the process of doing good in our community.  We take care of each other and put people at the center of everything we do.

Internship description

The Farm Management Intern works across all aspects of our Boulder and Longmont farms including participating in the Cultiva Youth Project and leading volunteer groups. We believe this internship provides a diverse experience in a supportive environment for someone who wants to grow in the field of agriculture and community based food systems.  

 

Farm Intern Duties 

●       Assist the Farm Manager and growing staff in all aspects of farm operation at both of our farms (in Boulder and in Longmont):

●       Planning, installation, and operation of irrigation systems

●       Bed preparation and planting

●       Seeding, transplanting, thinning, and fertilizing both seedlings in the greenhouse and field crops

●       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, farm stand, and donations

●       Help to oversee CSA pickups and the farm stand

●       Cover cropping, soil sampling, and understanding of soil health on the farm

●       Operation of tractors, mowers, and other farm equipment

●       Maintenance of grounds and site infrastructure

●       Record-keeping

●       Assist with produce donation program

●       Assist, teach, and work with diverse populations and ages in greenhouse, wash station, and field-related tasks

●       Lead volunteer projects with people of differing abilities 

●       Assist with other operations of the non-profit, and help with set up and execution of other farm-based events

 

Structure of Internship

●       Internship duration is March 3  – October 31, 2025

●       This internship position is paid hourly at $16/hour. Note: we do not provide housing as part of this internship. 

●       Intern position is 30 hours per week. Some of those hours will take place on evenings and weekends. 

●       Weekend watering shifts are required March-September.

●       Intern must attend orientation Monday, March 3rd from 8:30AM-1:00PM.

●       Intern will be working closely with a mentor from GG staff who will oversee all daily activities; an intern supervisor is available upon request for meetings and provides general oversight of Growing Gardens’ internship program

●       Learning Objectives Contract – Developed within the first month of internship. This includes: position description, educational objectives, learning activities, and skill development

●       Evaluation – A midpoint evaluation and end of internship evaluation will include intern self-evaluation, supervisor, and mentor evaluation

 

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.

●       Classroom training offered through Growing Gardens classes.

●       Access to a wide variety of discounted organic seeds and plant starts including 50% off at our Plant Sale

●  Fresh weekly vegetables from the farm as the season permits June-October (about $25 per week)

●  50% off additional produce grown on our farm from our Farm Stand June-October

●  All Growing Gardens internships qualify for university credit if that is desired by the intern

●  Site is centrally located and easily accessed via public transportation.

●  30 hours of PTO for the season, in addition to 3 federal holidays and 2 growing team shut down days. Total of 70 hours of paid PTO and Holiday leave.

 

Qualifications 

●       Responsible, dedicated, and organized individual

●       Strong work ethic and a passion for learning how to grow food and develop community

●       Ability to work early morning, evening, and weekend hours

●       Ability to hustle and thrive under pressure

●       Physically capable of manual tasks, including lifting 40 pounds

●       Some growing experience is desired, but it is not required for this position. 

●       Applicants must be CPR and First Aid certified by March 3, 2025.

Bonus Points

●       Fluency in other languages

●       Experience working in adverse conditions

●       Experience in community building, education, and volunteer leadership

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

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Deadline

December 31, 2024