Fall Farm Intern
Duration: Minimum 10 days and a maximum of 2 months.
Reports To: Executive Director and on-site Groundwork Staff
Job Objective: Participate in the aspects of Groundwork’s operations to support the 2022 growing season while learning about local food systems. This includes but isn’t limited to attending the local farmers market on Tuesday evening, spending time on the farm to weed, plant, harvest and collect seeds, and move irrigation.
Qualifications:
- A passion for the Groundwork mission, for place-based living, and. Familiarity with literature that informs Groundwork’s mission and values, including but not limited to E.F. Shumaker, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Joanna Macy, Gary Snyder, and Vandana Shiva.
- An interest in organic agriculture and familiarity with environmental studies, climate science, ecology, economics, and the cultural, social, economic, and political issues surrounding climate change.
- Must be able to work and problem-solve independently and as part of a team.
- Strong verbal communication skills are important.
- Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. Examples include but are not limited to compost buckets and irrigation systems.
- Curiosity, commitment to treating internship as learning experience
- Ability to safely and successfully perform manual labor in varying weather conditions at an altitude over 5,000 ft and with rising temperatures.
- Flexibility to do multiple on-farm tasks
Responsibilities:
- The farm interns will help Groundwork in all aspects of the farm including irrigation maintenance, trellis construction, plant care, grass picking, weeding, harvesting, washing produce, seed storage, seed preservation, keeping updated records, public events and workshops, preparing produce for markets, and staffing market booths.
- Interns are expected to learn quickly and perform work in a thorough and efficient manner.
- Interns are expected to work 20 hours per week.
- The work will be hard and some days will be long, interns will need to be team players in accomplishing daily tasks.
- Work with other Groundwork staff and interns to help manage the farm.
- May be asked to work independently for up to 2 weeks during the internship as other Groundwork staff may be traveling.
- Beginning in September, Interns should anticipate farm work to include seed collecting and sorting.
Hours: 15-20 hours per week
Compensation: Unpaid internship. Groundwork will provide Farm Interns staple foods for three nutritious meals per day, largely to be cooked and eaten communally. Groundwork will provide use of a bicycle, and potential use of a farm truck as needed. Access to communal house including access to utilities such as a bathroom and shower, kitchen, and living room space are available for Intern use. Interns will have the chance to camp on the farm property, a short walk to the home, surrounded by the North Fork of the Gunnison River and starry night skies.
Starting Date: Any time in this date range: August 20, 2023 – Mid October 2023
Ending Date: Flexible. Interns are expected to commit to a minimum of 10 days at working on the farm with the opportunity to extend.
Contact: Jeff Wagner, Executive Director. Send inquiries through our contact form.