Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm Fellowship

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Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm (BCCF) Fellow at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation in Virginia – Request for Applications, 2019

The mission of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is to perpetuate and share the gift of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon, including her residence, garden, estate and the Oak Spring Garden Library, to serve the public interest. OSGF is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being. Additional information about OSGF is available online at www.OSGF.org.

OSGF is seeking applications from individuals wishing to help plan and implement the creation of a “bio-cultural conservation farm” on up to three acres of the Rokeby Property of the Oak Spring GardenFoundation. Images and additional information about the site are available at: www.OSGF.org/BCCF. The position will have the following structure:

Schedule: Full-time beginning in late January/February. The Fellowship will be awarded for a one-year term with the possibility of an extension.

Location: Upperville, VA

Application Deadline: January 17, 2018. Applications accepted on a rolling basis and continue until filled.

Project Overview: We define a “bio-cultural conservation farm” as a farm that stewards the cultivation of heirloom and heritage vegetables and fruits, and conserves them as living plants or as seed, in order to illustrate, save and share the biological diversity of the edible plants that underpin our food system.OSGF’s Rokeby parcel is located in the north-eastern fringe of this biodiverse region, in Upperville, Virginia (mapped here). This Appalachian agro-biodiversity that will be the focus of the Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm, though the farm may also grow varieties of produce from many sources, not all of it from Appalachia.

Responsibilities: The purpose of this request for applications is to select an Oak Spring Garden Fellow who is experienced in:

• growing a wide range of fruits and vegetables
• saving seed and propagating heirloom and heritage varieties of a wide range of plant species
• who can take the lead on the planning, management, and implementation of an Appalachian-focused Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm at OSGF.

The successful applicant will plan, implement and manage the Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm. The medium-term plan is that the Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm will be the centerpiece of a diverse portfolio of programmatic activities (e.g., artists and scholars in residence, visitors using the Oak Spring Garden Library, garden and farm trainees, attendees at workshops and other meetings on the nearby Oak Spring property) on Rokeby that will celebrate the culture and biological diversity of the Oak Spring area, and of Appalachia more broadly. Therefore, the successful applicant will also have an outward-looking role and collaborative approach to the visioning and long-term use of the parcel. This will require active and creative participation in outreach to inspire, educate, and engage communities in Virginia, the Appalachian region, and beyond.

The precise and specific activities will be negotiated with the successful applicant. Our goal for 2019 is to establish the Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm with a broad range of range of produce, including Appalachian heirloom and heritage varieties for a wide range of produce for use in the Oak Spring kitchen with the excess supplied to suitable area food banks.

Timeline: The project will commence upon selection of the finalist, with the goal of launching in Winter (February/March) 2019 for the spring and summer growing season.

Qualifications: The successful applicant should have interest and experience in the following areas:

• Experience managing a vegetable and fruit garden under sustainable principles from planning and planting, through harvesting and processing.
• Experience and strong commitment to the conservation of heirloom and heritage seed-stocks, including seed saving, testing and cultivating heirloom and heritage varieties of produce, vegetables,and/or fruit trees.
• A strong interest in the cultural connections between plants and the people who cultivate them – and the many stories that highlight the broader cultural connections between plants and people.
• A team player, interested and able to work collaboratively with partners, contractors, OSGF, and others in the visioning and implementation process.
• Ability to work closely and collaboratively with the Oak Spring land management team managing the broader Rokeby landscape.

Award and Staff Support: The successful Fellow will receive a grant award of $45,000 for the first year, as well as appropriate allowances for medical and other insurance. OSGF is able to provide on-site temporary transitional accommodation of up to four months at a nominal rent of $500 per month (including utilities) for the successful applicant.

The Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm will also be supported by two six-nine month interns that will beginning/ending sometime between March through November. These interns will be paid by OSG to work on the Bio-Cultural Conservation Farm (set at $16 an hour). The final program and budget will be worked out in close consultation with Oak Spring staff with careful consideration of the available facilities. OSGF will also provide on-site accommodation for the two six-nine month interns (at no cost to the interns).

To Apply: Send a resume and two or three-page expression of interest to programs@osgf.org before the deadline, noting that applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. The expression of interest may include an introduction and narrative explaining your interest, relevant experience, and fit for the project. We are also interested in hearing how you would approach the project. What are the opportunities as you see them, and what challenges do you think are likely to be encountered?

Please direct any questions and final applications to:

Marguerite Harden, Program Officer at programs@osgf.org

 

 

• Learn more about farming and food jobs and internships, or learn how to post a job, internship, or apprenticeship opportunity on beginningfarmers.org by going to https://www.beginningfarmers.org/internship-and-employment-opportunities/