Organic Farm Education Internship, California

We grow 50 different fruits and vegetables ranging from perennial fruit trees to a wide variety of annual crops.

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Organic Farm Education Internship on Live Earth Farm. Interested in spending a year or more on the Central Coast of California?

Description: Live Earth Farm, established in 1996, is a 100 acre diversified, organic, family farm overlooking the Pajaro Valley in the Santa Cruz area of California.  We offer a year round CSA with 850 members during the regular season.  We grow 50 different fruits and vegetables ranging from perennial fruit trees to a wide variety of annual crops. We sell our produce at five area farmer’s markets and through our CSA program.

We are offering a Farm Educator Apprenticeship.  This apprenticeship will have a unique focus on our education programs.  The apprentice will spend at least 80% of their time on these activities and the other 20% on farm tasks.  Education programs include, but are not limited to: a weekly visit by 7th and 8th grade Montessori students, half day farm tours for students of all ages, once monthly home schooling family visits, and a diversity of community farm days.

The position will involve leading farm tours, working with ongoing farm education programs and some office work such as scheduling farm tours, processing deposits and payments, and data entry. Farm tasks include vegetable and fruit propagation and production and marketing, animal care and greenhouse management.

Qualifications: The right person for this position will be able to demonstrate experience and basic theoretical knowledge in organic and sustainable food production systems, as well as basic office skills.  Experience working with kids in an outdoor setting is a plus.  Ideally, you will have worked an entire season on a farm or garden project and be bilingual in Spanish.  This is a learning experience, we expect you to arrive with a good work ethic and a positive attitude.  Please be aware that farming is hard work and we require a full year commitment.  This is a position for someone seriously interested in sustainable farming, food, and community education.  It can serve as a stepping stone to pursue a career as an educator and/or farmer, as we offer the opportunity to learn the ropes of a small scale organic farming operation and farm education nonprofit.

Duration: We ask that you arrive on the farm by July 1.  This will give our Education Director and current apprentice an opportunity to work with you one on one.  We ask that you stay for a full year through June 2012 and ideally longer so that you can participate in the full school year cycle.

Hours: 40 hrs/wk

Compensation: $16,000/year.  A private yurt and communal living area and kitchen are available for rent for $500/mo.  We strongly encourage living on site, due to the nature of the work.  In addition, the farm will provide produce, eggs, and goat’s milk.

Application Procedure: To apply please fill out the application on our website (https://www.liveearthfarm.net/farmapprenticeships.aspx), send the application along with a resume and a cover letter describing your interests and why you would like to be an intern at Live Earth Farm to: Jessica Ridgeway, LEFeducation@baymoon.com, or call: (831)728-2032.