Urban Agriculture Internship in Denver

Urban agriculture internship: Sprout City Farms (SCF) is looking for individuals able to play an integral role in helping this urban agriculture nonprofit realize its mission and vision. SCF is at an exciting point in its development! Through the volunteered work of the founders and current board members, we are continuing work on our first one-acre farm at a public elementary school in southeast Denver called the Denver Green School. Construction of the Denver Green School Community Farm began in the spring of 2011. The organic vegetables and herbs grown at the farm are distributed to the school cafeteria, as well as to the surrounding community through a weekly farm stand and a 70-family CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Our second farm is located in Lakewood in a small community park. The Lakewood farm spans 1.25 acres and also provides for a CSA, farm stand and donates about 20% of the produce to a community food bank. Our goal is to create a sustainable and replicable model that can be applied at schools, hospitals, public housing developments, and other settings with ties to large institutions. We need interns who are not only inspired and motivated by the mission and vision of SCF, but also have the time and resources to commit to the organization. This is a great opportunity for individuals interested in being more involved in the local food movement, those aiming to develop a skill set while moving toward full-time employment in the field, and/or individuals who have the time and skills to commit to a developing non-profit organization.

Desired skills and qualifications:
1.     Ability to work as a team player.
2.     Willingness to take initiative and follow-through on tasks.
3.     Strong oral and written communication skills.
4.     Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, including students/youth, people of different cultures, etc.
5.     Pragmatic and outcome-driven, yet positive and forward thinking.
6.     Ability to physically work within a variety of conditions (i.e. endurance to work long days, in diverse weather conditions).
7.     Reliable transportation.
8.     Flexible schedule including working on weekends and nights.
9.     Punctuality.
10.   Proficiency in data entry, Microsoft Word, Excel, Social Media.

Other desired qualities:
Farming or gardening experience.
Experience working with volunteers.
Comfortable speaking in front of people and/or teaching experience.
Grant writing experience.
Multi-lingual.
Farm marketing or marketing experience.
Interest in helping develop a more sustainable and just local food system.

Duties and Responsibilities for the urban agriculture internship:
1.     Assist in planting, cultivating, maintaining, and harvesting crops and with general farm maintenance.
2.     Help ensure that the farm and its programs are staying true to SCF’s Mission, Vision and Core Values.
3.     Meet all necessary volunteer requirements of SCF (see Volunteer Packet).
4.     Assist in developing and maintaining farm-based educational and volunteer programs.
5.     Assist with CSA Program, Farm Stand, Farm to Cafeteria Program, and other community service programs & events.
6.     Assist with data entry and recording.

Time Commitment:
15-20 hours per week including some nights and weekends throughout the growing season (April 1 – October 31, but may begin as early as mid-March and end as late as mid-November).  Interns must be dedicated for the entire growing season.  This is a volunteer (unpaid) position, but interns receive a share in the CSA program valued at $400.  Requests for time off must be submitted for approval.  Approval of requests is dependent upon staff schedule coordination, and the needs of the organization.

To apply for the urban agriculture internship:
Please send cover letter and resume with 3 references to Sprout City Farms Director of Farm Operations and Education, Meg Caley, at meg@sproutcityfarms.org.  Deadline to apply is March 30th, 2016.

For more information, visit our website (www.sproutcityfarms.org) and our facebook page (www.facebook.com/sproutcityfarms).