Internship Opportunities Spring/Summer 2016 Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture operates an innovative nonprofit farm and education center, and works to create a healthy, resilient food system. Open to the public since 2004, Stone Barns is a laboratory for sustainable agriculture and for ideas that can create a new food future that is better for people, communities and the environment. By training farmers, educating children and raising public awareness, we aim to change the way America eats and farms. Stone Barns Center welcomes interns who are dedicated to our mission. We accept internship applications on a rolling basis. EDUCATION: EDUCATION INTERNSHIP Availability Requirements: Internship duration is 1 2 months. Must be available weekdays. Stone Barns Center seeks a motivated individual to work and learn alongside our team of education staff. The education intern will learn about best practices in experiential farm-based education, observe and teach field trip programs for K-12 students, assist with summer camp, and meet regularly with a mentor for feedback. Education programs are designed to integrate a farm tour, hands-on learning in the form of a seasonal farm chore, and/or an activity that encourages students to develop literacy skills related to ecological community-based food production. The farm can be used to teach concepts ranging from life cycles to biodiversity to seed breeding, and our educators offer developmentally appropriate and engaging farm experiences that enrich classroom learning. The intern will complete a project designed in collaboration with the education programs staff. Project opportunities include: Design new indoor learning experiences as companion lessons for existing programs Research and report on cutting-edge experiential education practices Design new post-trip material for school classrooms Create lessons and lesson materials for our Summer Farm Camp program
Desired Skills and Experience The successful candidate will enjoy working with children in an outdoor setting and be excited about learning. Candidates should be enthusiastic, flexible and creative. Experience and/or education in Environmental Studies, Education, Agriculture, Museum Studies, Nutrition or a related field is preferred. MARKETING: MARKETING INTERN Availability:. Minimum requirement is 20 hours/week. Internship duration is 2 3 months. Join the Stone Barns Center marketing team and assist in creating communication that connects people to our work, drives fundraising campaigns, tells stories, engages members and reaches new supporters and partners. This is a rich and interesting learning opportunity for a candidate looking to strengthen creative marketing skills and build community. - Creating and implementing social media strategies - Contributing to the Stone Barns Center iphone app - Developing weekly content for CSA (community-supported agriculture) members - Taking photos of work around the farm - Organizing the Center s photo archive Desired Skills and Experience - At least two years of college education - Experience using social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and instagram - Excellent writing and communication skills - Enthusiasm for sustainable agriculture and related fields - Some camera and Photoshop knowledge FOUR SEASON FARM: FIELD INTERN Availability: Minimum requirement is 20 hours/week. Internship duration is 1 month. By working in partnership with the environment, instead of resisting its natural tendencies, Stone Barns Center farmers produce food without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Our only amendments to the soil are compost, minerals and organic material. We use an intensively managed rotation method in our garden and greenhouse beds, preserving the soil and locking in important nutrients. - Gaining an understanding of the technical skills necessary to grow, harvest and process a diversity of high quality vegetables on a 5.5 acre growing space
- Learning and performing all of the daily field operations with the guidance of the field foreman and field apprentices - An introduction to the following skills and concepts: o Regenerative and organic farming philosophy o Bed preparation o Hand weeding o Transplanting o Plant maintenance, pruning, irrigation and care for living plants o Harvesting techniques o Processing techniques o Preparing vegetables for CSA boxes and other markets o Care of tools and other farm equipment - Ability to work at least twenty hours, or three days a week (Monday Friday) for one month. Interns must have their own housing and transportation to and from the farm. - Willingness to work outside in adverse weather FOUR SEASON FARM: GREENHOUSE PROPAGATION INTERN Availability Requirements: Minimum requirement is 20 hours/week. Internship duration is 1 month. Mondays Fridays, between 8 am and 4 pm. Saturdays are possible. Hours are flexible. The Greenhouse operation at Stone Barns Center is a unique, innovative and diverse growing environment, which produces superior quality vegetables year-round in a ½ acre ecologically managed, soil-based system. Plant propagation is the careful work of creating new plants from a variety of sources, e.g. seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plants parts. This intern will learn the techniques and methods of caring for an ecologically sound propagation greenhouse for diversified four-season farm production. - Seeding - Transplanting - General greenhouse tasks - Assisting Greenhouse Propagation Apprentice - Basic interest in horticulture - Available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, totaling at least twenty hours a week for one month
- Interns must have their own housing and transportation to and from the farm FOUR SEASON GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION INTERN Availability Requirements: Mondays Fridays 8 am 4 pm. Saturdays are possible. Minimum requirement is 20 hours/week. Internship duration is 1 month. This internship provides experience in compost-based, soil-grown plant production. Stone Barns Center s greenhouse produces year round, with constant weekly planting and harvesting cycles. This intern will focus on production and care of this intensive, ecologically managed greenhouse, and learn technical greenhouse production skills through a diversity of seasonal tasks. This is a unique year round growing environment that offers on-going learning opportunities for practicing advanced horticultural techniques. - Garden bed preparation - Planting - Transplanting - Harvesting - Processing - General greenhouse tasks - Assisting the Greenhouse Production Apprentice - Basic interest in horticulture - Capable of lifting 50 lbs. - Ability to use hand tools - Ability to work at least twenty hours, or three days a week (Monday Friday) for one month - Interns must have their own housing and transportation to and from the farm FOUR SEASON FARM: HERB AND FLOWERS INTERN Availability Requirements: Minimum requirement is 15 hours/week. Internship duration is 1 month. This internship focuses on annual and perennial cut flower and herb production on about an acre and a half of garden, field and greenhouse space parceled throughout the Stone Barns Center property. Interns will work alongside an apprentice under the direction of Shannon Algiere, Flower and Herb Grower. Tasks are centered in ecological garden practices, which will provide opportunities for learning about plant identification, flower and herb cultivation and garden maintenance.
- Weeding - Mulching Harvesting - General plant maintenance - - Physically active and capable of moderate lifting - Clear and effective communicator - Willingness to work outside in adverse, hot or sunny weather conditions FOUR SEASON FARM: FORMAL GARDENS INTERN Availability Requirements: Minimum requirement is 20 hours/week. Internship duration is 1 month. This internship focuses on formal edible and educational horticulture; it offers a hands-on, intensive overview of interactive horticulture under the direction of Stone Barns Head Gardener Laura Perkins. This intern will take part in a variety of horticultural activities and will include light landscaping activities, organic soil preparation, garden maintenance, and vegetable, herb, flower and fruit culture. - Gain experience managing demonstration and habitat gardens - Cultivate and harvest edible perennial and annual crops in the landscape - Manage an orchard - Maintain the landscape to provide an inviting, safe, and educational experience for visitors - Gain experience working with kids in a natural setting and educate them about agriculture and environment - Capable of lifting a minimum of 40 lbs. - Ability to work safely under all weather conditions - Ability to begin work by 8 am and work at least twenty hours, or three days a week (Monday Friday) for one month. - Interns must have their own housing and transportation to and from the farm.