Green String Institute's Sustainable
Farming Internship Program
Green String Institute internships consist of a mixture
of hands-on experience and classroom learning. Interns
live and work at Green String Farm in Petaluma, California.
Take a look at the farm’s website
for photos and more information about the property and
about our farming practices. Interns can expect to learn
a great deal about the theory and practice of sustainable
farming and to gain an understanding of natural processes,
as well as to get a glimpse of the pleasures and rigors
of life on the farm.
Interns provide their labor in exchange for classes and
room and board. Inevitably, due to the hands-on nature
of the material being taught, it will often be difficult
to make a distinction between worktime and classtime.
Eligibility
Participants must be at least 18 years old and in good
physical condition.
Duration
Internships are three months long. Upon completion of
the first three-month period, interns may submit an application
to continue the program for a second period.
Duties
Interns are expected to work 30 hours a week, though more
work may be requested, depending on the season. Duties
vary widely and change seasonally, but always include
fieldwork of all kinds as well as regular work at our
farm store. Interns are also expected to attend all classes,
barring serious illness or other misfortune.
Classes
Classes, which may be led by Institute staff as well as
by outside lecturers, mostly focus on the central aspects
of Green String farming and farm management, but may also
cover a variety of related topics. Classes may
consist of hands-on work in the field or of time in the
classroom. Roughly four hours per week will be spent in
the classroom; the remainder of classtime will take place
in the field.
What you can expect to learn
The program covers all aspects of sustainable farming,
including:
- planting, harvesting, and proper care of the crop
- care of the environment in which the crop is grown
- proper use and maintenance of tools
- sustainable business management
-methods for improving soil health, including composting
and preparation and use of compost tea.
Room and Board
Interns are housed, 2 per bedroom, in a farmhouse at Green
String Farm.
Because a significant portion of the Green String philosophy
involves
nurturing the health of the population fed by the farm,
interns are expected
to prepare their own food, with all or nearly all ingredients
coming from the
farm. Cooking instruction will be provided, and all interns
are expected to be
involved in communal preparation of meals.
To apply:
An application form is available for download below. Please
fill it out and send it to
ross@greenstringinstitute.org.
