Agriculture Supported Communities Internship Positions At the Rodale Institute

We are now accepting applications for Internship Positions in our Agriculture Supported Communities (ASC) Program for the 2013 growing season.  The ASC Program is a modified farm share program offering affordable payment plans to make fresh, local, organic produce accessible to just about anyone in the community.
Internship participants will be trained and involved in every aspect of setting up, producing, and running a small local organic grower’s business.  The ASC Program focuses on hands-on training in seed starting, greenhouse production & seasonal extensions, transplanting, pest & weed management, soil health, introduction to large equipment, harvesting, processing, marketing, customer relations, and working with community partners.  In addition the internship program will follow a comprehensive curriculum exposing participants to additional training in business planning & marketing, nutrition education, and designing a crop plan.
The Rodale Institute is also a Mentor Farm in the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) Program of the Tri-State Area.  Interns will be required to attend a series of 6 workshops throughout the season at participating partner farms to round out their educational experience.
Individuals who are serious about taking the next steps towards starting their own sustainable, organic growers business in their own communities should apply.  Interns will graduate from the 8-month program (April – November) considered an Ambassador of the Rodale Institute and can expect a continued developing relationship with our organization.
Applicants should have some farm/gardening experience, be able to lift up to 40 lbs, and expect to be working in seasonal environmental elements.
Interns will receive housing, a seasonal produce share, and a modest food stipend in exchange for 40 hours per week.  Individuals from urban areas are encouraged to apply (i.e. Philadelphia, Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York, etc)
Please send completed application, resume and cover letter to Cynthia James, Food Production Specialist at the Rodale Institute.
[email protected]
Rodale Institute (www.rodaleinstitute.org), in Kutztown, PA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1947 by organic pioneer J.I. Rodale to study the link between healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people.  Since then, the Rodale Institute has been dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research, education and outreach. For over sixty years, we’ve been researching the best practices of organic agriculture and sharing our findings with farmers and scientists throughout the world, advocating for policies that support farmers, and educating consumers about how going organic is the healthiest option for people and the planet.
Rodale Institute is an equal opportunity employer.