Garden Harvest's Education Program
in Sustainable Agriculture

Becoming an Intern

Goal: Garden Harvest receives many requests worldwide from individuals wanting to learn how to farm in a sustainable and organic way to meet food needs in their communities.  To meet this demand, and to further the mission of alleviating hunger and promoting long term food security, Garden Harvest has developed a comprehensive apprenticeship program.

Program Description: The apprenticeship program is a comprehensive and intensive education and training in the theory and practice of sustainable agriculture.  Because Garden Harvest has over 75 tillable acres, there are a number of different microclimates and soil types, thereby affording the apprentices the opportunity to experience both small scale, intensive biodynamic methods as well as the large scale, no-till mechanized system of sustainable agriculture.  Topics covered in the classroom as well as in the field in include, but are not limited to:

·        The care and maintenance of fruit trees – apples, peaches, Asian pears, cherries, and plums;

·        The planting, maintenance, and harvesting of annual vegetable and fruit crops; 

·        The integration of animals into the food production system

·        Beekeeping 

·        Soil regeneration, including methods of soil testing, composting, mulching

·        Cover crop/green manure management

·        No-till sustainable agriculture theory and methodology

·      Running a commercial cut flower business

·        Organic pest and disease control 

Practical Details:

Time Period:  For local apprentices, the program runs from June 1st through September 1st each year. We do accept a few live-in apprentices each year who can start as early as March 21st up through November 15th.  We require a minimum commitment of one month for any live-in apprentice.

Commitment:  Apprentices work 40-55 hours a week, depending on the time of year.   

Qualifications: No previous experience is required, though preference is given to those who demonstrate knowledge or skills in organic farming, those who are used to hard physical work, and those who have a history of performing some form of community service.  Two job references are required to verify general work performance (can be in unrelated fields).

Benefits:  include: 1) Extensive training and education in all aspects of organic farming/sustainable agriculture, with an emphasis on animal husbandry;  2)  Development of supervisory skills;  3)  Experience in the operation of a not-for-profit organization; 4)  Exposure to issues of hunger, homelessness, and famine prevention;  5) Monthly stipend, the amount dependent on experience.

Application procedure: 
First submit the on-line apprenticeship application. You will be contacted by telephone or by e-mail to verify our receipt of your application and to proceed with the application process. If there are still slots available for the season in which you are applying, you will be asked to send a copy of your birth certificate, two letters of reference, and to schedule an interview, in person if possible, to assess the suitability of this program for you.