Gain Experience Working in Sustainable Urban Agriculture
Ecolibrium3 is a Duluth-based nonprofit whose mission is to lead and inspire change towards an equitable and sustainable future. The nonprofit accomplishes this mission by leading sustainable revitalization initiatives in Duluth’s low-income Lincoln Park neighborhood and community-wide sustainability and resiliency initiatives in energy transition, housing stock improvement, economic security, and health. The organization’s work has won numerous national awards for excellence in programming and community impact, including the White House Champion of Change for Building Resilient Communities Award, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Seeds of Change Award, and the US Conference of Mayors Outstanding Achievement Award.
The Eco3 Farm, reimagines and expands the farm at Lake Superior College into a community space that will strengthen food access and address health disparities in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It will provide urban agriculture and food education programs through the development of a greenhouse education site appropriate for winter/spring use. It will offer accessible gardening space to those who may face barriers to participation due to physical mobility, age, or income. The farm will also help support a more equitable and inclusive food system in the community in combination with the food processing space at the Lincoln Park Resilience Hub for small food entrepreneurs.
General Job Summary: The spring farm intern will work with the farm manager and other volunteers to prepare the high tunnel space for seed starting, start and grow seedlings, and help out with events on the farm! This work involves a mix of lifting, moving, organizing, planting, watering, and other tasks as necessary. The intern should be excited to work in different weather conditions and have an interest in sustainable food systems.
Essential Duties:
- All aspects of farm work: washing, seeding, shoveling, watering, transplanting, packing, etc.
- Creative problem-solving: Each day presents new challenges!
Working Conditions:
- This job operates entirely outdoors. This role regularly uses tools, machinery, and other farm equipment.
- Be prepared to farm, regardless of the weather conditions (unless deemed unsafe by the farm manager).
- Helpful to have access to a car as the bus schedule at Lake Superior College can be sparse.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs.
- Prolonged periods of standing, bending, sitting, and kneeling.
This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor are they intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Tentative timeline/hours per week:
Will vary with weather conditions and YOUR availability
March*, April, May, June*: 10 hours per week.
*late March if conditions allow to the beginning of June
If interested, please contact:
Molly Oace (she/her)
Urban Agriculture and Resilience VISTA, Ecolibrium3
218-336-1038
General Job Summary: The weekend farm intern will perform daily farm chores Saturday and Sunday from June-August. Daily chores include watering plants and opening and closing up the high tunnels (greenhouses) each morning and night (dependent on daily temperature). The intern should be observant and water crops adequately without supervision. An interest in sustainable farming is encouraged.
Essential Duties:
- Water plants in the high tunnels and in the field using hand held watering devices (hoses, watering cans) and drip irrigation (turn on and off).
- Roll up the high tunnel sides in the morning when the outside temperature hits 50℉ and roll down the sides in the evening when outside temperature falls to 50℉.
- Creative problem-solving- Each day presents new challenges!
Working Conditions:
- This job operates independently of the farm manager and farm team. You must be able to work independently and without supervision.
- This job operates entirely outdoors, regardless of the weather conditions (unless deemed unsafe by the farm manager).
- This role regularly uses tools, and other farm equipment.
- Helpful to have access to a car as the bus schedule at Lake Superior College can be sparse.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs.
- Prolonged periods of standing, bending, sitting, and kneeling.
Timeline/Hours per week:
Saturday and Sunday, June-August, up to 6 hours per weekend.
Typical Saturday schedule:
8:00-9:00 am Roll up high tunnel sides, turn on drip irrigation system, and water plants in pots
5:00-7:00pm Turn on drip irrigation, water plants in pots, roll down high tunnel sides.
If interested, please contact:
Molly Oace (she/her)
Urban Agriculture and Resilience VISTA, Ecolibrium3
218-336-1038