We're Offering an Internship Program!!!
Susquehanna Permaculture
Internship
Program at Susquehanna Apothecary
& Urban Edge Farm
A project of Susquehanna Sustainable Enterprises LLC
When: The program is 4 months long, and takes place on 2 work days per week for 6 hours per day, totaling 12 hours per week. Participants will have the flexibility to choose which days & times suit them at the beginning of the program, but must adhere to their chosen weekly schedule unless changes are agreed upon with Susquehanna Sustainable Enterprises’ (SSE) staff. The program can accommodate 2 participants at a time and is ongoing throughout the year. Therefore new participants may enroll any time there are fewer than 2 current students, and may begin their 4 month internship from the date of their enrollment.
Where: At Susquehanna Apothecary, which is in a shared working space called Ananda Integration:
223B W. Walnut St. (in the rear, up the metal staircase)
Lancaster, PA 17603
And at Urban Edge Farm:
117 Reedy Ln.
Lancaster, PA 17603
Program Content: This is a professional internship. Participants will be expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner as though they are an employee of SSE. Participants will experience the daily processes of the farm and apothecary. Activities at the apothecary will include making plant extracts and dietary supplements such as tinctures, glycerites, salves, essential oils, powders, and capsules, as well as foraging and processing of raw herbs. This program does not focus on clinical herbalism, nor the treatment of clients/patients. The focus is on medicine-making and professional herbalism. Participants will also be expected to participate in tasks such as record keeping, customer-relations, cleaning, filling and shipping orders, etc.
Activities at the farm will include the daily process of working with agroforestry systems and techniques such as forest gardening with native riparian tree crops, edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation, biochar and compost production, as well as production of medicinal herbs for use by the apothecary, beekeeping, and growing vegetables. Participants will also be expected to participate in tasks such as weeding, tool maintenance, mulching, and maintenance and repair of farm infrastructure such as fences, irrigation, and other equipment.
Participants will also occasionally be invited to join in foraging excursions for the purpose of harvesting wild plants.
Facilitators: The program will be overseen by Benjamin Weiss (owner of SSE), Ella Usdin (apothecary manager), Seppi Garrett (assistant farm manager), as well as other SSE staff and volunteers.
Compensation: We do not offer a cash stipend for this program. Here’s what we do offer:
· Free tuition to all of our classes and workshops for a year, starting at the beginning date of your program (some restrictions may apply)
· $250 of free herbal products per month from the apothecary
· Produce from the farm, as available
· Foraged foods, herbs, and mushrooms, as available
· A certificate of completion and a professional reference
Fees: $100, due upon registration. This processing fee is non-refundable.
Housing: We do not offer housing but may be able to assist you in finding a suitable place to stay during your internship if you are from out of town.
Reviews: After the first month of the program, a participant will meet with SSE staff to review their experience. This first month will serve as a trial period. If at this time, the participant or SSE staff are dissatisfied with the outcomes of the program, the internship may be ended. If the participant is invited to remain for the further 3 months of the program, they will be expected to complete it as scheduled. Further reviews, for the purpose of providing useful feedback about the participant’s experience, will be conducted each month of the program.
Preparation: Participants should be clean and rested when they come to the apothecary or the farm. Participants should notify their instructor and cancel their workday if they have any contagious illness including a cold. Participants will be granted a 30 minute break during each 6-hour session, and should provide their own meals.
At the apothecary, the following cleanliness and hygiene standards must be maintained:
· A pair of shoes, to be used only at the apothecary, must be kept there and worn at all times during work hours at the apothecary. The soles of these shoes should be thoroughly cleaned before use at the apothecary, and should never be worn outside.
· Long hair must be tied up
· Clothing must be clean
· Gloves must be worn while handling plant matter and product ingredients
· Personal belongings, including cell phones, must be kept out of the kitchen.
At the farm, or on foraging excursions participants must bring:
· Drinking water
· Work boots
· Work gloves
· Sun screen
· Rain gear
· Clothing for varying outdoor temperatures
· Clothing that can get dirty
· Bug spray
Participants must notify their instructor before the start of the program of any serious allergies including to bee-stings.
A note on contacting me: Due to the overwhelming amount of communications I receive, I generally do not respond to any message that is not directly related to a class, design work, or other business transactions. I also feel that the current standard for "promptness" as an obligation to respond to electronic communications within a matter of hours is inconsistent with my values. So I reserve the right to take a few days to get back to you. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.