Summer Nursery Internship for Youth: Apply by May 30th

[Grace McRae-Okine]

http://eya.ca/nursery-intern-program.html

 Community Nursery Youth Internship

For youth aged 14-18

Learn everything you need to know to grow your own food. Get hands on experience working in an organic vegetable garden and community orchard. Help maintain 2 greenhouses. Help grow thousands of vegetable plants for under-served communities in East Vancouver. Meet like-minded youth from around Vancouver. Earn $150 for your time and community service hours towards graduation.

 Interns will be expected to commit to two sessions, for a total 5 hours per week for a 12 week period from June to August. At the completion of the program, apprentices will receive a certificate and reference from the Environmental Youth Alliance, along with a cheque for $150.

To apply to the Community Nursery Youth Internship, please email a resume and brief cover letter explaining why you'd like to be a part of the program to:

 Rebecca Martin, reb...@eya.ca

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

May 30th  

 

Program Outline:

Week 1 - Growing from Seed: Learn how to propagate commonly grown vegetables from seed. Mix your own potting soil and start seeds in pots in this introductory week.

Week 2 - Soil Ecology: Dig in and discover how to build a healthy soil ecology, including making friends with insects, fungi and bacteria.

Week 3 – Composting: Manage the breakdown of garden and food waste and turn it into gardener's gold. 

Week 4 - Organic Growing Principles: Find out why organic matters and practice specific organic methods for getting the most out of your food production sustainably.

Week 5 - Pest and disease control: Learn how to prevent pests and disease first, and earth-friendly tactics for when it does happen.

Week 6 - Field Trip: We’ll take a trip to a professional urban agriculture operation to take a look at how the pros do it.

Week 7 - Selling for market: Engage with community members, tell our story and sell some of the plants you’ve grown at a farmers market.

Week 8 - Perennial propagation from cuttings: Learn and practice this method of perennial plant propagation on native plants and herbs.

Week 9 – Orchards: Maintain the Community Orchard and learn about perennial food production, food forestry and the integrated design system known as permaculture.

Week 10 – Pollination and Bees: Spend some time with a hive of honeybees, very important insects that help produce much of the food we eat.

Week 11 - Winter growing: Learn the keys to growing food throughout the colder months so you can grow a four-season harvest.

Week 12 - Saving seeds: Our last week focuses on the cycle of growth and how to save seeds for next season. Together we’ll celebrate your completion of the program!