Green String Institute - California USA Petaluma - Volunteers Base - Free Volunteering and Work Exchange Opportunities.

Location: Petaluma, United States

Green String Institute (and its physical manifestation, Green String Farm) was founded in 2000 by Fred Cline and Bob Cannard. The Institute, and the idea of green string farming, was born when Cline and Cannard noticed that the concept of organic agriculture, as it rose in popularity, became bleached of its meaning. To Cannard, one of the instigators of the organic movement in California, the term organic meant that produce should be locally grown, with respect for the environment and the planet. It meant that food should not travel across countries or continents from farm to table. It meant the use of compost and cover cropping and crop rotation and other practices that enrich the soil so that the fields become richer and more fertile year after year. Now, however, with the advent of USDA Organic certification, organic production is beyond the means of many small farmers who do not have the means or cannot afford the time and trouble required to obtain certification. Moreover, once obtained, the certification means very little. When factory farms are adapting conventional farming methods to fit organic certification, and then shipping their produce around the world, the spirit of 'organic' agriculture is gone. The purpose of Green String Institute is to renew that spirit under a new name. Farmers who are certified green string may or may not be certified organic, but they exceed the requirements put forth by organic certifying agencies. They grow food that is vital and vibrant and healthful, and they do it with respect for their surroundings.

Internship Program

Our internship program is a unique opportunity for future farmers to get training in sustainable farming. Ten-sixteen interns join the Green String family for three months, to live, learn, work, and play.
Work

Interns work in the mornings helping out in the fields, in the farm store, and with special projects. We aim to involve interns in as many aspects of farm work as possible to build a breadth of experience.

Farm work includes:

harvesting fruits and vegetables
caring for egg-laying chickens
weeding, hoeing, and competition control
site maintenance
assisting in the farm store

Interns are help on the weekends with farm responsibilities, farm store, events and caring for animals -- chickens don't take weekends off! We expect interns not to have outside jobs during their time here.
Classes

Interns have lessons most weekday afternoons. Bob Cannard teaches the majority of lessons, and covers all practical aspects of natural process farming, from seed selection and pruning to tool maintenance and farm finances.

Occasionally, interns receive lessons from guest instructors on topics of agronomy, apiology, compost tea, iron works, wine making, nutrition, business, special events, marketing and community outreach.

Compensation

Each group of interns lives in a four-bedroom house on the farm. Interns receive a stipend of about $50 per week.* We provide seasonal vegetables and fruit from the farm, as well as a limited amount of eggs, olive oil, meat, and preserves that Green String produces. Staple foods such as beans, flours, sugar, and grains are provided.

* Technically, interns are employees of Green String Farm and will have tuition, room, and board deducted from their paychecks, leaving them with about $50 per week.
Eligibility

Participants must be at least 18 years old, legally permitted to work in the US, and in good physical condition.
Terms

We host interns year-round. Work activities vary from season to season, but all interns receive the same basic instruction.

Please do not apply unless you can commit to the entire three-month term.

Fall
September to November
Winter
December to February
Spring
March to May
Summer
June to August

To apply

As much as we'd like to accommodate every person who wants to participate in our program, limited space makes that impossible. We try to select applicants who will get the most out of the internship experience.

See more in http://greenstringinstitute.org/internships.html