Student Internships

Grinnell Area Local Food Alliance and Community Supported Agriculture Summer Internship provides an excellent opportunity to learn about local food systems, Iowa agriculture, and local farmers. It demands a variety of interpersonal skills and entails diverse tasks. The intern will report to both the director of the Center for Prairie Studies and Brenda Dunham, coordinator of the Compass Plant Community Supported Agriculture project.

1. Learn about other CSAs in the Midwest and generate ideas for improving the Compass Plant CSA. (approx. 6 hours/week)

2. Assist Ann Brau, one of the CSA growers, with vegetable harvesting each Tuesday in the process learning about the plants, gardening techniques, harvesting procedures, and food preparation. Interaction with Ann and her family. (approx. 5.5 hours each week)

2. Assist with weekly share pickup every Tuesday from 4:30-7:00 p.m. at Dunham farm, located at 16th and Penrose in Northeast Grinnell. (approx. 2.5 hours/week)

3. Coordinate the campus garden located on Park Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. (approx. 10-12 hours/week)

4. Promote the CSA by communicating with individuals and organizations interested in it, engaging in outreach, and making new contacts. (approx. 5 hours/week)

5. Assist with the GALFA initiative where needed. (approx. 3 hours/week)

6. Learn about Iowa agriculture and the nation's food system in general through guided reading and field trips. (6 hours/week)

Application deadline was February 8, 2008.

Diversity Farms, Inc. is a private natural resource consulting and management business. The business works with private landowners, business, organizations, and agencies to enhance native prairie, woodlands and wetlands. The business is located in southern Carroll County, near Dedham, Iowa. Intern Duties would be to help with prairie burns, planting prairie seed, collecting prairie seed, cleaning prairie seed, removal of alien weeds from prairie areas, and removal of woody species from prairies. Educational opportunities would be to learn the technique and function of prescribed burns, prairie and weed species identification, prairie restoration and reconstruction techniques, exotic weed and woody species control techniques, and the business of land management, prairie restoration, and prairie seed sales. For further information contact Jon Judson; 25494 320th Street; Dedham, Iowa 51440. Phone: (712) 683-5555. Email: diversityfarms@iowatelecom.net.

Living History Farms, a non-profit, historical and education museum, tells the amazing story of how Iowans combined hard work and technology to transform the fertile prairies of the Midwest into the most productive farmland in the world. Living History Farms provides summer internships for 20 to 25 students (upon completion of their freshman year). Interns earn $2,000 and six hours of tuition-free history credit for their work. Living History Farms pays all tuition costs associated with the summer internship program. Credit is offered through the History Department of Graceland University and at the conclusion of the internship students may transfer the credit hours to their own program. Summer interns work as historical interpreters, day camp counselors, or public information and marketing interns. Application deadline was February. For more information, see the Living History Farms internship web page or contact Leo Landis (Historical Interpreters) 515-278-5286 ext. 130; Carol Wise (Day Camp Counselors) 515-278-5286 ext. 138; Tracy Bainter (Public Information & Marketing Interns) 515-278-5286 ext. 114; or Nancy Wente (All other applications) 515-278-5286 ext. 119.

One Step at a Time Gardens located in southern Hancock County, provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the value of local food first hand from the workings of a direct market farm. One Step at a Time Gardens has space for two interns this summer. Both interns will be involved with a wide range of the farm’s operation – from vegetable planting and harvest to marketing and managing the farm’s pastured poultry flocks and more.Both Jan and Tim are heavily involved in local food and sustainable agriculture organization at regional and state level. The farm has hosted interns since 2003 and developed an effective mix of hands-on experience and focused discussion and introduction to resources and networking.

Compensation - A stipend of $650/month plus an end-of -season bonus for completing the season.

Housing – a small house provides complete housing, two separate bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, and bathroom.

Board – One shared noon meal Monday through Friday provided by the farm. Access to garden produce.

To Apply: Send resume with three references and a cover letter listing your goals for the internship to Jan and Tim at the above address or email.

Supervisor: Jan Libbey and Tim Landgraf; 1465 120 th St., Kanawha, IA 50447.

Phone: 641/495-6367 - E-mail: libland@frontiernet.net
www.ostgardens.com

Sunflower Fields
GROWN Locally, a community farming cooperative
Contact Michael Nash or Solveig Hanson ('01)
776 Old Stage Road; Postville, IA 52162

Phone: 563-864-3847
Internship Details

The Land Institute, an independent environmental NGO, is developing new, perennial grain crops to make it easier for future farmers to conserve soil, energy and biodiversity. Seasonal research-assistants play an important role in our plant breeding, agroecology and soil science research. Positions are available year round and involve a mix of field labor (often in extreme heat/sun/wind), farm machinery operation, greenhouse work and (often repetitive) laboratory/data procedures. The exact mix depends on the time of year and an applicant’s skills and experience.  For general  information, contact The Land Institute; 2440 E. Water Well Road; Salina, KS 67401. Phone: (785)823-5376. Fax: (785)823-8728. E-mail: Development@LandInstitute.org. To arrange an internship or to apply for a seasonal position, please contact David Van Tassel (vantassel@landinstitute.org).