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Ecology Action offers 8-month internship programs where qualified participants who want to be key GROW BIOINTENSIVE resources for their region can get involved in hands-on demonstration, teaching and research in sustainable agriculture and closed-system food production at one of our teaching sites.
In 2021 the program will be online, in a Zoom-based format. Full information and application form here.
Through these programs, participants learn to use the unique, closed-loop, soil-building, resource-conserving, sustainble organic approach to food production developed by Ecology Action and master farmer John Jeavons over almost 50 years of research and applied farming. In addition, they learn about positive social solutions and practical skills to address food security issues. The internship focuses exclusively on the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming technique and the low-technology lifestyle appropriate to development work, and results in certification as a GROW BIOINTENSIVE teacher. The 8-month programs begin in April and run through November of each year.
These internships are intended for people who already have an established understanding of the GROW BIOINTENSIVE (GB) method and want to take their skills to the next level. Specifically, we have developed these internships for people who:
- Have already taken a workshop or other course in the GB method, or are involved in established projects and programs that use the GB method already;
- Are interested in an in-depth understanding and experience of why GROW BIOINTENSIVE works and how to modify it for other climates, soils and cultures; and
- Expect to be actively involved in public service in this kind of work (with selective preference given to those who have a strong interest in applied sustainable farming and/or demonstrate a significant ability to use the skills they gain through an internship to benefit their communities and the planet).
Our internship programs are an opportunity for you to assist Ecology Action in its mission to teach people to grow food and increase soil fertility while conserving resources, with both direct and indirect learning occurring in the process. During the internship, emphasis is placed on the ability of participants to learn to farm and develop GROW BIOINTENSIVE diet and sustainability designs and approaches, in the belief that the most creativity and strength come from people joining forces and working as a team after they have fully developed strength and independence. We have found that skill levels can be dramatically upgraded with this type of training.
Click here for full information on available Internships.
Apprenticeships
The purposes of the apprentice program are to better enable the apprentice to learn in-depth about GROW BIOINTENSIVE sustainable mini-farming and understand the most effective and sustainable farming practices for a given situation as well as to train teachers, and program and project staff. This three-year commitment requires energy, responsibility, and self-motivation. An apprentice will study and work full-time under the guidance of Ecology Action staff and participate in research and education opportunities within and without the garden. If you want to learn more about an apprenticeship, there is an in-depth discussion of the program in our Apprentice Opportunities Booklet.
Apprenticeship Prerequisites: The steps to becoming an apprentice are found in detail in the booklet. Briefly, they are:
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Read the basic Ecology Action publications (The Sustainable Vegetable Garden, How to Grow More Vegetables, The Backyard Homestead, and Booklets #0, 9, 14, 19, 21)
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Attend one of Ecology Action’s tours and/or GROW BIOINTENSIVE workshops, see Events
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Submit an application as described in the Apprentice Opportunities Booklet
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