2022 Urban Farm Apprenticeship Job Posting
About the organization:
Novick Urban Farm is a 501c3 educational production farm located on 1.3 acres in South Philadelphia, with a dual mission of providing healthy food access and education. With a focus on community outreach through our low-cost farm market, we are dedicated to supporting and preserving food traditions that reflect the multi-cultural landscape of our neighborhood. The farm’s educational programs provide children’s groups and people of all ages hands-on experiences focused on sustainability, biodiversity, and nutrition.
Position Description:
The Urban Farm Apprentice’s responsibility will focus mainly on physical farming tasks and helping to prepare our farmer’s market (May-October). The Farm Apprentice will have the opportunity to learn about organic vegetable production while they work in the farm fields, hoop house, and pollinator gardens. Work will include preparing beds, weeding, mulching, planting crops, harvesting, construction projects, etc. The second primary responsibility is to help prepare for our low-cost farm stand, which starts on May 25th and continues every Wednesday in Mifflin Square Park through the end of October/first week of November. Our farm stand is our primary means of providing access to fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate produce to the local community.
Urban Farm Apprentice Duties:
Farm Management and Production
- Assist lead farmer in all components of crop production (harvesting, planting, weeding, mulching, etc.)
- Learn about and help with crop planning and sustainable growing
- Possible art and construction projects (compost, painting, hoop house, outdoor kitchen)
- Manage one-time volunteers at the farm, oversee certain tasks
Community Outreach
- Assist with marketing tasks like handing out flyers or taking photos during programming
- Opportunity to assist with farm social media, if desired
Market Sales
- Assist with sale of produce at our low-cost farm stand, Wednesday afternoons (starting May 25th)
- Restocking market tables to keep baskets of produce full to meet customer demands
Knowledge and Skills the Apprentice May Acquire:
- Gain skills and understanding of organic food starts, heirloom tomatoes, and veggies
- Small scale organic vegetable production techniques
- The ability to work in a dynamic environment: this includes being comfortable changing tasks, working/leading diverse groups and feeling confident with a diverse population
- Creating a positive atmosphere for the interaction of diverse populations
- Sales and customer service experience
Structure of Apprenticeship:
- Apprenticeship duration is dependent on the applicant's schedule. We are looking for people who can commit for three (or more) months, during one or more of the following timeframes:
March through May
June through August
September through November
- Can begin as early as March 7th (weather dependent).
- Apprentice position is 7 - 10 hours per week. Note: hours can vary somewhat, based on the person’s schedule and needs. Note: Required availability will be on Tuesday mornings (harvest) starting May 10th.
- Apprentices will be working closely with the Farm Manager who will oversee all daily activities.
Benefits of Apprenticing with Novick Urban Farm:
- Hands-on experience making a positive impact in the lives of children, teens, and adults
- Friendly, relaxed environment
- Develop marketable skills
- Learn about sustainable, organic food production in Philadelphia
- Fresh vegetables from the garden as the season permits
- This is an unpaid internship
Qualifications:
We are looking for someone with an interest in urban farming and sustainability in Philadelphia. We are also looking for someone who enjoys working as part of a diverse team. Basic experience in gardening is preferred, but not required. Beginning on May 10th, apprentices will be expected to assist primarily with our harvest (Tuesday mornings, around 8:00-12:00). Apprentices must be able to get down to our farm in deep South Philly (Stadium District). The apprentice should enjoy working outside in a range of weather conditions and be able to serve as a mature, healthy role model for children and teens. Our staff and youth enjoy their time together on the farm and we’d love for someone with a sense of humor to join us while we have fun and do good work. This person must be responsible, dedicated and organized. This experience is a great opportunity for someone interested in a job in urban agriculture, environmental science, or community organizing. We are also open to shaping the apprenticeship to fit the applicant’s skills and interest, including but not limited to community outreach, marketing, and/or non-profit management.
To apply:
Please send a brief cover letter and resume to the Farm Team, at novickfarm@gmail.com, with the subject line: Urban Farm Apprenticeship.
A note about COVID-19:
The Novick Urban Farm staff are taking COVID-19 very seriously and will expect apprenticeships to do the same. We successfully hosted apprentices during both pandemic seasons and are well prepared to make this experience as safe as possible for everyone involved. We can provide disposable masks and hand sanitizer, and we regularly sanitize all farm tools. Being an outdoor location allows us to easily maintain safe physical distance, and we will continue to limit our volunteer/visitor group sizes per CDC recommendations until it is safe to return to normal operations. For the moment, our educational visits are on pause, and we are spending the majority of our focus on farming. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns about our current COVID-19 safety protocol.
