CSA FARM INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Number Available: 1
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
Position: Full Time, Paid
Duration: Summer, May 28 – August 23, 2024
The 691 acre Bayard Cutting Arboretum was the former home of William Bayard Cutting, now a New York State Park with a mission “to provide an oasis of beauty and quiet for the pleasure, rest and refreshment of those who delight in outdoor beauty; and to bring about a greater appreciation and understanding of the value and importance of informal planting.” Utilizing plans conceived by the noted landscape architectural firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, arboretum development was begun in 1887. The arboretum is internationally renowned for its extensive collection of fir, spruce, pine, cypress, hemlock, yew and other lesser known conifers. Extensive plantings of dwarf evergreens, rhododendron, azaleas, hollies and oaks, as well as perennial borders, woodland trails, coastal gardens, natural wetlands, native forest, and a CSA farm are also found in the arboretum’s vast acreage.
About the Internship
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum CSA Farm is the only Community Supported Agriculture project in the New York State Parks system. The farm is located adjacent to the estate’s original barn, on land that was the former cow pasture of the Bayard Cutting estate. Currently, the farm has 2 ½ acres under cultivation and our practices are in keeping with NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association) guidelines. The farm also cares for a flock of 150 laying hens. CSA Members enjoy weekly vegetables as well as herbs and flowers that they pick up on-site from June through October.
Farm interns will receive practical, hands-on experience in all areas of running a CSA. General duties will include seeding, planting, hand weeding, bed maintenance, watering, harvesting, organic pest control, bug scouting and working with chickens. Interns must be able to interact and engage with CSA members and park visitors in a professional manner.
We instruct and try to explain the “how” and “why” along the way. Interns will participate in every aspect of running our CSA, providing them with hands-on experience and a glimpse into the wonderful world and transformative possibilities of organic farming! Interns will learn by working side by side with our farm staff. There are opportunities for independent projects if the intern has a strong interest in seeing one to term. No previous farming experience is required, but preference is given to applicants with prior experience. We are looking for passionate, motivated and dedicated individuals who are able to work outside all season.
Application Guidelines
Send cover letter and resume to Kevin Wiecks, Director and Lisa Chalif, Farm Manager via email to kevin.wiecks@parks.ny.gov and lisa.chalif@parks.ny.gov.