This position has been filled.
Bees N Blooms will be hiring an intern for the season this year. Please forward this position description to those whom you think may be interested and qualified. Thank you!
Position Available: Agricultural Operations Intern for the 2022 season
Bees N Blooms is an 11-acre, CCOF-Certified Organic farm in Sonoma County just south of Santa Rosa at 3883 Petaluma Hill Road. Established in 2016, the farm has a diversity of integrated activities, including the production of lavender and lavender products, vegetables, and ornamental trees and landscaping plants. We have 5-10 colonies of bees on the property, 22 chickens, 13 ducks and 13 geese, with new goslings expected in the spring! We sell our farm products through our on-site farm stand. Our Lavender Labyrinth is the center of our agritourism work, and we open the farm to the public and host events such as weddings, picnics, retreats, tour group visits, and more. We celebrate our lavender bloom time from mid-May to mid-July with Lavender Daze, when the farm is open to the public and the farm is looking fabulous. The big lavender harvest is in late July/early August. We are looking for someone who loves interacting with people and wants to learn about organic farming, nursery plant production, pollinators, and agritourism.
Anticipated start date: Early May, 2022. An earlier start date is possible.
Anticipated end date: Mid to late August, 2022.
Number of positions: 1 or 2 (if a couple)
To apply: Please send the following by email to admin@beesnblooms.com by January 31, 2022.
- Resume: Briefly describe your educational and employment experience, skills, and interests. Please also provide the name, relationship, and contact info for three references.
- Cover letter: Please include a paragraph or two in your cover letter describing why this internship is of interest to you and why you think it might be a good fit with your goals and aspirations for the future.
- Transcript: Please have your undergraduate institution send a transcript of the classes you have taken and the grades earned.
If a good match seems possible, we will ask you for a Zoom interview, followed by a visit to the Bees N Blooms farm if you are within driving range. To ensure your application will be fully considered, please submit by January 31, 2022. Applications received after this date may be considered if an appropriate candidate has not yet been found.
Internship Details:
The Agricultural Operations Intern will work side-by-side with the BNB Farm Manager and the Owner to learn about regenerative organic farming, nursery plant production, farm maintenance, livestock care, and agritourism.
Lavender, Flower, and Vegetable Production
The intern will assist with planting, weeding, feeding, irrigating, and other maintenance of the Lavender Labyrinth, our 1-acre lavender field, the Flower Gardens, and the vegetable garden.
Nursery Plant Production
The intern will assist with all aspects of plant production and care, including:
- Seeding, transplanting, and propagating plants from cuttings
- Ensure that plants in the field and greenhouse are properly watered, fed, weeded, and protected from pests
- Preparation of plants for sale, including labeling and transport to farm stand
Farm Maintenance
The intern will assist with all aspects of farm maintenance and will participate in the following:
- Soil testing and interpretation of results
- Weeding, weed-wacking, and mowing
- Planning, installing, repairing, and maintaining drip irrigation systems
- Pest management, esp. rodent control
- Assisting with light construction and repairs
- Assisting with livestock care
Agritourism
The intern will assist with Lavender Daze and private events, including:
- Farm stand operation
- Preparing farm products for sale
- Conducting tours
- Assisting with planning, setup, and take-down of event areas for events
The Business End of Farming
In order to get a comprehensive view of what running a farm involves, the intern will assist with administrative tasks, develop an Organic Systems Plan, develop a marketing plan for a product, and learn about tools for time management, planning, and accounting. The intern will also learn the basics of farm tax planning.
Beekeeping
If desired, the intern will have the opportunity to learn about beekeeping and assist with the colonies throughout the summer.
The Project
As a capstone learning experience, the intern will select a parcel of land of their choice for which to develop a farm plan, and over the course of the internship will:
- Evaluate the land and the soils to determine the best agricultural use of the land
- Develop the farm layout and decide what type(s) of farm products will be produced
- Evaluate groundwater availability and develop water use estimates and irrigation layouts,
- Develop an Organic Systems Plan for the parcel
- Develop a marketing plan for the farm products and value-added farm products
- Develop a budget and a 5-year plan for profitability, including some aspect of agritourism in the plan.
Qualifications:
- At least two years of undergraduate education
- Self-motivated, taking initiative to recognize and implement tasks that need to be done
- Ability to maintain a professional and positive attitude
- Ability to interface with the public
- Ability to work independently, as well as in a team setting.
- Able to maintain a lively pace of work each day
- Strong attention to detail and organization
- Interest in learning new skills
- Ability to use computer systems and learn the necessary software to accomplish tasks
- Ability to work under challenging ergonomic conditions, including frequent crouching, bending, and kneeling
- Ability to lift loads of 60 lbs, such as bags of concrete and trees in pots
- Willing and able to work outside in all weather
- Must be a legal resident of the USA
- Must speak English well. Spanish language is a plus.
Employment Status, Time Commitment, Work Schedule and Reporting
The work will average 35 hours per week, with start times/days mutually agreed upon. Some weeks may require more time, depending on the seasonal demand. Some flexibility in hours is possible. Weekend work will be required during our Lavender Daze open-farm dates (mid-May through mid-July) and occasionally outside of those dates. An additional five hours per week will be devoted to classroom and field instruction in various topics, to provide the intern a broad base of knowledge of farming skills needed to succeed.
Stipend: Intern will be provided with private housing (an RV trailer with kitchen and bathroom) and a $1,000 per month stipend. While meals will generally not be provided, the intern will have access to farm produce and eggs.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Bees N Blooms is committed to equal employment opportunities. We do not discriminate based on an individual’s race, sex, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or on any other basis prohibited by law.
