UpS Internship Program
Hard Working? Motivated to learn about medicinal plants?Want an opportunity to live and work on United Plant Savers' 360-acre Botanical Sanctuary in Ohio?
Join us in our UpS Sanctuary Intern Program!
Spring Intern Session: Monday April 27 – Friday, June 5, 2009
***Spring 2009 Intern Session includes May 16, 17 Grand Opening of Goldenseal Sanctuary & Talking Forest Celebration !!
DEADLINE FOR SPRING APPLICATIONS: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 (Apply early for early acceptance)
Fall Intern Session: Monday, August 31 – Friday, October 9, 2009
DEADLINE FOR FALL APPLICATIONS: August 3, 2009 (Apply early for early acceptance)
NEW ! Applicants will now be accepted on a first-come basis. As soon as your application and references are received and reviewed, we will inform you of your status.
Interns work 30 hours/week doing a variety of medicinal plant conservation and cultivation projects.
A hands-on practical approach--classes and opportunities to work with UpS staff teachers and Chip Carroll, Program Manager. Interns learn general plant propagation techniques working with at-risk and endangered species, general farm upkeep and maintenance, landscape care and maintenance, greenhouse work, medicinal plant identification, sustainable wild harvesting principles and practices, medicine making. In this session interns have the opportunity to help with development of Paul Strauss's "Talking Forest" trail building project.
United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary Internship Program
United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary is located on 378-acres in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio (Rutland, Ohio). The Sanctuary and working farm is a center for native medicinal plant research, education, propagation and a germplasm repository.
We are now accepting applicants for our Fall 08 internship programs. The Fall session will run from September 1st through October 10th (DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS AUG 15). If after Deadline, call to discuss.
Interns will be expected to work 28 - 30 hours a week doing medicinal plant conservation and cultivation work, building and maintaining the medicine trails, doing greenhouse work, planting and maintaining a vegetable garden, maintaining and improving the Sanctuary landscape, assisting in the development of Sanctuary interpretive materials and much more all under the supervision of UpS Sanctuary staff. Much of the work is physically strenuous and interns will be expected to be self-motivated. In addition, interns will learn medicinal plant identification, sustainable wild harvesting principals and practices, medicine making and participate in classes and conferences at the Sanctuary and at neighboring herbal centers. Interns will have the opportunity to work on and help design interpretive materials for the “Talking Forest Trail Project” that will add lasting value to the Sanctuary. Interns will also have weekly educational presentations from local herbal experts as well as opportunities to attend related presentations and events such as the Ohio Pawpaw Festival as they occur.
APPLICATION:
The cost for this session is $600.00, payable before program begins. In addition, interns will be responsible for all expenses (i.e. transportation, food). We will be accepting 6 - 8 interns for each session. Shared rooms are available, as is camping space, toilets, hot showers, cooking and eating facilities. This is a unique opportunity for intensive learning and we expect this program will fill quickly.
For those interested please provide us with your resume and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Include your name, address, telephone and email
1. How did you find out about UpS’s Intern Program?
2. What things most attracted you?
3. What herb related knowledge or experience do you have (i.e., classes, apprenticeships, schools, employment, correspondence courses, or personal home study)?
4. What farming related training do you have (i.e., classes, apprenticeships, employment, school, or personal home study)?
5. Active farm work is an important part of this program. This includes bending, stooping, squatting, digging, hoeing, lifting, etc. for hours at a time. List any physical injuries, accidents, or weaknesses that might limit your ability to do this work.
6. Weather can be cold and wet in spring and fall sessions and very hot in the summer. Please list any experience you have had with physically demanding work under these conditions.
7. Work on the farm involves working in and around a wide variety of plants and grasses. Do you have any known allergies that might limit your ability to work safely in this environment?
8. Communal living is a major part of this program. This includes sharing bedroom space, communal food purchasing and menu planning as well as housekeeping responsibilities. If you are not comfortable with these arrangements, this program is not for you. What experience do you have in living communally? What are the things you enjoy most about this situation? What issues have you had experience in addressing and resolving as a member of a group?
9. Do you have any special dietary needs? Are you comfortable sharing space with people who may eat meat? Drink alcohol? Have very specific standards for their own diet?
10. Sharing a living space with other people involved in an intense program requires that particular attention be paid to honoring common space; this includes keeping your personal items in your own room or outdoor camping space, cleaning up after yourself at all meals and respecting an agreed-upon quiet time, etc.
Additionally, though we want to welcome your friends and family to visit while you are here, we ask that they do so on weekends and that your housemates, the farm manager and program coordinator are notified ahead of time. Please describe how you feel about the restrictions that we feel are necessary to facilitate a healthy home environment for our students. Please see the end of this application form for the House Rules you will be asked to agree to and sign if accepted.
11. Please send us two references (letters of recommendation) with contact info.
Please send your information to:
If email (preferred), send copies to: lynda@unitedplantsavers.org ; plantsaversmail@earthlink.net; chip_amy@frognet.net
If via post office: United Plant Savers
Intern Program
P.O.Box 400
East Barre, VT 05649
CALL FOR INFO: BETZY (VT) (802-476-6467) LYNDA (CA) 707-824-0731; CHIP (OHIO) 740-742-1111
