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Internship in Tropical Agroforestry and Permaculture
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Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, North Kona, Island of Hawai'i
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Introduction
The internship is an 8-week period of practical, supervised, real-life training on a research and demonstration site on the island of Hawaii. We offer qualified applicants a unique opportunity to
- Gain hands-on experience on a working farm
- Carry out a supervised independent study project.
Above photo: Our farm, Hawai'iki Agroforestry Project, in Holualoa, Hawaii, showing alley cropping research site.
Activities
We have a wide range of on-going activities and special projects that interns will have opportunities to participate in consistent with their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Interns work on our farm as well as participate in other facets of our activities, such as educational events and research projects. We ask you to work a minimum of 30 hrs/week on farm projects plus participate in general household activities, as well as working on a special independent study project that we will collaboratively design during your first 2 weeks.
Homegrown Food Abundance 2008-12 This project educates Hawaii residents about food security and how to grow food at home in perennial gardens without imported inputs of fertilizers, fuel, and chemicals. Interns will be heavily involved in this project.
Hawai'iki Agroforestry Project Interns will be involved in maintaining and developing our 5 acre (2.25 hectare) research and demonstration farm, which includes maintaining an alley cropping research site, diverse agroforestry plantings, tree seed orchard, and timber bamboo and developing a new 1/4 acre tropical home garden from scratch. Our farm is located in Holualoa, Hawaii, in the heart of the upland Kona agricultural belt, with a tropical climate and average annual rainfall of 2000 mm (80 inches). We planted our farm in 1995, and much of it is currently being redesigned and renovated for additional food production. Craig is currently spending much of his time on educational and research projects, which means you will be working long hours in the field independently.
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry 2007-11 This project promotes high quality food, fiber, and health care crops grown in diverse agroforestry systems to provide Pacific island family farms both subsistence and commercial opportunities. Interns will have an opportunity to participate in this project consistent with their writing, editing, and research skills.
Agroforestry education We take part in various educational activities such as workshop presentations, talks for community groups and school classes, and farm tours. We also publish a wide variety of educational materials, including the popular Agroforestry.Net and The Overstory E-journal. Interns can assist with educational activities at a level consistent with their knowledge and skills.
Above photo: Mulching a new agroforestry planting with nitrogen fixing tree branches.
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates who would like to learn more about agroforestry, permaculture, sustainable development, organic agriculture, local food production and food security, resource conservation, community forestry, environmental education, and similar fields. On-the-ground experience in community service roles weighs heavily in our decision to accept candidates into our program. Completion of a permaculture design course, wilderness awareness training, or on-farm experience are all pluses. We are looking for participants who can work well both independently and who thrive as team members and collaborators. We are looking for a strong track record of volunteer service in our applicants. Field skills such as in farming and gardening, construction, and field research activities are highly valued, as are writing, communication, and computer skills. Knowledge of tropical plants, animals, and soils is highly desirable prior to applying. Command of spoken and written English is required.
This is 8-week experience includes a minimum of 30 hours/week of fieldwork on our site plus study and research on an independent study project. The cost of the program is $500 is to be paid in advance to reserve your space. The program includes intermittent daily interactions with Craig Elevitch regarding fieldwork and coaching on a research or design project. We expect that there will be at most two interns at a time participating in the program. There are simple living accommodations available, if you choose to live on our farm. You are responsible for your own food and other personal items. Some food is available for you to gather on our farm. Upon successful completion of the internship, $250 of your fee is refundable.
Due to the level of activity on our farm, interns must be willing to dedicate themselves entirely to the internship experience during the 8-week period. They must have their own transportation, cell phone, and health insurance, and agree to be tobacco, alcohol, and drug free. Interns are required to show us documented legal residency status in the U.S. Due to staff time constraints, we cannot help non-U.S. citizens with immigration documents (in other words, please do not ask us for immigration assistance).
Independent study project
An independent study project complements the field work and is an integral part of the internship. During the first 2 weeks of the internship, we will develop a project involving research, design, education and possibly field study. The project is intended to produce an end product (e.g., a paper, research data, visual documentation, etc.) that will benefit the Hawai'i community and beyond.
Above photo: Craig Elevitch is currently focused on education and research in agroforestry, food security, and permaculture. With his daily guidance and supervision, interns work largely independently in the field and have opportunities to participate in other educational activities consistent with their abilities.
FAQ
How much is the fee?
There is a $500 is a reservation fee to be paid in advance in order to hold your place. Once your place is reserved, you may cancel up to 30 days before your internship start date and receive a deposit refund minus a $100 cancellation fee. Within 30 days of your internship start date, there is no deposit refund for cancellations. Upon successful completion of the internship, $500 is refunded.
Can I start at any time of the year?
Our internship program is ongoing. We usually have only one intern at any given time, and at certain times of year we cannot accommodate any interns. You should schedule your time here as far in advance as possible to ensure that there is a place for you.
How long will it take for you to respond to e-mail questions?
Before writing us, please read this web page and scan the contents of Agroforestry.net to learn more about our activities. Questions that are specific and require brief answers are more likely to be answered quickly.
Is this program only for U.S. citizens?
We welcome program participants from anywhere in the world. However, you must show us that you have legal immigration documentation for the entire 8-week period of your internship.
Who will supervise me?
You will be supervised by Craig Elevitch, Director of Agroforestry Net, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to empowering people in agroforestry and ecological resource management. The organization's internationally recognized publications have guided thousands of readers in becoming more proficient in ecological food production, agroforestry, and reforestation. Craig edits The Overstory E-journal, a monthly agroforestry journal with 8,700 subscribers in over 185 countries. He has coordinated numerous workshops and field days for Pacific island agroforestry, with over 1,700 farmers and resource professionals participating since 1993. His books include Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands (2000), The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with Trees (2004), and Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands: Their Culture, Environment, and Use (2006), all of which promote diverse agricultural systems that produce abundant food. His most recent publication, Pathways to Abundant Gardens: A Pictorial Guide to Successful Organic Growing (2007), highlights Hawai'i gardeners and their vibrant, bountiful, and sustainable food gardens. Craig completed the permaculture certified basic and advanced training in 1990-91, and has authored over 75 permaculture and forest stewardship management plans throughout Hawaii. You can expect an hour or two a day working and/or meeting with Craig.
How much of my time will the internship take?
We expect you to devote yourself entirely to the internship, which includes farm and garden work, your independent study project, educational activities, and other related work and projects. You are also expected to participate in general household activities such as food harvesting, preparation, clean-up, etc. We are looking for people who will make the most out of their experience.
Will there be an orientation?
There will be a 2 week no-fault trial period during which time you will be able to get a feeling for our farm, projects, and working environment and we will get a sense for how well we work together.
Above photo: Audience for Craig Elevitch's presentation about traditional homegardens, which took place at the Kona Outdoor Circle, in Kona, Hawaii, June 2008.
Accommodations
Interns stay in an open-air cabin or tent in the midst of a garden and food forest setting. There is an outhouse, kitchen, and shower access.
How to Apply
Prospective advance study interns are required to complete our application [Word format] [PDF format]. If you have any questions, send an e-mail to internship@agroforestry.net. Brief, specific questions are most likely to be answered quickly. We receive lots of e-mail, so we usually do not have time to answer general questions.
Taylor Thornton (2009). "Craig's internship introduced me to an exciting model for tropical subsistence through agroforestry, as well as numerous methods with which to educate others. This was a very physically and intellectually demanding experience through which I learned many valuable and often unexpected lessons. It required a considerable investment of time and energy on my part, but I gained immeasurably in return." Read Taylor's independent study project, "Can I Grow a Complete Diet: Designing a Tropical Subsistence Garden," written during her internship.
Above photo: Agricultural extension agents and farmers tour Hawa'iki Agroforestry Project.
Contact information:
Craig Elevitch
Permanent Agriculture Resources
PO Box 428
Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 USA
E-mail: craig@agroforestry.net
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