This position is with Dig In! located in Burnsville, North Carolina. Our mission is to build and maintain a volunteer-operated community garden and, through established partnerships with local hunger relief agencies, provide fresh fruits and vegetables to people within our community who are in need of food assistance. The garden will also serve an educational function, to teach, inspire, and empower people in Yancey County to grow their own healthy foods using both traditional and modern sustainable methods. THIS POSITION WILL HAVE A START DATE BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1ST AND 15TH 2021. IT IS FOR 11 MONTHS AT $17,000 OVER THE SPAN OF THE TERM AND A FULL-TIME POSITION AT AN AVERAGE OF 40 HOURS PER WEEK. 

Please make sure you have uploaded all of the required documents -  Resume, Cover Letter, College Transcripts.

Resilience Corps NC is an AmeriCorps program, which is a United States Federal Agency. All AmeriCorps Members must submit to having a National Sex Offender, State of Residence (if state is different than NC), State of NC, and Federal FBI Background check conducted. All AmeriCorps Members upon hire must provide Federal or State Photo ID, Proof of US Citizenship (Passport or Birth Certificate) and Social Security Number for verification of citizenship status by the Social Security Administration. Any applicant denying to submit to these checks will be automatically disqualified as per federal regulations.

For this 11 month FULL TIME (40 hours a week) 1700 service hour term of service as an AmeriCorps member. The AmeriCorps program will offer a living stipend of $17,00 for 11 months (paid twice a month, on the 15th and last business day). Participants who complete the program will receive an Segal Education Award of $6,195.00 from the National Service Trust. Both the living stipend and Education Award is taxable income per federal regulation.

CTNC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE BECAUSE OF RACE, CREED, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, AGE, DISABILITY, SEXUAL PREFERENCE OR FAMILIAL STATUS.

CTNC SEEKS TO ENGAGE APPLICANTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY OF ASIAN, BLACK, HISPANIC, MULTI-RACIAL, AND NATIVE AMERICAN BACKGROUND, IN CONSERVATION CAREERS. CONNECTING MORE DIVERSE APPLICANTS TO AN EMPLOYMENT PATHWAY HAS LED TO GREATER EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OF ALL PEOPLE IN CONSERVATION. 

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Dig In! is offering a full season apprenticeship-like AmeriCorps Term for an individual wanting to become a farm manager on a diverse vegetable farm or market garden. The AmeriCorps member will support Dig In’s work to create community food security in Yancey County by growing food to ensure all community members have access to fresh, healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food during the 2021 growing  season. 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The Resilient Farm AmeriCorps Member will be responsible for supporting the Farm Manager in planning, executing, and coordinating agricultural operations and educational programming at the Dig In! gardens, farms, and community gardens.    

Responsibilities:  

● Assist in all aspects of growing organic vegetables at Dig In! to provide nourishing food to  residents of Yancey County using resilient agricultural practices. This work includes  substantial physical labor.  

● Wash and handle fresh produce for distribution though community food networks.  

● Work collaboratively with the Farm Manager to create a high-quality community garden and farm, maintaining a high standard of aesthetics and productivity.  

● Provide experiential education to volunteers, interns and visitors in the Dig In! garden through workdays, workshops, and programs.  

QUALIFICATIONS

• Desire and excitement for physical hard work that is necessary in small scale resilient agriculture  
• Familiarity with growing food  Interest in leading individuals and groups in educational activities outdoors 
• High level of physical stamina in order to perform farm labor in all weather conditions  
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills practiced in community service   
• High level of self-motivation and responsibility   
• High degree of self-reliance, confidence and initiative

Preferred knowledge, skills and experience:   

• Work experience in the horticulture field   
• Experience doing physical labor in an outdoor setting  
• Skills and/or education in ecology, agriculture, food systems, or related fields  
• Previous experience working for an outdoors-based nonprofit   
• Some experience utilizing and maintaining heavy equipment and small engines  Spanish language proficiency  
• Experience in public speaking

Desire to build and fix infrastructure     

Through this work the AmeriCorps Member will receive:   

Training in how to manage a diverse, organic vegetable operation that leads to competency in the  following areas:

• Soil fertility  
• Tillage & field preparation  
• Propagation  
• Planting
• Field crop production  
• Irrigation  
• Weed control  
• Pest & disease control  
• Harvesting  
• Post-harvest handling  
• Product distribution  
• Equipment & machinery maintenance  
• Training in cultivating and supporting community-based food projects

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manual labor to plant, weed, harvest, and wash vegetables. Dig In uses a mixed method  approach of hand and machine labor to prioritize our ecological stewardship and maximize  the investment of individual energy and physical excursion. An apprentice should expect to  spend 80% of their time in  this position performing some kind of physical task.  
• Hands-on guidance to other individuals that includes providing verbal instructions and  feedback in the garden.  
• Operating small engines including lawn mowers, weedwackers, and tillers. Use of the tractor and implements will be determined by the AmeriCorps Member’s previous exposure to such machinery and their own goals and comfort in operating tractors.

PREFERRED SCHEDULE

The Dig In! Farm Crew works 8-5 Monday-Friday with a break for lunch. Occasional weekend and night hours are required dependent on the demands of the season.