Garden Internship

GARDEN INTERNSHIP

This application is for the Garden Internship position. If you want to apply for the hybrid Garden Internship + Retreat Host position, close this tab and open the "Garden Internship + Retreat Host" application link.

Explore the world of organic gardening through OAEC's annual Garden Internship in our over 50-year-old biointensive gardens-a rich setting for experiential learning. Work closely with our Garden Manager, engaging in all aspects of gardening. We are seeking passionate individuals excited about small-scale food production and curating beautiful and bountiful gardens for our retreat guests and community. Many of our past interns have achieved leadership roles in farming and gardening. Join us for a transformative experience!

Typical Tasks

Garden bed turnover and planting

Plant propagation and greenhouse work

Compost pile building and food waste management

Assisting with irrigation

Gopher trapping

Weed management

Harvesting

General garden maintenance

Facilitating group activities with weekly volunteers

OAEC Nursery and Plant Sale assistance

Qualifications

Physical stamina is a must! We work outside rain or shine doing lots of manual labor and repetitive tasks.

An excitement and desire to learn gardening through hands-on experience is essential.

Prior garden or farming experience is helpful but not necessary.

We are looking for motivated, self-starting people who can be comfortable occasionally working alone.

Garden Interns work closely with Garden Volunteers. A strong interest to develop management skills by facilitating group work activities is essential.

We encourage garden internship applicants to attend a Garden Volunteer Day at OAEC. This is a great way to meet us, see the gardens, and get a feel for the work, especially if you've never been here before. On the RSVP page, please indicate that you are applying to the garden internship.

If you are interested in applying for internships in multiple departments, complete this form and return to the internship webpage to fill out additional applications.

Applications for 2026 internships open on August 1st, 2025 and close at 5pm on October 15th, 2025. We look forward to receiving your submission!