Summer Interns Needed!

Summer Internship Description
Vivant Gardening Services, a Chicago-based small business providing garden services to residents, restaurants and community groups around the North Side of Chicago, is offering a Summer Internship for its growing projects. Clients include Fountainhead, Lillstreet Art Center and Montrose Metra Community Gardens and represent a wide variety of spaces including harvest-intensive herb and vegetable gardens, pollinator gardens, green roofs, containers and more. By working with Vivant in these spaces, an intern will gain valuable knowledge and experience in topics such as garden planning, planting, maintenance, harvesting, eco-friendly pest and weed control, proposal and grant writing, community organizing, as well as what it takes to operate a small business.
A Vivant Intern represents the company and is expected to uphold our values of respect and dedication to clients and the environment at all times. This requires punctuality, honesty, cleanliness, and a genuine passion for organic gardening.
              Duties :

• Assist in soil preparation and planting crops for small gardens, adhering to organic growing practices
  
• Assist in restaurant and food pantry harvests on Thursday mornings approximately 7:30-10am, utilizing
  sustainable harvesting practices, proper food handling, weighing, recording and storage
  
• Assist in weeding, watering/irrigation, pruning, cleaning and overall maintenance of garden spaces
  
• Assist with Management of Montrose Metra Community Garden plots and Volunteer projects
  
• Assist others with various additional projects as needed
  
• Maintain all gardening-related equipment, tools and supplies
  
  Qualifications:
  
  

• Ability to follow direction and comply with safe-food-handling instructions
  
• Self motivated to complete tasks in a timely manner
  
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and use typical gardening tools independently
  
• Physical ability to walk, stand, reach, squat and work in all weather conditions and on uneven surfaces
  
• Basic plant knowledge and respect of organic practices
  
• Transportation to garden sites on the north side of Chicago
  
• Enthusiasm for learning and completing tasks at hand
  Internship term runs May 15 through August 31 and requires a commitment of 8-12 hours per week with availability between 8am-12pm on Thursdays, other weekdays as needed and occasional Saturdays. A stiped of $250 will be paid at the end of the internship with potential for hired work to follow. To learn more about Vivant Gardening Services, visit our website at vivantgardens.com, and if interested please email resume and cover letter to services@vivantgardens.com.