We offer internships at ENCM in several different fields.  Our internships are intended to be intensive, experiential learning opportunities with an emphasis critical and reflective engagement of each given field.  As such, we require setting specific goals and objectives before each internship is launched, midpoint and final evaluation according to intern’s goals, and often suggest appropriate readings to compliment the intern’s responsibilities.

*All internships, except the full-time Urban Gardening Internship and Farm and Food Security Internship, require a weekly investment of 10-15 hours.  Alternative arrangements can be made in advance.

FARMING

To apply for Farming Internship Positions, please fill out the Internship Contact Form.  Also, fill out the following Internship Application and email it to our Garden Manager (garden@encm.org).

Urban Gardening

The Nashville Cooperative Gardens is the network of community gardens managed by ENCM.  The gardens are the linchpin to all the work we do, from food relief to alternative food allocation to food education.  The Urban Gardening internship will include differing duties according to each growing season (see PDF for a more detailed description of duties according to season).  In addition to hands on gardening, each intern position will incorporate an education component, which includes, but is not limited to, selected readings, attending forums on food production and related topics, and touring other gardens and farms.

Available positions: 4 [3 seasonal internships: Spring (February 1—May 15), Summer (May 15—August 15), Fall (August 25—December 1); 1 full- or part-time internship spanning the entire growing season (February 1—December 1)]
Required Education: N/A
Supervisor: Justin Owings, Garden Manager.

Soil Science

The Nashville Cooperative Gardens depend on the procuring of raw organic matter to fuel its compost system.  These gardens are managed with the strictest commitment to sustainability, and therefore require keen awareness of the content of the soil created and used. The Soil Science internship will be an opportunity to dive into urban soil production and organic maintenance.  In addition to hands on gardening and composting system development, each intern position will incorporate an education component, which includes, but is not limited to, selected readings, testing soil and researching soil science, and touring other gardens and farms.

Available positions: 3 seasonal internships: Spring, Summer, Fall.
Required Education: N/A
Supervisor: Justin Owings, Garden Manager.

Farm and Food System

As ENCM becomes more aware of how big and convoluted the problems of our food system are, we grow increasingly convinced that solutions begin “at the beginning.”  This is a primary impetus for us launching community gardens and a collaborative farm.  We are now offering a unique internship, where the intern can get ample experience in all our growing and producing efforts.  This internship is full-time and the interns rent will be defrayed while living in the Bells Bend farm community. Time allocation will be roughly a third at each of the following locations:  assisting in urban Nashville with our Cooperative Gardens network, assisting in Bells Bend with Sulfur Creek Farm CSA, and cultivating a large garden at 4502 Old Hickory Blvd in Bells Bend, TN.

Available positions: 1

Duration of Internship: TBD
Required Education:  N/A
Supervisor: Justin Owings, Garden Manager.