Volunteers Wanted
Join us as a farmer for a day at the Greenacres Indian Hill Garden! Work alongside our farmers to learn new and innovative generative agriculture methods and see how local food is produced. Volunteers will assist our garden team in various important tasks around the farm, depending on the season and what is growing. The garden is a living being with needs varying daily. Come learn how to work through the seasonality of vegetable and flower farming and meet others in our community who are passionate about this work!
Our garden is used as an educational tool for over 30,000 students visiting the property each year, come help us keep the farm in great shape and expand our reach further.
Volunteer events are scheduled May through October. Scheduled workdays are 8am – 11am on the following Saturdays:
- May 20
- June 17
- July 22
- August 19
- September 16
- October 21
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be a minimum of 16 years old and capable of working outdoors with a variety of hand tools while maneuvering over uneven terrain.
About
Volunteer opportunities may include some or all of the following tasks:
- Mulching perennial landscaped areas around garden
- Potato, garlic, carrot harvest, processing, or planting
- Construction and deconstruction of mobile cat tunnels
- Care for perennial spaces through pruning and cut back for new growth
- Applying compost to garden beds
- Applying wood chips to garden bed pathways
- Weeding garden beds by hand or with tools
- Preparing beds for planting by seed or by transplant
FAQ
Who is welcome to attend?
No prior experience is required. Informative trainings to match the task(s) at hand will be shared at the start of each event. Information will include what we are doing for that day, why it is important, how to identify the selected flora/fauna (if applicable), and the best methods to accomplish the given task(s).
Who will be present?
Events are limited to 30 people per volunteer session, to ensure a safe and informative learning experience. Our farmers will lead the group through integral tasks they complete on a regular basis. You will have the chance to interact with both our full-time farmers, as well as our apprentices as they teach and learn generative farming methods.
What is required before the event?
We ask that participants attend our introductory sign up event, where an overview will be shared and all necessary paperwork and background checks will be completed. We are an organization focused on education and to keep this a safe space for all students visiting us, background checks are required for all participants over 18. These are provided by Greenacres and will be completed on site by our staff at the preliminary sign-up event.
What is the itinerary of a Cultivation Club Event?
You will meet our farmers at the Greenhouse to begin the work day at 8 am, where we will learn the process and tools required for the days task. We will work as a team for approximately 2 hours in the field. After our field work has been completed, we will meet for light snacks and a question and answer sessions with our farmers!
What happens if the weather is not suitable for work the day of an event?
Each event has a preschedule back up date, please check specific event descriptions for scheduling purposes.
What should I wear?
Farming can be muddy! We work in the field in many conditions and often take soil from the fields home with us on our boots and clothes. Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. Weather fluctuates frequently and we recommend dressing in layers so you can adapt at a moments notice to changing temperatures. We require close toed shoes for safety purposes, as we are often working with tools such as rakes, shovels, hoes, wheelbarrows.
What should I bring?
The most important item to bring with you is a water bottle. Hydration is key when working in the field! We will have water stations for refills and shaded areas for frequent water breaks. We provide gloves and rain ponchos if necessary, as well as all tools needed for the specified task.
Contact Us
Program Manager
Olivia Minella