Learn to plant, cultivate, harvest, and package organic fruits & vegetables at the Noyo Food Forest Learning Garden on the Fort Bragg High School campus. The six-week Summer Internship Program is an opportunity for middle and high school students to learn about sustainable gardening, gain valuable job experience, and explore our local food system.
The SUMMER 2024 Internship is a paid opportunity! Earn:
Who is eligible to participate? Students ages 12-17 are eligible to participate, and will be required to complete a CDE work permit (included in the application form). ALL students who live in and around the communities we serve are encouraged to participate.
How much will interns be paid? Interns who complete the full program will be paid a stipend of $600 on completion.
What is the work like? Every day is a little different. Interns participate in all areas of sustainable gardening – seeding, planting, weeding, composting, harvesting, etc. with a focus on our summer CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.
What are the dates and schedule of program?
The intern program runs June 18-July 30. (We do not meet the week of July 4.) We will meet 9 am – 12 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
What should interns wear for work? Be ready to get dirty. We work in all weather, including rain. Dress comfortably, wear layers. Our classroom (The Shade House) is a covered but open-air/outdoor workspace. Please bring sunscreen and/or something to protect your face. Close-toed shoes are mandatory.Â
How does one apply? Click here for our online application and CDE Form B1-1 (work permit). Applications will also be available in the Career Office at FBHS and at the Noyo Food Forest office. All applications are reviewed and students will participate in an interview process prior to placement.
Who do I contact with questions? NFF Staff – admin@noyofoodforest.orgÂ
707-357-7680
If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to answer any questions about this opportunity.
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Some photos and quotes from past internship sessions….
irrigation check
planting garlic and onion
apple pressing day
Leslie & Julie – apple pressing day
apple pressing day
apple pressing day
Leslie, Julie & Cintia – apple pressing day
apple pressing day
Jo’s squash o lantern
Cintia’s squash o lantern
Olivia’s squash o lantern
Bee Patch program day
Bee Patch program day
Joan of Conservation Works, Bee Patch program day
Olivia, Oona (Conservation Works) & Joan, Bee Patch program day
Jo, Cintia, Julie, Olivia & Cornelia (Bee City USA Fort Bragg), Bee Patch program day
Julie, Cintia, Oona, Olivia, Bee Patch program day
Cornelia (Bee City USA Fort Bragg), Cintia, Olivia, Oona (Conservation Works), Leslie, Bee Patch program day
Jo & Leslie, Bee Patch program day
Leslie, Jo, Olivia & Cintia, Bee Patch program day
Oona (Conservation Works) Bee Patch program day
From previous interns:
“For the past eight weeks we have been learning about plants, compost, and harvesting. I have had so much fun here, this is one of the most beautiful places on the coast. It is such a privilege to be here.” – Branden Myers
“Did you know that gardening boosts your immune system? Growing food to eat fuels your body with antioxidants, vitamins and proteins which strengthen your body’s response to illness! Working with soil also introduces friendly bacteria, which helps prepare for it you encounter pathogens.” – Lily Jung
“As an intern, I learned how to take care of tomato plants- by identifying and trimming side shoots off the plant, and training the plant to grow upwards, and picking the fruit as soon as it is ripe. I’ve grown to love the smell of a tomato greenhouse!” – Josephine Erickson
“During this internship I learned a lot about gardening and how this program worked. I really enjoyed working here and learning new things about the garden and the organization.” – Cintia Moreno
“I’ve learned how to prep beds. It’s pretty fun. You have to put mounds of dirt on each side, then even out the top layer, also you can’t forget to rake the pathways. After you are done it looks beautiful. We do this so we can plant in them.” – Olivia Triplett
Calabazitas ~ Ingredients: zucchini, 1 tomato, cheese, 1 onion, 1 jalapeno, cream, salt, oil. Steps: Cut tomato in slices, cut half a onion in slices. Heat pan with oil, add sliced tomatoes, onions & jalapeno (sliced in little squares). Let fry a little then put zucchini & let it steam for approx 15 mins, when soft, add cream & salt, stir and then add cheese until melted. Enjoy las calabazitas! – Recipe from Mireya Reyes Garcia
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Summer 2020 Internship
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Summer 2019 Intern Program Photos
bed prepping
snail gathering
beautiful salads! and fresh made pesto!
Zero Waste Mendo presentation by Heather Guevara
Zero Waste Mendo presentation by Heather Guevara
stir fry for lunch!
so many beautiful salads, with fresh made hummus
Roy at our Carpentry Workshop
composting
bed prepping with Sara, Zaryana, Bela and Cadie
garlic!
garlic!
seed saving workshop for interns, presented by Matt Drewno
carrot seed. seed saving workshop for interns, presented by Matt Drewno
carrot seed. seed saving workshop for interns, presented by Matt Drewno
making salsa
cilantro for salsa
Oscar at Fort Bragg Farmers Market
Interns: Zaryana, Marilena, Kaden, Bela, Susannah, Oscar, Miguel and Sophia, with their flower smudging art
Summer 2018 Intern Program Photos
Summer 2018 Intern Program: Karen Conrrado, Abby May, Matthew Richards, Oscar Martinez-Rodriguez, Cadie Davidson, Emily Forster, Rosendo May, Jazzy Namvar, Sara Kelemen and Adrian Taylor
Summer 2018 interns harvesting strawberries for farmers market
Summer 2018 interns: Rosendo May, Abby May and Karen Conrrado bed prepping with Matthew Richards
Just one of MANY beautiful salads our Summer interns prepared and ate
Summer 2018 interns: Susannah Olson Day, Abby May and Karen Conrrado with Matthew Richards, smoothie making with the bike blender!
Sara, Susannah and Anaya Summer 2019
Summer 2018 intern field trip to Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, with Matthew Richards, Sara Kelemen, Susannah Olson Day, Oscar Martinez-Rodriguez, Anaya Brown, and Josephina Arreguin
Summer 2018 intern field trip to Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
Summer 2018 Interns at Fort Bragg Farmers Market
Summer 2018 interns: Oscar Martinez-Rodriguez and Susannah Olson Day at Fort Bragg Farmers Market
Summer 2018 intern field trip to Upwells Gardens
Summer 2018 intern field trip to Upwells Gardens
Summer 2018 – Maggie Barrett presented an Herb Workshop for our interns, they made flower essence, herbal tea, calendula salve and herbal vinegar.
Summer 2018 interns: Karen Conrrado, Jazzy Namvar, Cadie Davidson, Oscar Martinez-Rodrigues, Adrian Taylor with Sara Kelemen, finishing touches on their calendula salve
Tasting herbal infused vinegars, Summer 2018 Internship Her Workshop
Tasting herbal infused vinegars, Summer 2018 Internship Her Workshop
Summer 2018 – Maggie Barrett presented an Herb Workshop for our interns, they made flower essence, herbal tea, calendula salve and herbal vinegar.
Herb workshop, Summer 2018
Calendula salve, 2018 Summer intern herb workshop
Pickles! 2018 Summer interns made their own pickles
Herb Workshop, Summer 2018
Herb Workshop, Summer 2018
Summer 2018 pickles
Summer 2018 interns, last group lunch – with Adrian Taylor, Cadie Davidson, Rosendo May, Oscar Martinez-Rodriguez, Matthew Richards, Sara Kelemen, Karen Conrrado and Abby May. Everyday we made lunch and smoothies with food harvested in the garden!
Winter 2017/2018 Intern Program Photos
Winter 2017/2018 Interns, getting the starts in the ground
Winter 2017/2018 Interns Megan Horner, Ruddy and Russel Gordon planting tomatoes
Winter 2017/2018 Interns at the Fort Bragg Farmers Market