Plant It Forward

Sustainable Agriculture Internship

Background & Mission 

Plant It Forward Farms (PIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to empower resettled refugees to operate sustainable urban farming businesses in Houston, Texas. We are dedicated to enabling our network of skilled farmers to earn a living through dignified, meaningful work and to providing our community with farm-fresh produce.

Farmers in our program are trained in entrepreneurship skills and bio-intensive vegetable production methods, then placed on urban plots where they grow and sell produce. Key markets include PIFF’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, sales to local restaurants, and local farmers’ markets.

 

Job Overview

Sustainable Agriculture Interns are responsible for assisting the Farm Manager to monitor and analyze crop production across the PIFF farm network. This effort is part of a larger PIFF strategic initiative to optimize production across our farms by implementing a standardized crop planning procedure. Through careful data collection and analysis, interns will play a key role in assessing the outcomes of this initiative. Interns who work full-time will have the opportunity to work with PIFF staff to develop an additional project that meets both PIFF objectives and the intern’s specific learning goals.

Specifically, interns will work under the supervision of the Farm Manager to assist PIFF Farmers to record yield data across eight (8) PIFF farms. Secondarily, interns will track other key metrics such as field planting dates, harvests windows, and labor inputs. Interns will use Tend, a crop planning software program for diversified organic farms, for all data collection.

 

Key Job Duties

  • Record crop yield data; secondarily record other farm data such as labor & material inputs, planting dates, and farm mapping
  • Work collaboratively with PIFF farmers; specifically, assist with harvest & train farmers to use Tend app to record relevant farm data
  • Assist Farm Manager to analyze collected data

Qualifications

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Competitive applicants will have knowledge of sustainable agriculture practices through work experience and/or coursework
  • Ability to use Excel for data analysis
  • Strong work ethic & attention to detail
  • Multicultural experience and/or strong interest in working in a cross-cultural setting
  • Ability to work independently, flexibly, and with a team

Special Requirements

  • Personal vehicle required to access multiple urban farm locations
  • Willingness to work outside in the elements; able to lift and carry 40 pounds

 

Hours

Required Harvest Windows

Mondays & Wednesdays: 2 pm – 6 pm; Fridays: 3 pm – 7 pm

Optional Additional Hours

Flexible, Monday–Saturday.

Compensation: All PIFF internships are unpaid. Students are encouraged to seek funding through their campus career centers, or other university/college funding programs.

Reporting Relationships: Sustainable Agriculture Interns report to Farm Manager

Preferred Start Date: May 15

Applications Due By: April 15. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. 

APPLY: Email cover letter / motivation statement and resume to internships@plant-it-forward.org