Organic Gardening Apprentice

DEPARTMENT:     Garden and Youth Program

REPORTS TO:       Garden and Youth Program Manager

LOCATION:           Ceres Sebastopol and Petaluma Garden

FLSA STATUS:      Temporary, Part-Time, Nonexempt - Paid Apprenticeship

HOURS:                 Start date April 20, 2026; 24 week commitment

SCHEDULE:          15 hours a week; must be available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday- varying times.

Position Summary

Ceres’ Organic Gardening Apprenticeship is a great opportunity to work with a vibrant non-profit organization that works with 300 teens a year to provide thousands of organic whole foods meals to community members dealing with serious illness. Our work is to show that food is medicine and to create ways for all people to have access to healthy food.  We are looking for people who have a passion for growing and eating healthy food and who love working with youth.  This position is for someone who wants to learn about growing food in a large production site and is willing to work hard. 

Our garden program will give apprentices an incredible experience working in two large production gardens dedicated to growing nutritionally dense, organic food. We follow regenerative, organic approaches in our gardens. All work is by hand and includes annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and perennials. 

Apprentices will be working with the garden manager who has 35 years of experience creating and running large garden programs and with the garden coordinator who has a background in community-centric farming systems and no-till farming.  Ceres Garden Program has two 1.5 acre sites in Sebastopol and Petaluma; apprentices will be working at both garden sites.

Ceres Garden Apprentices will: 

Learn all parts of organic gardening in a large production garden.

Work includes growing a wide range of vegetables, perennial care, fruit tree care, soil preparation, seed saving, seed propagation, and composting.

Mentor youth in gardening; assist with work parties with the public.

Take part in tours of local farms and classes.

Must be able to lift heavy things, and work hard in cold and heat.

Basic information: 

Start date- April 20th, for 24  weeks (through to mid October)

15 hours a week , this is a paid apprenticeship - $19 an hour

Hours will vary but must be available Monday through Thursday at varying times. No Friday or weekend work.

One week of unpaid vacation can be scheduled

We will select 2 people for this position.

Qualifications

A commitment to Ceres Community Project mission and operating principles

Ability to communicate warmly and clearly

Has a good awareness of self

Ability and desire to be in a work environment that values working as a team, relationships and giving and receiving honest feedback

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by interns to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this internship, the intern is regularly required to stand in a garden; use hands and fingers to operate various gardening tools and equipment; talk and hear to communicate with others.

The job requires regular squatting, lifting and twisting

Moving heavy items from one location to another

Regular, reliable, predictable attendance is required

Moderate lifting of up to 40 pounds to chest height or occasionally overhead, bending, stooping, twisting, and climbing a ladder is occasionally required

All hiring decisions at Ceres are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, disability, marital & veteran status, or any other status protected by laws or regulations.