Lead Garden Volunteer

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Labateyah Bridge Housing is looking for organized individuals with a knowledge of best gardening practices to coordinate the maintenance of the Labateyah garden and grounds.

Some background on our garden program:

With the hard work of volunteers, the Labateyah Youth Home was able to convert what was once our front lawn into a fully organic and sustainable garden. Since then volunteers have continued to maintain the grounds of our program from landscape planning through cultivation and preparing produce for meals. The garden provides not only fresh produce to our community but opportunity for growth and learning. Through the garden program we have been able to provide garden internships for bridge housing participants. Interns, with the motivation and support of volunteers, have been able to learn valuable professional skills and qualities that will help them on their path towards independent living. The personal skills of interns also benefit, with interns learning food preparation skills and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Lead Garden Volunteer will partner with the Garden Intern Supervisor to schedule what work needs to be completed in the garden and when. This schedule should be designed around long-term plans for the garden, the health of the garden, as well as seasonal considerations. It is very important that prospective volunteers understand that various garden and carpentry equipment will be used, and it is the responsibility of volunteers to ensure the safe and efficient use of this equipment.

Essential Duties Include:

• Ensure that vegetable garden, trees, bushes, flower beds and any other food beds at Labateyah are producing at maximum output while still using the best known sustainable and/or organic garden practices. This should be pursued during the entire year.
• Coordinate the completion of the following tasks: cultivation, seed production, creating good soil and plant environment, preparing garden beds, fertilization, mulching, planting, constructing garden structures, irrigation, weed control, disease and pest control, pruning, composting, use of greenhouse and cold frames, preparing garden produce for meals.
• Preparing harvested produce and managing distribution to community.
• Maintain a weekly schedule of what work needs to be completed in order to maintain the garden and grounds. With special attention given to incorporating interns into the work.
• Providing input in the creation of curriculum which teaches interns best gardening methods. These methods will strive to fulfill the following: consideration of best known and/or traditional practices, efficiency, sustainability, organic methods, water conservation, food quality and nutrition, neighborhood quality and societal benefit.