2018 Internship Opportunity: Soil Student Needed!

Soil Microbiology Intern NEEDED - Permaculture Farm in Eastern Ghats of India

Start Date: around June 2018 - Flexible start date

Length of Internship: 2-3 months - Flexible as to schedule of candidate

We are looking for a passionate & motivated person who understands the science of soil!

We want someone who has knowledge about:

- Local microbes in soil

- Improving soil microbiology

- Techniques to increase bacteria & fungus populations for plant health and growth

- How to restore organic compounds in soil using natural techniques

Main Project:

- Creating or finding easy, cost-effective ways to test soils

- Composting: finding the best methods & combinations using our local materials

- Creating / designing a laboratory for soil studies at our permaculture farm

Other tasks

- Planting/watering agroforestry species in permaculture food forest site

- Planning/planting vegetable plot for on-farm consumption and commercial sales

- Cooking, harvesting, washing and experimenting with wild and cultivated species

- Caring for cows & chickens (feeding, watering, cleaning)

- Welcoming & hanging out with other volunteers/guests to the farm

- Satisfying small projects: using a brush cutter, planting new trees, mulching, working on the fish pond, some carpentry/construction work, cobbing, painting, plastering

Great to have (passion is MOST important!):

• Being a native Telugu speaker would be a bonus

• A flexible attitude and ability to prioritize what needs to get down

• Community-spirited outlook on farm living

• Willingness to do physically challenging work when needed

• Someone who can pick up the rhythm of when to work & when to chill!

About the Farm

Our goal is to turn this place into a mostly self-sustained, biodiverse-rich food hub. We have installed the first phase of our permaculture food forest in 2017 & are in the processing of retrofitting a rice field into an aquaculture project and another one into vegetable production.

We grow rice, lentils, and sesame in the fields and have chickens & cows.

Be prepared for rustic, off-grid living conditions! If you like camping, you'll like it here. We have a compost toilet, a round mud building, and a cob building. We are completely powered by solar energy and have water hand-pumped from a borewell for washing.

We are looking for people who are passionate / have interest in permaculture (we try to follow permaculture principles through everything we do), agriculture, nature, health, food, cooking, animals, natural architecture, and art.

Email: Megan at navara.farmstay@gmail.com with your resume (CV) and cover letter explaining who you are, why you want this position, and why you would be a great fit at the farm!

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