




Summer 2025 Internships
2025 Internship Program
Application deadlines and instructions at the end of this page!
About Growing to Give
Growing to Give (G2G) is a non-profit organic farm in Brunswick, Maine. We believe hunger, environmental degradation, declining human health, and climate change are deeply connected. Our mission is to grow organic vegetables and give them to those in need while practicing, teaching, and promoting climate-friendly farming.
With a focus on sequestering soil carbon, building biodiversity, and increasing farm resilience to climate change, we use regenerative practices such as no-till bed preparation, companion crop planting and cover cropping. We plant pollinator-supporting flowers and shrubs, and use biochar as a soil amendment. Our diverse selection of crops reflects the cultural diversity of our recipients, with an additional focus on planting and preserving heirloom varieties through seed-saving.
Job Description
The primary focus of the internship is building an understanding of the methods and philosophy behind climate-friendly, ecologically-based farming. Interns play an active role in the day-to-day work involved in growing organic food. As part of our team, interns also work regularly with volunteers and interface with a vibrant cross-section of people and organizations addressing food insecurity and food systems issues in Maine, including gleaning groups that come to the farm to assist with harvest and food distribution.
In addition to carrying out daily farm work, interns have the opportunity to develop independent projects that support our evolving farm program and also align with their unique interests and skills. Interns receive support from the Farm Director to design and carry out their individual projects over the course of the internship. Interns can propose their own ideas for projects, or build upon one of our areas of growth for 2025, which include:
- Continue to develop a database of information about each recipient site in order to better inform the type/amount of vegetables offered, including diversifying our offerings to include more culturally appropriate foods.
- Conduct interviews with volunteers with the aim of determining how we can continue to attract and retain active volunteers.
- Help us diversify our seed stock with an emphasis on finding local sources of new heirloom seed varieties and regionally traditional foods for us to grow on the farm.
- Research and implement leading practices in regenerative agriculture, with possible emphasis on incorporating biodynamic and/or indigenous practices.
- Assist in the development and delivery of our on-farm education programming for youth groups.
- Gather data as part of our ongoing research on the effect of carbon-sequestering biochar as a soil amendment on plant health and vegetable yield
- Assist in the development and delivery of our on-farm education programming for youth groups.
In 2025, we’re offering:
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Full-time summer internship positions with work hours totaling between 350 and 400 hours over 10 to 16 weeks (earliest start date is May 15). Work hours are primarily from 8am – 2pm (with a half-hour spent eating lunch), Monday – Friday, with some flexibility based on weather and production plan. Interns are expected to devote 2-3 additional hours per week on their independent projects, either in the fields after hours or off the farm (doing research, visiting other sites, etc.). Interns rotate coming to the farm briefly on Sundays to irrigate the crops.
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Part-time spring and fall semester internships are available March-May and September-November, respectively, and can be negotiated to meet student schedules.
Responsibilities
After participating in a morning meeting to orient everyone to the day’s tasks, interns are expected to participate in a range of necessary day-to-day farm tasks alongside other staff and volunteers. Interns will be trained for new tasks, and once proficient may also be asked to guide volunteers through these tasks. Interns rotate taking the lead role of directing gleaners and weighing and packing vegetables into boxes for distribution during harvest days, which occur 3x/week.
Interns will participate in the following types of farm work:
- Seedling propagation using soil blocks, trays, and pots
- Growing in greenhouses and tunnels
- No-till bed preparation
- Use of living and non-living mulches
- Soil amending (with fertilizers, inoculants, organic matter, etc.)
- Direct seeding and transplanting
- Disease management, pest control, and irrigation
- Harvesting and preparing food for delivery
- Crop planning and rotation
- Cover cropping
- Interplanting/companion planting
- Perennial and annual flower planting/management
- Independent research and activities pertaining to their personal project
Educational benefits
Farming is a highly cross-disciplinary field. We incorporate a range of permaculture and organic farming practices that work in concert with nature, rather than against it. Our approach is ever-evolving based on cumulative years of trial and error, the design of natural ecosystems, scientific research, community-level initiatives, cultural knowledge, relationships with other local businesses and nonprofits, and the wisdom of our G2G community members. While we function as a non-profit, the techniques and approach that we use are translatable to small-scale market farming.
Requirements
This hands-on opportunity is geared towards students with a demonstrated interest in regenerative farming, food sovereignty, community-building, and working outdoors. Farm work is often strenuous; interns must feel physically capable of and enthusiastic about doing rigorous outdoor work in all types of weather. Good communication skills and the ability to take initiative and work collaboratively are vital for a successful internship with G2G.
To Apply:
Please send a resume and a cover letter to martha@growingtogive.farm no later than April 15, 2025 that highlights the following:
- Your major (or projected major) and relevant coursework
- Prior work and/or extracurricular experiences
- Why you feel you would be a good fit for our program
- Personal areas of interest that align with the internship experience and several possible projects you would like to undertake
- What you would hope to gain from this internship experience
Please note: Given the small size of our organization, our internships are currently unpaid and participants are responsible for finding their own housing. Student applicants who are seeking assistance from their school are responsible for checking with their institution regarding requirements to receive funding and/or academic credit before they accept a position.