The work exchange and apprenticeship opportunities at Earthaven are by arrangement with various members who are working on their site development, buildings, businesses, or gardens. (At this time, Earthaven does not have apprenticeships or internships sponsored by the community).
Work exchange and apprentice positions are arranged privately between the member and the worker. Workers are asked to attend
meetings of our New Roots Committee, which helps them get oriented to
the community.
Below are some of the positions currently available at Earthaven. Internships and apprenticeships are listed first, followed by work exchange opportunities. If you are interested in one of these opportunities, please contact the host directly.
I. Apprenticeships and Internships. Apprenticeship and internship arrangements vary among hosts because the
host is providing an educational experience – not just providing
living arrangements in exchange for work.
Position
Ecovillage and Natural Building Apprenticeships,
1/1/08 – 7/1/08, 3-month minimum.
Description
With Arjuna da Silva, Earthaven co-founder. Create while learning on the last 30% of this innovative 900' earth-and-straw home, including making brick and cob walls, earthen floor, basic carpentry, earth plasters. Up to three positions available. Strength, motivation, experience are all great assets.
Host Offers
oFood: Payment of 1/2 of food expenses, possibly more oAccommodations: Your choice of camping or dorm-style housing (A&A house) oEarthaven fees: Payment of 1/2 of fees, possibly more oEducation: Skill-building work and four workshops at no charge. oOther: Learn about ecovillage and community life and life off the grid!
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 30 hours/week o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: One-half of your food costs and fees (estimated $125-$145/month).
Sustainable Building and Integrated Farm Systems Internship,
summer or fall 2008, 3-month minimum.
Description
Educational work may include: passive solar construction using renewable energy and local materials; rotational grazing management; logging and lumber processing; landscaping/organic gardening; biofuel station; aquaculture pond; permanent greenhouse construction.
Details. See Gateway Site Plan.
Host Offers
oFood: Full food stipend at Hut Hamlet oAccommodations: Housing provided oEarthaven fees: Payment of all residency fees oEducation: Skill-building work oOther: Wages for labor above 30 per week
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 30 labor hours/week o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: None oOther: work ethic, responsibility, attention to detail, desire to learn.
Contact
Brian Love,
or call (828) 669-8464.
Position
Imani Farm and Village Terraces Cohousing Neighborhood Internship
5/1/08 – 8/1/08; 8/1/08 – 11/1/08
3-month minimum, 6 months ideally
Description
Live with us and become part of our extended family in this cohousing neighborhood and homestead farm. Work projects will include gardening, farming, landscaping, light construction, and alternative energy.
Host Offers
oFood: Full stipend, plus eat from the garden oAccommodations: Beautiful room (shared or single) in our timber-frame home at Village Terraces Cohousing Neighborhood. Full use of facilities. oEarthaven fees: Payment of all residency fees except vehicle fee. oEducation: Weekly classes on some of the following subjects: shamanism, herbalism, consensus, reflexology, and more. You will build skills in gardening, animal care, alternative energy, building, etc.
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 28 o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: $15/month vehicle fee if you bring one.
We are a permaculture-based nursery growing bioregional edible and medicinal plants. We are expanding this year, and need people to assist in this process. We're looking for eager, intelligent people who are passionate about plants and able to work effectively in both the physical and intellectual worlds.
Host Offers
oFood: $120 month stipend oAccommodations: Housing provided oEarthaven fees: Not included oEducation: Learning about plant physiology, biology, and characteristics from Chuck Marsh, and about developing green business practices from Bruce Johnston. oSkill-building work : Organic plant growing and production; installation and development of some plant nursery infrastructure (greenhouses, potting systems, etc.) oWorkshops: Free attendance to all workshops and classes at which either Bruce or Chuck Marsh is a teacher.
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 20–25 hours/week o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: Cover additional food costs over $120 stipend (estimated $80-$110/month); Cover own Earthaven fees (estimated $30-$50/month).
Southeast Wise Women Apprenticeships, See website for 2008 dates; 3-month minimum.
Description
Apprenticeship with Corinna Wood, “mother” of Southeast Wise Women and Red Moon Herbs, and one of the early members and leaders at Earthaven. Experience life at an emerging ecovillage and deepen your trust for the wisdom of the Earth and your own body. Open to women or couples.
Host Offers
oAccommodations: Camping or other rustic accommodations oEarthaven fees: Payment of all residency fees oEducation: Classes in herbal medicine and women’s health. Skill-building work, including physical projects, class support, childcare, gardening, etc.
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 32 hours/week o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: Coer your own food costs. No fees.
Sustainable Life Skills Permaculture Internship,
4/12/08 – 6/15/08 or 9/1/08 – 11/8/08, 9-week intensive.
Description
Disengage from consumer culture! Learn sustainability by living it, in this 9-week intensive focusing on the cultural aspects of sustainability. Consensus, conflict resolution, Tantra, and natural healing complement the basic Permaculture curriculum. Students receive a Permaculture Design certificate upon completion.
Host Offers
oFood: Food oAccommodations: Housing provided oEarthaven fees: All Earthaven residency fees paid. oEducation: Lectures, discussion, hands-on projects, videos, site visits, and student presentations.
Forest Children Program
Internship,8/15/08 – 6/15/09, 10‑month
full commitment only.
Description
Seeking mature, responsible, drug-free person with love for children and clear boundaries to work with our lead teacher in our homeschool enrichment program for ages 5-10. Rare opportunity to work closely with a small group of children being raised in families with values and lifestyle close to the earth.
Host Offers
oFood: Not included oAccommodations: Housing provided oEarthaven fees: Payment of all residency fees oEducation: Skill-building work
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 25 hours/week o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 oMoney/Fees/Food costs: Cover own food costs (estimated $200-$220/month).
II. Work Exchange. With a work exchange arrangement, the host generally provides camping (sometimes upgraded accommodations are possible) and food, and pays the fees due to Earthaven, except
for the motor vehicle fee ($10/month) and a one-time administrative fee ($25 upon arrival).
In exchange, the work exchanger generally provides 20 hours of work per week to the host,
and 4 hours of work to Earthaven.
Position
Medicine Wheel Permaculture Work Exchange
June and July, 2008, two-month minimum
Description
Medicine Wheel Cooperative is looking for people who
~have Permaculture training,
~have a passionate desire to be part of creating a regenerative culture,
~have good health, physical strength, and emotional maturity, ~like varied work and variable work schedules,
~are self-motivating and able to finish projects with little supervision
Host Offers
o Food: Not included (see below) oAccommodations: A room in Medicine Wheel House, or camping if preferred oAmenities: Use of Medicine Wheel House kitchen, office, guest rooms, gardens, etc. oEarthaven fees: Not included oEducation: Opportunity to live and work in a developing Permaculture demonstration site. Informal education from experienced permaculturists accompanying every project
You Provide
oWeekly hours for host: 12-15 hours/week, plus participation in preparation and cleaning for group meals
o Weekly hours for Earthaven: 4 o Earthaven fees: $25 fee, plus $30/month (and $15/month if you have a car) oFood costs: Fee of $215/month covers all food needs
Contact
Patricia Allison or Lyndon Felps,
or call (828) 664-0067
If you are interested in a position listed above, please contact the host directly.
There are occasionally other Earthaven members open to taking work exchangers, in addition to those listed above. If you would like for us to put the word out to Earthaven members, please email us the information listed below, by using this form or the following email link:
Information about yourself and your skills,
interests, and experience
The type of work you are interested in doing
The time period you would be available
References (not required, but useful)
The information will be distributed to the Earthaven members' listserv of Earthaven, and
if someone is interested in you, they will contact you directly.
