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2007 Sustainable Internships


* Urban Food Production Internships * - Soil building, biodynamic crop planning, permaculture principals and structures, water systems and management, succession plantings, high-altitude garden crop varieties, sourcing organic seeds, sales and distribution of local food (including CSA development.) Learning will focus on the basics of nutrient cycling, growing, cultivating, harvesting, and marketing food for urban applications.

Time frame:
Mid-March: biodynamic and crop rotation planning,
Late April - mid-June: intensive soil building and planting,
Mid-June through mid-October: successive plantings, harvesting, weed and feed, and market sales,
Mid-October through beginning November: soil building, composting and putting the garden to bed.

* Year-Round Food Production Internships * - Learn how we can produce much of our food throughout the winter by utilizing simple greenhouses. In this concentration the intern will learn about the benefits of High-Tunnel greenhouses, be involved in the design and construction of a 30' x 100' hoop house, including irrigation and venting systems, planning and planting, harvesting and distribution of crops that will provide fresh produce through the winter months. Learning will focus on the core principals of winter farming in our high-altitude and semi-arid ecosystem with the intent to apply these principals to local urban applications and to teach those who will teach others.

Time frame:
Mid-March through mid-April: Planning, materials research and acquisition,
Mid-July through mid-August: construction and planting, less intensive
Mid-August through February:

* Livestock and Pasture Management Internship * – working larger tracks of land for the production of meat, milk, eggs and animal fiber is a critical link in sustainable food production and nutrient cycling systems. This internship opportunity focuses on our mountain pasturelands and management intensive grazing methods that build healthy pasture, the foundation of healthy food for our animals and us. Interns will learn the beneficial relationships of the soil microbes, fungi, worms, and other primary decomposers have with the larger cattle, sheep and poultry in the system. Hands-on learning includes rotational paddock development and operation, flood irrigation, soil and grass testing, forage development, livestock care, and meat processing and marketing.


Residential Internships
Sustainable Settings fosters intensified learning-working in the various field areas the Whole Systems Learning Center. To accomplish this we have established a limited number of internships, two to four and no more than six people at any one time. One to two five-month sessions are the normal intended length of internships. The specific duration is negotiated between each intern and the Director. Interns may be offered additional time in the program or an opportunity for more permanent employment upon completion of their internship, at the discretion of the Director and contingent on funding, however this should not be expected.

Sustainable Settings’ internship is a subsidized learning situation. Subsidized in the sense that at this point we do not charge tuition. Interns are temporary staffers who come to Sustainable Settings after completing advanced study (ordinarily they hold a bachelors or graduate level degree, or have equivalent experience in their area of emphasis) and now wish to apply and expand their knowledge and skills. Interns have exceptional reading and writing skills, a strong interest in sustainability and culture issues, a high degree of self-motivation, and a desire to apply themselves to practical problems.

The intern's responsibilities include project-specific hands-on research and demonstration in sustainable agriculture, on-site green building, report writing, general office work, leading site tours, educational offerings and assisting in the development and upkeep of Sustainable Settings’ facilities and grounds. Daily tasks can include such activities as reading, writing, talking to others in related fields of expertise, designing, building, gardening, animal husbandry, working on value added products, marketing, Web site development, helping with programming and fundraising, mentoring students from area schools, and occasionally helping/volunteering in the greater Roaring Fork Valley community. i.e. making costumes and sets for a local elementary school’s spring musical, volunteering for Carbondale’s Potato Days, and/or designing, building, and riding our 25 foot Forth of July float.

It is taken for granted that interns are extraordinarily able. Much of getting along in the world goes beyond this. Hard work is not enough. Personal qualities such as initiative, empathy, adaptability, flexibility, and persuasiveness are also necessary.

Interns joining Sustainable Settings understand that:

  • They are responsible for their own learning. There are no gurus at Sustainable Settings. The Director and permanent staff focuses on managing the overall development of the organization and Whole Systems Learning Center. If interns need help with their progress and/or learning, they are expected to seek assistance from the permanent staff. If the permanent staff do not have the knowledge or time, they will help the interns to find expertise appropriate to their current endeavor.
  • At any time, due to Sustainable Settings’ changing priorities, local politics, or lack of funding, the interns may not be able to pursue exactly the things they came to learn.
  • Although they may be responsible for all or part of the research and development of a particular project, they may not be able to see that project to completion during the internship, and that project may be re-assigned, delayed, or cancelled.
  • Interns do not come to Sustainable Settings to accumulate money. This is at best a subsidized learning experience. For the first five months interns are unpaid volunteers. During this initial period each intern is responsible for all of his or her living expenses. After five months interns and the Director meet to determine if another five months period would be beneficial to both the intern and the organization and set the parameters for that period. Each intern is strongly encouraged to arrive with $3,000-$4,000 in her/his personal bank account for housing, food, and personal expenses.
  • Housing will eventually be provided to most interns. We can currently provide one or two housing situations with neighbors on a first come first serve and compatibility basis. Limited camping until housing is found is available. Otherwise interns are responsible for obtaining their own housing off-site. Unfortunately, housing and food costs in the Aspen/Carbondale area are expensive and must be paid for by each intern. For example: a one bedroom apartment or room in a shared two-bedroom home can rent for $700 per month.
  • Internships vary in the different areas of the organization. For instance, Sustainable agriculture focused interns may have a different arrangement than green building focused interns. Although there are basic understandings and agreements between all interns and the permanent staff, as in most aspects of life, individual internships are negotiated between the intern and the Director.
  • Scholarships are a possibility to help offset costs of living during the intern period. Interested applicants may contact the Director for more information