Nonprofit Aggregator: Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

Cats! Cats in Trees! By Charmaine Jones! (Available on the website.)

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

The studio is snowed in, and now Art Enables' Facebook page has been taken over by cat pictures! Did you know that our artists do commissions? Here's "Smitty", a commissioned portrait created by Jackie Coleman.

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

Art Enables is closed today due to the snowy weather. We'll be open tomorrow, but in the meantime, please enjoy this picture of a cat ("Minerva the Zinzer", by Charles Meissner)

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

In case you were wondering what Mo's opinion of tomorrow's weather forecast is, here you go! In case of snow, Art Enables follows the Federal schedule for snow closures and delays. But we're with Mo on this one: no snow for us, thanks!

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Accokeek Foundation.

The Robert Ware Straus Ecosystem Farm is an eight-acre certified organic vegetable farm on the banks of the Potomac River in Piscataway Park located in Accokeek, Maryland. It is a part of the Accokeek Foundation’s Center for Agricultural and Environmental Stewardship (CAES), which provides farmer training and support. The apprenticeship is a main component of advancing the CAES’s mission and is centered around the farm and its daily workings, namely the fulfillment of a weekly CSA operation.

 

General Apprenticeship Information:
This apprenticeship program serves as a full immersion in land-based training of all aspects of organic vegetable operation at the Accokeek Foundation’s 8-acre certified organic Ecosystem Farm.

Timeframe: May 13, 2013 until December 13, 2013

Compensation: $1700 per month as well as Foundation-sponsored formal training, informal farm training for a full season, and health benefits.

Areas of Responsibility:

Under the direction of the farm manager, apprentices are expected to share responsibility for and training in the following fields:

• daily chores around vegetable production
• tractor operation and maintenance
• regular observation and control of pests and diseases
• vegetable and flower growing from seeds, seedlings, to transplanting
• use of proper harvesting techniques
• post-harvest handling and packaging
• CSA preparation for 60 shares
• farmers’ market sales
• a to-be-determined apprentice project
• participation in Foundation events and meetings
• tours of the farm for school children and the interested public

Requirements for Consideration: 
It is a must that any person apply to this position with the following skillset:

• desire to learn more about sustainable agriculture
• willingness to work well with others
• time commitment during the growing season

Desired Qualifications and Experience: 
The ideal candidate would possess many of these skills:

• 2-3 seasons of farm experience
• competence with machinery use and maintenance
• farmers’ market retail sales and/or working within a CSA model
• experience in environmental or agricultural education
• knowledge of solar-powered systems or off-grid energy systems

Work Requirements and Conditions

• working in all weather conditions unless it is physically unsafe
• working around large machinery with moving parts
• lifting up to 50 pounds regularly
• lots of walking and working on your feet (or knees or squatting)
• occasional work with livestock

To Apply:

Download the Apprenticeship Application.

Complete and send the apprenticeship application with a cover letter and resume no later than March 15, 2013 to info@accokeek.org. Please use this email to direct any inquiries about the position as well, or call 301-283-2113.

Mail complete applications to:

Accokeek Foundation
Attn: Ecosystem Farm
3400 Bryan Point Road
Accokeek, MD 20607

(Note: The Apprenticeship Application must be completed and submitted for consideration. Resumes submitted without applications will not be considered.)

The Accokeek Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Accokeek Foundation.

Join the Accokeek Foundation on Sunday, April 21st for our first annual Earthfest to celebrate Earth Day and National Volunteer Week. It will be a fun filled day of volunteering and family friendly activities so bring the kids for a beautiful day in Piscataway Park.

In the morning, donate your time to the volunteer activity of your choice–we’ll be working in the Museum Garden, the Pollinator Garden, the Rain Garden, on the National Colonial Farm, and cleaning up around the Visitor Center and Education Center. There will be volunteer opportunities for all ages and skill levels, and it’s a great opportunity for groups to volunteer together.

Make sure to pack a picnic, because in the afternoon, to celebrate our hard work, we’ll be relaxing as we eat lunch, practice yoga for kids, play colonial lawn games, learn how to make seed bombs, and participate in many other activities to promote healthy bodies, healthy minds, and a healthy planet!

If you choose not to bring your own picnic lunch, we will be offering an option to pre-order lunch when you register. For $5 we will provide you with a sandwich, a side (chips or an apple), and a drink. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes fit for working outside, work gloves if you have them, and a re-usable water bottle to fill up from our various hydration stations throughout the day.

You can also bring along the following items, and we will recycle them through our TerraCycle Brigade program. The recycled items will be turned into cool new products while helping to raise money for the foundation.

Recyclable Items:

• Energy bar wrappers
• Candy bar wrappers
• Cell phones
• Keyboards/mice
• MP3 players
• Elmer’s glue containers
• Corks
• Chip bags

More information about TerraCycle can be found at www.terracycle.com.

For more information, please contact Casey Lowe at volunteers@accokeek.org.

 

This post is a reprint of a post that originally appeared at Art Enables's Facebook Wall.

So what do you do with 30 lbs. of glitter? You host a FREE glitter portrait workshop! Join us Saturday, March 9th, from 1-4 pm at Art Enables for the opening of GLITTERBOMB in the Off-Rhode Studio, and our Second Saturday Workshop. Make your own glitter art, like this lovely portrait of Beyonce by Beth Baldwin!