CITY SPROUTS FARM

Community Food Systems Apprenticeship

Center for Community Learning

Western Washington University

 

Hosted by the WWU Center for Community Learning, this apprenticeship provides an opportunity to learn small-scale production farming skills, participate in student leadership and food justice efforts, and cultivate a connection to place through our food system. Funding for these positions comes from the WWU Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund and is only available to enrolled Western students.

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Position Description: 

Apprentices will work each week at City Sprouts Farm with a team of student employees and farm mentors. Apprentices will also work once a week at Common Threads elementary school gardens and/or the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters mini farm. This program offers hands-on farm skills development along with educational opportunities, including attending community food systems events, learning from visiting instructors, and exploring local food and farming projects in Whatcom and Skagit Counties.

Tasks will vary throughout the season and include greenhouse work, weeding, preparing vegetable beds for planting, seeding and transplanting crops, harvesting and packing produce, site maintenance and building projects, leading volunteer groups, participating in group discussions, coordinating farm events, hosting farm tours, and more. 

We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as those with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

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Required Qualifications:

 

• Curious with a desire to learn all aspects of small-scale farm systems

• Organized, responsible, and punctual

• Strong communication and leadership skills

• Excellent work ethic and positive attitude

• Conscientious and able to work with diverse groups of people

• Ability to lift 25 pounds repeatedly*

• Ability to navigate rough and uneven ground*

• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions

• Must have access to reliable transportation (bike or bus included)

• Must be enrolled at Western for the duration of employment (through fall quarter 2025)
   

*For disability accommodations please contact Ellie Duncan at ellie.duncan@wwu.edu

 

Our Farm’s Mission:

City Sprouts Farm builds community resilience by stewarding a productive farm space where people can come together to learn, increase food access, and demonstrate how community vitality can grow through our food system.  Our programming is embedded within Western Washington University's Center for Community Learning and we provide multiple entry points for students to engage in local food systems. We grow diversified vegetables using organic and ecological practices. Our primary goals are to grow nutritious produce that is accessible for food-insecure members of our community, to cultivate soil health and biodiversity, and to create opportunities for student learning, engagement and belonging. 

 

About the community we are serving:

The Birchwood and Alderwood areas of Bellingham are impacted by food apartheid. Since the only grocery store in the area closed in 2016, the lack of access to fresh, affordable, culturally appropriate food has particularly impacted low income communities and communities of color. Food access at WWU is an ongoing challenge as well, with over 40% of students reporting food insecurity.

Since City Sprouts Farm began in 2018, we have worked to address this problem by getting fresh produce into the hands of our most food insecure neighbors.  The produce grown at City Sprouts Farm is free/affordable for the people who consume it. We do this by providing produce to Sea Mar Community Health Center’s FARMacia free food stand, the Birchwood Food Desert Fighter’s free food share spot, through WWU Food Pantry Donations, and through our sliding-scale or free CSA program. 

 

Position details:

Hours/Week: ~16 hours/week. June 18-August 29, 2025 (Wednesdays and Fridays)

Pay Rate: $19/hour.                                                                                         

Apprentices may request up to 5 days unpaid leave throughout their seasonal position.

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To Apply:

Please email Ellie Duncan at ellie.duncan@wwu.edu with a resume and one page cover letter responding to the following questions:

• What inspires your interest in community engagement, farming or food justice?

• What do you hope to carry forward from this position and how would this apprenticeship support your academic or career goals?

• What’s a challenge you’ve grown from, and how would you bring that growth to this farm team?

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We will accept applications until April 28th, 2025. Interviews will be conducted May 1-15th and applicants will be offered positions by May 23rd.