Farm to School

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Mabelvale Garden Update »Mabelvale Garden Update This past week, Karl Heinbockel and fellow Delta Garden Study interns have had the opportunity to escape the fluorescent lights of the office and work in the bright sunshine at the Mabelvale Magnet Middle School gardens and greenhouse. In spite of the oppressive heat, there is still much to do to prepare for the coming school year at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School. We are removing the residue from last year's crops (and weeds!) and replacing them with a buckwheat cover crop to revitalize the soil. The buckwheat cover crop suppresses weed growth and once tilled in will add important organic material back into the soil. This allows new plants the ample nutrients necessary to blossom with great vigor. Healthy soil has been our focus this summer. In the fall, we will concentrate our efforts at producing a variety of food crops with the help of our students at Mabelvale! In the coming weeks, we will be continuing to clean up and organize the garden and greenhouse spaces so that this school year will be a great one for Delta Garden Study's showcase garden - Mabelvale!

FrontPage Article »See the Progress on our New Gardens! Don't forget to visit our Garden Schools’ webpages for pictures and stories about the progress of our new gardens. Liana, Kevin, Ryan and Cale have been busy developing their sites, planting a late summer garden, and getting to know their communities. Many thanks to all of their community members who have donated materials, equipment and labor!

About The Delta Garden Study »About The Delta Garden Study The Delta Garden Study is a $2 million research study funded by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service designed to prevent childhood obesity and social risk behaviors, and improve academic achievement, in middle school children in the Delta and Central regions of Arkansas.

Farm to School Intern

Interested in doing an internship for Delta Garden Study? One spring internship is available and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Directly Reports to: Program Development Coordinator

Minimum number of hours required: 80

Job Description:

Overview: This intern will work with the program development coordinator to build capacity for an Arkansas farm to school network as part of a USDA research initiative.

Responsibilities and potential projects include: Assist planning educational farm, distribution center and processing facility tours for school foodservice workers, research farm to school related topics and draft content for newsletters and websites, work with schools to integrate school garden produce into school foodservice, and attend community meetings.

Special circumstances: This position will involve travel for community meetings and site visits.

Requirements: All majors are welcome; however students with an interest in dietetics, agriculture, or business are encouraged to apply.

Perks: Although this is an unpaid internship, it provides the opportunity to participate in the groundwork of a farm to school initiative, network within related areas, and participate in a dynamic team.

How to Apply: To apply for one of our intern postings, please email Emily English at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it include the position you are interested in and why you would like to work with the Delta Garden Study, as well as, a coversheet and resume. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Emily English at 501-364-3390 OR This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Other unpaid internships: Intervention Implementation Intern, Curriculum/Nutrition Intern,DGS Data Team Intern, Garden Development Intern, Mabelvale Magnet Middle School Garden Internship, Website Developer Assistant.