Garden Apprentice – Elawa Farm

Last Updated On: May 7th, 2026 at 07:37PM MST

Contact information

Farm Address:
1401 Middlefork Dr.
Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045

Primary Contact: Elaine Madansky
Primary Phone:
    Type: Cell
    Number: 847.309.7644
    Email: emadansky@elawafarm.org

Website: https://elawafarm.org/employment-opportunities

Internship information

General Farm Description: Elawa Farm is a historic, non-profit farm located in Lake Forest, Illinois. Elawa Farm Foundation’s mission is to steward a historic farm that enriches greater Lake County as a center for experiential learning to broaden access to education, nutritious food, and our local food system. We gather community through food and agriculture with a sustainable farm, weekly market, learning kitchen, and educational programming for youth and adults. The farm includes ½-acre vegetable and ¼-acre flower gardens that are managed both for production and aesthetic beauty using sustainable and organic growing practices. Our produce is offered to the community through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, at our on-site market every Friday & Saturday from mid-May through October, wholesale sales to local restaurants and grocery stores, and area charitable organizations focused on alleviating food insecurity.

CRAFT Member Farm? No

Internship Starts: 4/17/2023
Internship Ends: 10/27/2023
Number of Internship Available: 1
Application Deadline: 10-Mar-23
Minimum Length of Stay: 28 weeks

Internship Details:

Elawa Farm Foundation is currently seeking a seasonal, full-time Garden Apprentice who will work directly with our Farm Manager and Field Production and Distribution Supervisor as well as our summer interns and volunteers on overall daily operations of the farm.  The person in this role will gain hands‐on experience in operating a small farm business which requires a wide range of skills including how to effectively grow vegetables and cut flowers, time-management, marketing, and customer relations.

Responsibilities

• Assist with day‐to‐day operations of the farm including seeding, planting, irrigating, weeding, harvesting, record keeping, and working in the greenhouse
• Manage wash-pack operation on harvest days
• Deliver disease management program
• Lead produce sales operations at our on-site market
• Run flower and vegetable seed trials

Qualifications

• Passionate about growing food, land stewardship, small-scale farm enterprise
• Hard-working, responsible, self-starter, positive attitude
• Organized and detail oriented
• Team player with good verbal and interpersonal skills
• Previous farm or public garden experience is preferred
• Must have reliable transportation to Elawa Farm

Physical Requirements

• Able to lift 40 lbs. and perform typical, and at times rigorous, garden labor with exposure to a variety of weather conditions (heat, rain, etc.)

Educational Opportunities: This is an experiential, hands-on role in which the apprentice will learn all key aspects of managing a small, sustainable farm.

Skills Desired: Previous farm or public garden experience is preferred

Meals: No

Stipend: This is a full-time season position paying $15.00/hour

Housing: No

Preferred method of Contact: email