The Corvallis Environmental Center’s Edible Corvallis Initiative is hiring a part-time Garden Manager.  The Garden Manager will oversee our one-acre educational production garden, manage a volunteer program, and lead programs for youth and adults.

Garden Manager duties include:

• Design and plan garden layout.
• Coordinate donations and purchases of supplies and plant starts.
• Develop and supervise garden work plan: including planting, watering and harvesting schedule.
• Recruit and work with community volunteers at the garden on a weekly basis.
• Coordinate additional group volunteer work parties and events during the growing season.
• Maintain irrigation system, garden tools and equipment.
• Track volunteer hours.
• Track produce donations.
• Coordinate deliveries with Stone Soup, South Corvallis Food Bank and other agencies.
• Supervise garden assistants and interns.
• Develop and teach adult garden education programs.
• Participate in budgeting for SAGE garden programs.
• Assist in grant writing and reporting.
• Develop and administer program evaluations.
• Participate in staff meetings.
• Plan community and fundraising events at the SAGE garden.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive large scale organic gardening and/or farming experience
• Experience working with volunteers
• Experience working with children
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to lift 40 lbs and work outdoors in variable climatic conditions
• Familiarity with MS Office computer programs

This is a year-round, part-time position with the opportunity to expand.  Hours are flexible and seasonal; work on some evenings and Saturdays is required.  Pay is $13-$15/hour, DOE.  The position is opened until filled.

To apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter addressed to Edible Corvallis Initiative Director. Submissions may be made by email to: jen@corvallisenvironmentalcenter.org

This year we have a wonderful line up for you and couldn’t be more excited about our films this year!

February 3: Vanishing of the Bees- Little Bees.  Big Story.
February 10:  Economics of Happiness- We’re in charge.
February 17:  Play Again – From virtual reality to real connections.
February 24:  Pipe Dreams – The keystone XL Pipeline and you.

Doors open at 7pm and the movies begin at 7:30pm.  We encourage you to come early to learn more about local resources and businesses that are involved in finding solutions to the issues presented in each film.

Children’s Film Festival/Parents Night Out

We will also be showing  fun nature-based, child-centered films as well as having related art projects, games, and hands on activities for children ages 3-11.  2012′s lineup is as follows:

Friday, February 3rd:  WALL-E  The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future. He befriends another robot named EVE, and follows her into outer space on an adventure that changes the destiny of both his kind and humanity.  Themes: Trash and overconsumption

Friday, February 9th:   Over The Hedge  A pack of forest critters awaken from hibernation to find a newly-erected suburban community separated only by a hedge.  The pack has ideas to start a food supply by stealing from the neighboring community, but encounters troubles along the way.  Themes:  Consumerismn, encroachment, fragmentation.

Friday, February 16th:  Earth: The Movie  ”Earth” tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journeys across the planet we all call home.  Themes:  Migration, habitat, adaptations.

Friday, February 23rd:  Happy Feet  This film tells the story of Mumbles, an Emperor penguin who can’t sing, and his adventurous journey across Antarctica as his clan goes hungry from over-fishing.  Mumbles’ adventures (and his special gift for dancing) help save his clan.  Themes: Over-fishing; human impact, power, and choices.

When you shop at the First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op (both locations!) during these three months and use your own bags to tote off your groceries, you receive a bean for each bag – a 5 cent value – that you can donate to the organization of your choice.

Your bean donations will be used to support the programs at the Corvallis Environmental Center, including the Avery House Nature Center, the Edible Corvallis Initiative, and our Energy Efficiency Programs.

So B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bags) and support the environment as well as the Corvallis Environmental Center!

If you are interested in being considered,  please contact Jena at jena@corvallisenvironmentalcenter.org or 541-753-9211.

“The tables are set up in school [cafeterias] the first week of each month during the school year. Among their most popular offerings are locally grown and organic produce….The idea is to place tasty local foods on those tables to tempt children into trying – and liking – local, fresh, natural, nutritious foods.”

~ Raju Woodward, Corvallis Gazette-Times

Read the full Gazette-Times article HERE.

 Contact Sara McCune, Education Coordinator, to learn more about Tasting Tables.

Current intern opportunities at CEC.

Specialty crop block grants help Oregon agriculture

October 12, 2011… The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has awarded more than $1.7 million in federal funds to 24 projects aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the state’s fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery products. This month’s announcement regarding the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is good news for all states, but Oregon is especially happy to receive the funds.

 “Agriculture plays a vital role in the health and strength of our economy, and by investing in specialty crop growers and producers across the country, we can help spark new markets and job creation while expanding production of healthy, safe, and affordable food,” says Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan of the US Department of Agriculture.

The Corvallis Environmental Center’s Farm to School Program is one of the 24 projects that received funding in 2011!  The objectives of the Corvallis Farm to School project are to provide the initial support needed to institutionalize a successful farm to school program in the Corvallis School District that will increase use of local fruits and vegetables, promote Oregon-grown produce to children and their families, and serve as a model for other programs and districts. The Corvallis Environmental Center has hired a full-time coordinator for 2 years who will implement a multi-faceted farm to school program in the Corvallis School District. The Coordinator, Sara McCune, will spend 50% of her time working directly at the District’s Food and Nutrition Services to procure Oregon fruits and vegetables, and 50% of her time in the Corvallis Environmental Center’s Farm to School program coordinating outreach & educational programs. “I’m super excited about the opportunity to diversify the Farm to School program and learn about a whole new way to incorporate local food into the schools,” says McCune of her new role in the community.

Working at the Corvallis School District’s Food and Nutrition Services the Corvallis Farm to School coordinator will be the liaison between local fruit and vegetable farmers and CorvallisSchool District’s Food Service–matching the needs of food service with farmers, developing systems for the CSD, and overcoming challenges and barriers to local/farm-direct purchasing at the District level.

 The Corvallis Farm to School project will engage students and families through an outreach & education campaign that promotes the Oregon fruits and vegetables that the Corvallis School District will be featuring in their menu. Throughout the school year, Oregon specialty crops will be publicized through multiple outlets: school newsletters, lunchroom posters, Farm to School bulletin boards in schools, student activity packets, and imbedded in the printed school lunch menu that is distributed monthly to all students in the district.

 Activities to involve students in the program are the tasting tables, cooking clubs, farm field trips and farmer demonstrations. Materials distributed at school will be complemented by monthly promotions at retail grocery outlets-allowing information to easily flow between children and families. A FoodCorps member, Amoreena Treff, will assist the project in its initial year. “I’m really looking forward to helping children in Corvallis experience local food products they might not otherwise have the opportunity to try,” says Amoreena of her upcoming education work under the Specialty Crop Block Grant.

 The Farm to School program of the Corvallis Environmental Center is going to expand in new and exciting ways in the coming year, working hand in hand with the Corvallis School District along the way. The Specialty Crop Block Grant comes at a pivotal time for this emerging partnership and will go a long way to bringing specialty crops into the schools.

When: Second Sunday of each month, 1-3pm 

Where: Avery House Nature Center, 1200 Avery Park Lane   

Cost:  Free!    (Donations Appreciated)                                                                              

Monthly Topics:

We will open again March 11th look for topics soon!

Open House also for those looking into preschool

Please check back soon to see our Winter Nature Study Series lineup!

Days and Times:

Meets:  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Time 9:00-11:30 ($15/day) or 8:30-12:30 ($24/day),

Sept. 12, 2011-June 8th, 2012. 

Choose any combination of days for flexible scheduling.  

Come explore the natural world with us!

We are seeking several enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers to appoint to the Corvallis Environmental Center’s Board of Director’s!

The programs of the Corvallis Environmental Center are growing by leaps and bounds – don’t miss out on this exciting time! Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings, serve on a committee, and help with community events. This is a great opportunity to become more involved with a unique grassroots environmental non-profit, and to work on fundraising and outreach efforts for a great organization!

Applications can be found at the Corvallis Environmental Center’s downtown office, or may be downloaded here. Please return completed applications to Board President Mac Gillespie: macgillespie@gmail.com. Contact Mac with any questions that you may have.

Click here to download a board member job description.