Organization: The Common Orchard Project

About this opportunity:

Volunteer Reports to: Community Empowerment Coordinator

Job Location: New Installation Sites around the Cincinnati Region

Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per installation

(October - Early December and March-May)

How this Position Supports Common Orchard:

We are looking for more volunteers to join us in growing food and community in Greater Cincinnati and beyond. The Common Orchard Project works to install and maintain hundreds of small orchard plantings across Greater Cincinnati and grows “commonly held” resources by educating communities on fresh food and urban land management. These common orchards provide increased food access, tree canopy, walkable greenspace and community building in neighborhoods that have experienced disinvestment.

The Orchard Installation Team will perform a variety of tasks at the Camp Washington Urban Farm and new installation sites across Cincinnati. Primarily this looks like planting fruit trees with communities seeking to grow public food with their neighbors or to donate to communities in need. The Orchard Installation Team provides direct access to food by installing fruit trees and shrubs in accessible locations to better assist and address the needs of our community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Help build an orchard with a neighbors and other volunteers for 2-3 hours
• Plant Material and Tool Load Up
• Sod Removal & Tree Hole Digging
• Soil Amendment
• Tree placement
• Mulching
• Watering
• Lifting up to 40 pounds
• Walking over uneven terrain (at times for most if not all of the work day)
• Perform duties outdoors throughout multiple seasons
• Be flexible in communication (The work of some days may shift due to weather)
• Training & Supervision will be provided for maximum health and safety.

All volunteers, whether volunteering for ongoing, short-term or “one off” roles, undergo onboarding that provides all the information appropriate to their role to help them understand the work of The Common Orchard Project and fulfill their role. Onboarding arrangements vary according to the service and the nature of the voluntary activity to be undertaken. Where possible, volunteers are offered additional training to enable them to fulfill their voluntary role more effectively.

To become a valued contributor within the support of food sovereignty in Cincinnati by way of orchard building, please contact this email: commonorchard@greenumbrella.org.

After this, you will be able to set up an initial volunteer orientation and to sign up to receive volunteer communication, or if you have any other questions.