Guidestone is pleased to partner with Mountain Roots Food Project for the fifth year in a row, to offer 2023 Healthy Futures AmeriCorps positions. 2023 position summaries are included below. To read full 2023 position descriptions and apply, please visit the Mountain Roots Healthy Futures AmeriCorps page. **please note: positions that start in March are posted on the Mountain Roots Healthy Futures AmeriCorps page first, then May start dates.**
Ranch & Homestead Experiential Educator
Full Time, 3/4 Term, March Start Date (reach out to us if interested in 1/2 term with May start date)
Healthy Futures Position Category: Farm to School Educator
The Ranch & Homestead Experiential Educator will run education programs at the Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center and is a good fit for a member who is passionate about working with youth, supporting local agriculture, ranching, agricultural history, traditional arts, experiential education, and building connections in the community. The position offers space for a member’s creativity, through opportunities to help with agriculture-focused programs and incorporate arts and hands-on traditional skills into the ranching curriculum. The position is focused on pioneer, homestead, and ranching education and includes exposure to fundraising, marketing, and farm and ranch production.
Guidestone operates the Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center with the vision of bringing the story of the land and history to life through events, programs, and community celebrations to create a dynamic living, historical, and cultural interpretation and agriculture education center that bridges the past to the future of agriculture in our community. The Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center provides a home base for Guidestone operations, is a primary site for Farmhands Youth Education Programs, and will continue to grow to support community events and agritourism opportunities in the Upper Arkansas Region.
Summer Lead Educator — position filled for 2023
Full Time, 1/4 Term, May Start Date
Healthy Futures Position Category: Farm to School Educator
The Summer Lead Educator will run summer camps and educational programs primarily at the Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center and is a good fit for a member who is passionate about working with youth, supporting local agriculture, ranching, agricultural history, traditional arts, experiential education, and building connections in the community. The position offers space for a member’s creativity, through opportunities to help with agriculture-focused programs and incorporate arts and hands-on traditional skills into the ranching curriculum. The position is focused on pioneer, homestead, and ranching education, especially for kids, and includes exposure to outreach and event support.
Farm Production Lead — position filled for 2023
Full Time, 3/4 Term, March Start Date
Healthy Futures Position Category: Community Farm & Garden Production
Guidestone seeks a Farm Production Lead to be responsible for the production at the Community & School Farm (C&S Farm), including starting plants from seeds in our greenhouse, preparing beds in the high tunnels and production fields, leading volunteers to plant, seed, cultivate, and harvest crops, and creating and maintaining a vibrant community farm space. The C&S Farm is a 4-acre parcel owned by the Salida School District. Guidestone holds a 20-year lease for the Farm to School Program to grow food for school cafeterias, the hospital and community, and lead farm education and community service opportunities on the site. The C&S Farm has a 24’x48’ high tunnel, a 16’x24’ movable high tunnel, and a 42’ diameter dome greenhouse to extend the season, along with a ¾ acre production field, small orchard, and raised beds in the front garden. In addition, the Farm Production Lead will support local food systems efforts through outreach and engagement with the Chaffee Local Food Coalition.
Garden (Farm to School) Educator – position filled for 2023
Full Time, 3/4 Term, March Start Date
Healthy Futures Position Category: Farm to School Educator
Farm to School (F2S) AmeriCorps Members are part of a team that works with Guidestone Colorado Farm to School staff and volunteers to connect youth to the earth, to their food, and to the community as part of our district-wide Farm to School program, bridging gaps that enable partner organizations to be more efficient and effective at providing nutrition, health, and garden-based environmental education to rural youth. F2S Members engage youth and community members to build, maintain, and expand school gardens and ] community gardens through a start-to-finish growing season. Programs include farm field trips, guest visits, summer camps, and youth farmers markets. Members provide outreach and engagement at community events to promote Farm to School and the organization’s programs and mission. Members gain exposure to organic agriculture, curriculum development, program planning, volunteer engagement, and participate in ongoing professional development.
Guidestone operates the Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center with the vision of bringing the story of the land and history to life through events, programs, and community celebrations to create a dynamic living, historical, and cultural interpretation and agriculture education center that bridges the past to the future of agriculture in our community. The Hutchinson Homestead & Learning Center provides a home base for Guidestone operations, is a primary site for Farmhands Youth Education Programs, and will continue to grow to support community events and agritourism opportunities in the Upper Arkansas Region.
Land Link Coordinator – position filled for 2023
Part Time, Full Year Term, January Start Date
Healthy Futures Position Category: Land Access and Succession
Land Link AmeriCorps Members work to create innovative solutions to challenges of agricultural land access and land succession and offer professional educational and resource support to ranchers, farmers, landowners & land seekers to secure agriculture’s future on the land. Land Link members engage farmers, ranchers, and the community to keep producers and agricultural lands viable. Programs include a Land Access Series, ongoing workshops addressing producer needs, and a land listing database matching landowners and seekers. Members do outreach at community events to promote Land Link and Guidestone’s work & mission. Members gain exposure to agricultural practices, statewide land access and water issues, program planning, constituent and volunteer engagement, and participate in professional development.
The Land Link Coordinator will support the operations and administration of Colorado Land Link. This person will work with the Land Link Program Director to support organizing events that expand the reach of Land Link- connecting landowners and land seekers, and improving land access knowledge and opportunities within the state. Specific roles include managing the Land Link database, organizing outreach events, sharing events and resources via our Land Link Instagram / Facebook pages, conversing with farmers, ranchers and landowners, collecting information via phone interviews and during in person site visits, and supporting other organizational events and activities. Organizational skills and outreach experience are highly desired. Some travel and weekend work required. Mileage reimbursement available.
