Ashevillage Institute

POSITION AVAILABLE: Ashevillage Institute’s Mycology Coordinator

Volunteer position with benefits for grad students and college seniors

“We are delivering a whole system, ground-up approach that addresses humanity’s most critical challenges at a neighborhood scale.” – Janell Kapoor, founder

START IN 2012 (Choice of 3, 6, or 12-month internship)
The Ashevillage Institute (AVI) is looking for a top notch volunteer to fill our Mycology Coordinator position. This is an incredible opportunity to be part of one of the premier urban permaculuture demonstration sites in the country. You will be working with a dedicated and knowledgeable on-site staff to design, develop, implement and test the performance of diverse mushroom production systems that you help to create.

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ASHEVILLAGE INSTITUTE
The Ashevillage Institute (AVI) is a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable solutions in action. AVI is based at a one-acre  property with integrated ecological systems that address humanity’s most pressing needs. We grow food and medicinal plants, capture and use rainwater, work with volunteers and interns, and offer tours and educational programs. Our goal is to inspire others to do the same on a home and neighborhood scale. Our site is residential and sits between downtown Asheville, NC and 60 acres of wooded parkland and trails. Highlights include:

• 18,000 gallon living rainwater catchment system with bio-myco remediation
• Two naturally renovated houses, one for guests and one for residents
• Aquaponic greenhouse with integrated chicken coop and shower
• Five recirculating aquaponic ponds, bogs, and catchment swales
• Beautiful and organic edible, medicinal, and flowered landscape
• Earthworks that maximize rainwater retention and utilization
• Bees, chickens, soldier fly larvae & mushroom production
• Outdoor kitchen with wood-fired cook stove & oven
• Natural buildings, renovations & mud art
• Woods with camping and meeting space
• Recycled urbanite patio

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RESPONSIBILITIES
• Research and develop an integrated mushroom system that maximizes water and nutrient usage for the purpose of on-site remediation, medicine and food consumption
• Design, build and implement mushroom habitat in logs, shrub piles and a mycoremediation train in a way that is in sync with the overall site aesthetic
• Research and acquire seven edible species for medicinal, nutritive and bioremediation uses
* Note life/production cycles of each
* Determine production capacity (yield)
• Develop and implement system to harvest and preserve mushrooms for specific end uses
• Analyze mushrooms for toxins including heavy metals, hydrocarbons and pesticides
• Research local mushroom market, and propose and implement a strategy for selling mushrooms, ie: to local restaurants, thus helping to develop a cottage industry
• Create a detailed program with distinct tasks for maintenance and recording data
• Contribute to educational outreach via:
* Writing/editing articles, blogs and possibly videos
* Facilitating tours and assisting workshops
* Being available for interviews

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QUALIFICATIONS
• Pursuing an advanced degree (Master’s or Doctorate program) in Mycology or related field
• Knowledge of mushroom propagation, growing, harvest cycles
• You have a deep passion for creating ecological solutions to today’s global challenges
• You have a refined eye for detail and a job well-done
• You are a good communicator and team player
• You are comfortable working on your own and with others
• You are good at finding creative solutions and have an uplifting, win-win attitude
• You don’t mind grunt work and getting dirty

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BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES
• Work with AVI’s staff of who specialize in ecological systems and program design
• Help develop a new system at one of the nation’s premier urban Permaculture sites
• Collaborate with a team of other university interns
• Deepen your learning in a real-life setting
• Assist the 1-week Water Management Workshop, including the President of Appropedia.org

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COMMITMENT
The Mycology Coordinator position requires 15 hours per week minimum, and at least a three month commitment. You will need to have a laptop and be based in Asheville, NC. This is not a paid position, but funding may be available through your university and/or other sources. Course credit may be available through your university.

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APPLY
Please submit a CV/resume, a letter of interest, and two references to info@ashevillage.org.

<–Back to Intern Opportunities

POSITION AVAILABLE: Ashevillage Institute’s Aquaponics Coordinator

This is a volunteer position with benefits for grad students and college seniors

“We are delivering a whole system, ground-up approach that addresses humanity’s most critical challenges at a neighborhood scale.” – Janell Kapoor, founder

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STARTS IN 2012 (Choice of 3, 6, or 12-month internship)
The Ashevillage Institute is looking for a top notch volunteer to fill our Aquaponics Coordinator position. This is an incredible opportunity to be part of one of the premier urban permaculuture sites in the country. You will be working with dedicated and knowledgeable on-site staff to design, develop, implement and test the performance of the finished system and to complete at least one full cycle for harvesting fish and plants.

—

ASHEVILLAGE INSTITUTE
The Ashevillage Institute (AVI) is a nonprofit dedicated to sustainable solutions in action. AVI is based at a one-acre  property with integrated ecological systems that address humanity’s most pressing needs. We grow food and medicinal plants, capture and use rainwater, work with volunteers and interns, and offer tours and educational programs. Our goal is to inspire others to do the same on a home and neighborhood scale. Our site is residential and sits between downtown Asheville, NC and 60 acres of wooded parkland and trails. Highlights include:

• 18,000 gallon living rainwater catchment system with bio-myco remediation
• Two naturally renovated houses, one for guests and one for residents
• Aquaponic greenhouse with integrated chicken coop and shower
• Five recirculating aquaponic ponds, bogs, and catchment swales
• Beautiful and organic edible, medicinal, and flowered landscape
• Earthworks that maximize rainwater retention and utilization
• Bees, chickens, soldier fly larvae & mushroom production
• Outdoor kitchen with wood-fired cook stove & oven
• Natural buildings, renovations & mud art
• Woods with camping and meeting space
• Recycled urbanite patio

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RESPONSIBILITIES
• Research & development of an integrated aquaponics system that maximizes water and nutrient usage for the purpose of on-site water and food consumption
• Design and implement water treatment and filtration system to utilize storm water runoff
* Includes bio-remediation, filtration and sanitizing for potable water in outdoor kitchen, shower, and garden irrigation
• Design, build and implement aquatic garden in the existing greenhouse
• Determine nutrient and water usage required for both fish and plants to maintain a healthy, balanced environment
• Research and acquire edible aquatic flora and fauna (ie: tilapia, prawns, watercress, lotus)
* Note life/production cycles of each
* Determine production capacity (yield)
• Set up data logging system to track/record key flow and nutrient variables for analysis
• Create a detailed program with distinct tasks for maintenance and recording data
• Contribute to educational outreach via:
* Writing/editing articles, blogs and possibly videos
* Leading tours and assisting workshops
* Being available for interviews

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QUALIFICATIONS
• Pursuing a degree (Master’s or Doctorate program) in Aquaculture/Aquaponics
• Competence in basic carpentry and plumbing
• Ability to perform volumetric/mass flow calculations to assess system viability
• You have a deep passion for creating ecological solutions to today’s global challenges
• You have a refined eye for detail and a job well-done
• You are a good written and verbal communicator
• You are comfortable working on your own and with others
• You are good at finding creative solutions and have an uplifting, win-win attitude
• You enjoy working hard and getting your hands dirty

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OPPORTUNITIES
• Work with AVI’s staff of who specialize in ecological systems and program design
• Help develop the systems at one of the nation’s premier urban Permaculture sites
• Collaborate with a team of other university interns
• Deepen your learning in a real-life setting
• Assist instructors during the 1-week Water Management Workshop, including the President of  Appropedia.org

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COMMITMENT
The Aquaponics Coordinator position requires between 15-40 hours per week, depending on the length of your commitment. Applications are being accepted now. Admission is rolling. This is not a paid position, but funding may be available through your university and/or other sources. Course credit may be available through your university.

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APPLY
Please submit a CV/resume, a letter of interest, and two references to info@ashevillage.org.

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<–Back to Intern Opportunities

Caleb gives his insight into aquaponics, sustainable agriculture and Ashevillage as a living laboratory

ASHEVILLAGE BLOG: Why did you chose to be a volunteer manager at Ashevillage?

Ashevillage was delighted to host 13 Board Members of The Heart Of The Healer, an organization that aims to preserve indigenous culture and restore our Earth. They visited earlier this month to see a real example of how a Permaculture Site runs as they consider starting a similar project in Peru. Over the course of the 2 hour tour, they discussed Board strategies and effectiveness for different kinds of organizations. The tour was kicked off with a home-made bottle of wild blueberry mead celebrating their Founder’s birthday.

Centered in the oldest mountains on the planet, Asheville, NC is considered one of the greenest towns in the United States. Find out why….not from a brochure, but directly from the people who are making it happen. Ashevillage Sustainability Tours are personalized, guided tours that explore the greenest projects and people Asheville has to offer…

Please join us…
Walk through the homes and gardens of the pioneers of natural living. Visit their flourishing edible landscapes. Taste fresh herbs and homemade fermented treats out of their gardens. Explore beautiful hand-sculpted earthen buildings and meet the builders who designed and created them. Discover how you can use these innovative practices in your own home after experiencing them firsthand. Explore other examples of sustainability in action….Check out an innovative green restaurant, or a school where the children built their own chicken house, gardens, and wood-fired earthen oven. At the end of your tour, your guide will provide a list of local hot spots, organic restaurants, cafes, and more.
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Featured Tour options

Site A) The Ashevillage Institute Demonstration Site & Kleiwerks International Headquarters: A one-acre eco-urban paradise of edible landscapes; natural gravity-fed water catchment and aquaculture ponds; recycled courtyards and social gathering space; two earthen retrofitted homes, including a beautiful guest house; and a wooded sanctuary connected to 60 acres of woods and trails. Meet some of our staff and residents. Enjoy some tasty homemade garden or fermented treats.

Site B) Bixby Cottage: The first modern earthen building in the state of North Carolina. Built in 1998. This sweet little hand-sculpted cob dwelling features beautiful arches, niches, and a cantilevered bench. The only thing in the walls are 100% local red dirt, straw and sand.

Site C) Pearson Community Garden: Imagine turning an old dumping ground into a thriving source of healthy food and community gatherings. Pearson Garden has been under the care of two nonprofits for several decades. Featuring a social gathering space; two earthen-built structures, including a dry toilet; organic gardens, bees, a greenhouse, and little natural habitat pond.

Site D) Isaac Dickson Elementary School: Teachers at this public school initiated programs and projects that engaged the students in creating their own gardens. They brought in dirt, chickens and bees, created compost, and built their own structures, including a wood-fired baking oven from which they enjoy homemade pizza!

Site E) Yardie Homesteads: Visit any one of five urban homesteads. What are people doing in their own backyards to grow food, harvest water, save energy, and live the good life? Visit an Asheville innovator’s living laboratory, aka: their own backyard.

Site F) Green Sage Cafe or Sunny Point Cafe: Learn about how the greenest restaurant/cafes in Asheville set up their extensive recycling and compost systems, energy systems, and food-sourcing. Enjoy a delicious beverage or snack on us as you wrap up your tour!

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Tour Guides

Janell Kapoor is the Founding Director and Program Strategist for Kleiwerks International. She is an avid mud mama and international movement-builder, designer, and teacher of indigenous building skills. Janell’s work has inspired hundreds of thousands of people from over 45 countries to build their own homes with what they have where they are with no more than a week, or two of formal mud training. She organized and taught the first earthen building trainings in Thailand, Argentina, and Turkey. Results include the establishment of natural building and permaculture demonstration centers, ongoing educational programs, businesses, regional policy, and homes that support natural living and have the potential to reduce our global energy footprint by more than 90%. Janell founded and lives at the Ashevillage Institute, a one-acre, eco-urban demonstration. The site features an integrated living systems design of a 20,000 gallon five-pond catchment, filtration, aquaculture, and greenhouse system, chickens, bees, worms, mushrooms, edible and medicinal landscape, recycled courtyards, an outdoor earthen kitchen, and beautiful mud art. Janell is dedicated to the champion within each of us, and to the possibility that we may learn to live in balance with ourselves, each other, and this most beautiful planet we are blessed to inhabit.

Ash Aymond comes to the Ashevillage Institute as the Site Coordinator of our one-acre Permaculture demonstration center. His background is in engineering with a passion for natural systems design, building and teaching. As a mentor and tour guide to students and sustainable living enthusiasts, Ash has a particular knack for helping complex ideas make sense. He walks his talk by exploring as many aspects of sustainable living as he can get his hands on. Ash cherishes implementing these practical skills in order to build realistic solutions that support community life and show people how to integrate the natural world into their daily lives. Ash has worked and lived at communities that practice and promote ecological living, from Oregon to Asheville, North Carolina, where he currently calls home.

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Tour Packages & Fees

We have suggested package tours below and we are more than happy to customize a tour to suit your needs. If you prefer a different combination of sites, please let us know.

Note

Tours begin between 10am and 3pm, Monday thru Saturday.
For the two and three hour tours, your guide will travel with you in your vehicle.
Our tours are a venture of Kleiwerks International, and our local project, the Ashevillage Institute.
At least 50% of proceeds support our Sustainability Education Fund that trains community leaders from all over the world.
Tips are appreciated.

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Reservations

To make a reservation or for questions, please contact info@ashevillage.org.
Payments can be made by Paypal, check, or cash.
A $50 reservation deposit is needed at the time you book your tour.

Ashevillage Sustainability Tours are brought to you by Kleiwerks International, a nonprofit organization and international network of innovative design/build specialists. A percentage of all tour proceeds support our efforts to build ecological and social leadership with communities worldwide.

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We want to hear from you…

Please let us know how we can serve you further. If you are interested in a workshop or consultation, speak with your guide. They may also be able to arrange a meeting between you and other green specialists in the area.

At Ashevillage Institute’s Natural Building Extravaganza in April and May, 2011, Eva Rose Edleson, of Firespeaking, and specialists from around the country lent their expertise in natural building. With a group of enthusiastic participants, they built a wood-fired baking oven and griddle at Ashevillage!

Using natural building techniques, the oven and griddle are smart, economical, fuel-efficient, and environmentally sound. They’re not only practical, but also works of art, creating the means to provide for family and friends and show others how to provide for themselves.

TECHNICAL DETAILS (courtesy of Eva and Firespeaking)

*Heat Generation: Burning wood generates heat transferred directly into the cooking chamber

*PLUS heat is retained in the oven’s mass and slowly returned to the inside of the oven

*Fuel Efficient: The oven requires much less wood to do the same amount of baking than horno-style ovens.

*Speedy Pre-Heat: Begin baking just 15-20 minutes after lighting your fire.

*It’s Clean: The firebox and the inside of the oven are sealed so the baking chamber is always clean of ash and soot.

Check out Firespeaking.com for more info