Volunteer Opportunities

Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery
Objectives: Support customer’s in person sales activities.
Qualifications: Ability to lift/carry plants in 1 or 2 gallon pots, and push wheelbarrows filled with plants.  An interest in native plants and/or gardening.
Responsibilities: Greet customers and help them select plants for their gardens; can be combined with plant care specialists responsibilities.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours on one weekend day, weekly commitment desired, monthly commitment okay
Support: We will teach you how to work with our inventory and payment systems.
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor

Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery and APC Community Garden
Objectives: This team needs detail oriented people for basic data entry.
Qualifications: Some technical knowledge and skills in excel.
Responsibilities: Assist in monthly inventory audit, year round inventory management, and assist manager track volunteer and workshop management database
Time Commitment: 2 -4 hours monthly
Support: Training and support will be task specific.
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
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Worksite: Ploughshares Nursery or APC Community Garden
Objective: Register to drop in during our general volunteer hours.
REGISTER

Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery and APC Community Garden
Objectives: Perform maintenance, repairs and other tasks to keep the nursery grounds operating well
Qualifications: Ability to work outdoors on physical tasks with a variety of tools that are provided by the nursery. Some carpentry, electrical, and plumbing experience can be very helpful
Responsibilities: Assist the lead and other nursery managers with a variety of tasks including minor repairs to infrastructure and equipment, weed control in areas adjacent to the nursery, pruning and working with tree contractors as needed, sorting and recycling or disposal of waste materials and debris. (may reference special projects lists for larger build projects, some will require purchases of building materials and kits)
Time Commitment: Several hours per month is desirable on average but will vary seasonally and by task; specific days and times can be by arrangement
Support: Training and support will be task specific.
Primary Contact: Dani Clark
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Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery
Objectives: Move newly potted up plants to their temporary homes in the nursery’s growing areas, and maintain suitable conditions of sun or shade for them as they grow. When our seedlings and small plants grow big enough, the potters pot them up into larger pots, which initiates another move to the optimal growing/storage area until they’re ready to move to the sales floor.  Alternatively, identify plants on the sales floor that need to be uppotted, fertilized, pruned, or moved to compost.
Qualifications: This nursery job is a physical one – you’ll be on your feet and improving your arm and core strength.  The plant wrangler needs to be able to lift at least 10 lbs, walk on uneven nursery terrain, push a cart full of plants through the nursery, and (sometimes) bend forward to place the pots on tables. Knowledge of plant culture and native plants is helpful but this is also an opportunity to learn.
Responsibilities: Plant care specialists and potters work hand in hand.The potters leave the newly potted plants and their potting logs in the potting-up area. Depending on it’s stage, move plants to anf from the sales floor. Remove dead leaves, prune to shape as directed. Alert the nursery staff or volunteer lead if plants have pests or other conditions. Once trained, Plant Specialists can work independently, and can combine this task with other Nursery tasks such as watering, moving plants, helping with inventory, etc. if desired.. Additional tasks may include providing protective coverings for certain plants or groups of plants.
Time Commitment: A couple of hours once a week is desirable, but it’s flexible. Work during regular volunteer hours (Friday 11 -4, Saturday 11-4, Sunday 11-4).
Support: We will train you on nursery procedures.
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
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Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery
Objectives: Create our nursery stock by planting seeds and cuttings. As seedlings grow, repot them in larger containers. Maintain accurate and legible plant labels and inventory records.
Qualifications: Ability to work outdoors, on your feet. Ability to adhere to detailed nursery potting procedures.
Responsibilities: Seed plant starts, label appropriately, and keep seed starts organized by date.
Time Commitment: A few hours per month.
Support: We will teach you what you need to know.
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
REGISTER

Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery or APC Community Garden
Objectives: Collect seeds and cuttings from various authorized locations around Alameda Point and Ploughshares Nursery, as needed to create new nursery stock. Maintain accurate and legible seed labels.
Qualifications: Knowledge of and commitment to ethical seed collecting practices.
Responsibilities: Varies. Many seed collectors adopt a location and make regular visits as seeds mature seasonally through the year.
Time Commitment: Varies
Support: This position requires extensive training. You can start by collecting seeds within the nursery, then accompany experienced volunteers on field trips. 
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
REGISTER

Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery or APC Community Garden
Objectives: All of our visitors, especially walk-in customers, are on a journey of knowledge. Throughout the nursery, we display one-page informational cards for every species we grow, with beautiful photos of the plant and a profile of cultural information. As plants are moved through the nursery and stock is replenished, the cards become weathered and signage needs to be updated. Our customers love the plant cards, which help them learn about plants and pollinators and select suitable materials for their gardens.
Qualifications: Use your computer or tablet to print our materials. Good-quality color printer is desirable but not necessary (plant cards can be commercially printed). Also, using construction papers, markers, crayons, scissors, etc., create other fun nursery signage to help shoppers on their journey through the nursery.
Responsibilities: Once or twice per month, check around the nursery and in the nursery notes to see what signs need replacing, then print and laminate plant profiles and location cards and distribute them in the nursery as needed. Maintain the nursery’s supply of replacement signs.
Time Commitment: 3-4 hours per month, flexible. Two hours per week at the nursery and roughly equal time preparing replacement cards at home. This is an easy job that can be done solo and with flexible hours, but best to be at the nursery during hours when the production manager is available.
Support: We will share sample plants signs and provide plant info necessary for signage
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
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Work Site: Ploughshares Nursery
Objectives: During the dry season, our plants need hand watering twice a week to keep them thriving.  Adopt a section as your own, and enjoy being in a beautiful, peaceful place among the plants and birds. 
Qualifications: Ability to work outdoors and reach plants on tables with a watering hose.
Responsibilities:
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours per week, about 10 hours per month; Regular weekly waterers are appreciated. If you can’t make a watering shift, let the manager know.
Support: Brief, easy training in nursery watering procedures
Primary Contact: Jordan Taylor
REGISTER