Harvest and Field Assistant Job in Maryland

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Honey Moon Farm Harvest and Field Assistant Job for the 2021 season (April- October) in Maryland

Honey Moon Farm is a small, diversified vegetable farm in the mountains of western MD. We grow over 50 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We also produce cut flowers for bouquets, eggs and honey. We use organic growing practices and do not use any chemicals in our vegetable production. We are in the process of receiving our Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) certification. We have a CSA membership program where members subscribe to the farm for 25 weeks. In 2021 we expect to have 45-50 members. We also attend 2 weekly farmers markets and sell to several restaurants. 

Harvest and Field Assistant Job Purpose:

To assist with planting, harvesting and distributing produce, including harvesting and washing vegetables, assisting at the farmers market, and packing CSA shares.  This position is ideal for someone who has at least one year of vegetable farm experience, and is looking to deepen and broaden their farming skills at a small, community-centric production farm. We are looking for someone who wants to be more than a manual laborer and is serious about learning and participating in the growth of the farm, eventually becoming an integral member of the farm team and taking on some managerial responsibilities. 

Duties/Responsibilities: 

• The assistant is responsible for conducting daily vegetable farming tasks, such as prepping beds for planting, planting seeds in the greenhouse, potting up plants, transplanting, weeding, setting up and maintaining irrigation systems, trellising, pruning, monitoring for pests, etc.
• Supporting the farm manager in harvesting activities, including product quality control and efficient harvesting and washing, weighing, labeling, packing and rotating produce in a walk-in cooler.  
• Assistant is also responsible for supporting the farm manager in farmers market operations, including packing orders, maintaining produce displays, talking to customers about the farm membership, checking out customers at the register and following front-end opening and closing procedures
• May be asked to participate in occasional light construction projects 
• Collecting, washing and packing eggs for members and for market
• Participating in beekeeping responsibilities including extracting honey
• Operating our BCS walk-behind tractor
• Administrative Tasks: Record keeping, including logging harvest pounds and tracking members orders

Minimum Qualifications: 

A full season of vegetable farming. 

Physical Requirement and Timeline Commitment: 

Assistant is expected to commit to a minimum of one growing season, from April until October. You should be able to work under adverse conditions (heat, humidity, cold, rain, snow, etc.) and be able to lift 50 lbs, preferably at the same time. Must be able to bend, squat and kneel for long periods of time, and conduct physically strenuous work on a daily basis. 

Skills/Attributes: 

Must be disciplined, punctual, team oriented, a strong communicator, and flexible; must have a strong work ethic and willingness to get dirty. Must have a high attention to detail and superb quality control skills. Must be able to work well in a team as well as independently. Good mental math skills. Strong candidates will have excellent organization skills and a willingness to take on responsibility and ownership of decision-making on the farm.

Schedule/Hours: 

We are looking to fill a full time position, between 32-50 hours per week, averaging 40 hrs. The ideal schedule is Monday-Friday with a typical workday from 8-4:30 with a 30 minute lunch break. Some weeks when the season is beginning and ending will require less than 40 hours. At peak season we may ask for more than 40 hours. 

Compensation/Benefits: 

This is an hourly paid position, starting at $10.00/hr, along with free produce equivalent to a CSA share ($500 value). There is opportunity for a mid-season raise (up to $12/hr) for a candidate that proves their commitment to the farm. There is potential for on-farm housing for out of state candidates (in which case the hourly compensation would be decreased).

Reports to:

Farm Manager

To Apply for the Harvest and Field Assistant Job: 

Deadline for applying is March 1st 2021, or until the position is filled. Phone interviews will be held on a rolling basis. In person interviews will be held for top candidates. To apply, please submit a resume with relevant experience, a brief letter explaining your interest in the position and three personal or professional references to Allison at honeymoonfarmmd@gmail.com

Website link: www.honeymoonfarmmd.com

Facebook: facebook.com/honeymoonfarmmd

Instagram: honey_moon_farm_md

 

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