Flower Farm Crew Members Wanted – WI

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Taylor in Employment, Farming // 0 Comments

Flower Farm Crew Members Wanted at Green Light Farm in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin – 2020

Two full season farm crew members: 30 hours/week, Monday-Friday. April 6th-October 30th. Hourly wage $12.50.

One summer crew member: 12 hours/week, Wednesday & Friday. June 15th- August 7th. Hourly wage $11.50.

One dried flower crew member: 8 hours (1 day) a week, week of November 16th- week of December 14th. Hourly wage $12.50. Could be a continuation of work for full season/summer crew member.

The Farm:

At Green Light Farm we grow 50+ varieties of annual and perennial cut flowers in our fields and greenhouses using sustainable growing methods. The 2020 growing season will be our 5th year of production. We sell primarily to florists and event designers in Western Wisconsin and the Twin Cities metro area. We also go to Mill City Farmer’s Market with spring flowers in May and dried flowers during the holiday season, sell DIY flower buckets for weddings and events and operate a U-Pick on Fridays, July-September.

Flower Farm Crew – Full Season Crew Members Job Description

Our full season crew members will be involved with almost every aspect of operating our cut flower business. Cut flower farming is a very hands-on type of agriculture. We do use a tractor for bed prep in the field and for planting cover crops, but everything else we do by hand. That includes all planting, weeding and harvesting. Some days will be filled with several different tasks, and other days will be monotonous. Some days we will all work together as a crew, and others will be spent independently.

In general, in the spring we will be focused on seeding & transplanting, and in the summer we will be focused on weeding and harvesting. During early fall we are mostly focused on harvesting, especially in September, which has historically been our biggest sales month. In October our energy shifts to bulb planting and field cleanup. Our fresh flower harvest season runs from late April-late October, so harvesting flowers will be part of the work week from the beginning to the end of the season. The work can be physical, and we spend a good amount of time on our hands and knees, walking, crouching, etc. If the weather poses safety concerns due to high winds/lightening/etc, we do not work in those conditions. However, if it is simply hot/cold or rainy, we do work. We try to plan our days around the weather when possible, and often (but not always) on rainy days we are able to work in the barn or greenhouses.

Requirements:

Prior experience working on farms or doing outdoor labor is a plus but not a requirement. Ideal candidates would have some experience working in a fast-paced, task oriented environment. Employees must be able to work outside in all weather conditions and be able to lift 30+ lbs on a regular basis. You will be expected to come prepared with proper clothing (sturdy shoes, gloves, rain gear, etc) Employees must have their own reliable transportation to and from the farm.

At the beginning of the season, crew members will be given a pair of Felco clippers for harvesting. These are yours to keep at the end of the season. However, if they are lost during the season you will have the choice to buy yourself a new pair or use our collection of misc extra clippers.

Full season crew members will work Monday-Friday, 7:30am-2:00pm (6 hours of work with an unpaid 30 minute break halfway through). You will be responsible for bringing your own food for break time every day except Friday (more on that in the pay/benefits section).

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will change with the seasons and will include but are not limited to: greenhouse seeding, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, preparing orders for delivery, bucket washing, bulb planting.

Pay/Benefits:

Hourly pay will be $12.50/hr.

Employees will have one paid vacation day throughout the season. If you choose not to use this, you will have an extra days’ worth of pay added to your last paycheck.

Friday “second breakfast”. Every Friday, we will provide the food for our break time meal.

Fresh flowers! Employees will always be welcome to bring home extra flowers for themselves.

How to Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to maggie@greenlight.farm or ben@greenlight.farm. If you have any questions, email is our preferred method of communication, but you can also call Maggie at 715-418-3880 or Ben at 608-963-2791.

Flower Farm Crew – Summer Crew Member Job Description:

Our summer crew member will join us for the busiest portion of our season. You will likely help with many aspects of flower farming, including harvesting, but will be primarily involved with planting and weeding. The work is physical, and we spend a good amount of time on our hands and knees, walking, crouching, etc. If the weather poses safety concerns due to high winds/lightening/etc, we do not work in those conditions. However, if it is simply hot/cold or rainy, we do work. We do plan our days around the weather when we can, and often (but not always) on rainy days we are able to work in the barn or greenhouses.

Requirements:

Prior experience working outside is a plus but not a requirement. Applicants must be able to work outside in all weather conditions and lift 30+ lbs on a regular basis. The most important requirement for our summer crew member is that you have a “go-getter” attitude and willingness to jump in and work both with a team and independently. You will be expected to come prepared with proper clothing (sturdy shoes, gloves, rain gear, etc) Employees must have their own reliable transportation to and from the farm.

Our summer crew member will work on Wednesdays and Fridays, 7:30am-2:00pm (6 hours of work with an unpaid 30 minute break in the middle). You will be expected to bring your own food on Wednesdays but no need on Fridays (see pay/benefits section).

Responsibilities:

The summer crew member will be primarily responsible for planting and weeding, but will also participate in other activities including, but not limited to, harvesting, bucket washing, and preparing orders.

Pay/Benefits:

Hourly pay will be $11.50/hr.

Friday “second breakfast”. Every Friday, we will provide the food for our break time meal.

Fresh flowers! Employees will always be welcome to bring home extra flowers for themselves.

How to Apply:

Learn more about farming and food jobs, internships, and apprenticeships, and learn how to post a job, internship, or apprenticeship opportunity on beginningfarmers.org by going to https://www.beginningfarmers.org/internship-and-employment-opportunities/