Lead Farm Hand on PA Care Farm

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Taylor in Employment, Farmer, Farming // 0 Comments

Full Time Lead Farm Hand Wanted at Homefields Care Farm in Pennsylvania – 2020

Homefields Care Farm in Millersville, Pennsylvania is looking for a full time lead farm hand from mid March-end of November. The position is Monday-Friday from 8am-4:30pm with a ½ hr unpaid lunch break. Some Saturday work may be required based on weather and farm needs but the position will never be more than 40 hrs/week. Pay is $10/hr. The farm hand will also receive a vegetable share weekly from June-November ($430 seasonal value).

The history of our farm: Homefields Incorporated was formed in the early 1990s by 5 families who had adult children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities as a place where they and other adults with IDDs could live and work. 25 years later Homefields Care Farm is Lancaster County’s oldest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. We currently have around 150 shareholders. We produce the full spectrum of vegetables and small fruits that you would expect from a CSA. We’re situated on 28 acres with about 7 in production each season. To see more, visit our website at www.homefields.org

The lead farm hand position is entry level, although any vegetable farming experience is a plus. The lead farm hand will work alongside the farm manager and other employees with and without disabilities in all daily operations of running a vegetable farm. Tasks will include:

starting seeds in the propagation greenhouse
assisting in bed preparation including raking and helping to lay plastic mulch
planting seedlings both by hand and riding on a water wheel transplanter
weeding by hand and with hoes
setting up and running irrigation
setting up and removing row cover
harvesting greens, herbs, fruits and vegetables
washing produce
other tasks as needed
training on tractors and with tractor mounted equipment is likely if the candidate expresses interest and competency

The lead farm hand will need to be in good physical condition and able to bend and lift 50 lbs (rarely, but sometimes necessary). The farm hand must also be comfortable working outside in most weather conditions. (We take shade and water breaks). The farm hand will need to have transportation to and from the farm each day. Housing is not provided.

Interested applicants can email farmer@homefields.org for more information. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter stating why you’d like to work at Homefields to Katie Landis at farmer@homefields.org.

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