Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew in Washington

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Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew Job, April-November 2017, in Washington State

OXBOW’S MISSION

Our mission is to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.

WHAT WE DO

The Center is located on 230 acres of forest and grassland bordered by Western Washington’s Snoqualmie River. We use this mixed landscape to:

Produce food. We cultivate 30 acres of mixed vegetable crops using agro-ecological principles and engage in research to inform conservation farming practice.

Grow native plants. We operate a native plant nursery that produces plants for habitat restoration projects, educational gardens, and urban landscapes, and conducts research on native plant propagation using sustainable growing methods.

Connect children to nature. We offer environmental education programs for children pre-K thru high school to build their comfort in the outdoors and provide them with opportunities to learn about the links between agriculture, conservation, and the environment.

Restore and sustain habitat. We carry out conservation projects and research to learn how humans can use land to our benefit while protecting biodiversity.

Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew POSITION OVERVIEW

Oxbow Education (“Ox Ed”) provides year-round farm-based educational programming for kids. We are seeking a Kids’ Farm Crew person to assist with farming tasks and education program delivery for the fall season. This position would be a great fit for an energetic person who wishes to learn more about organic farming and outdoor education. While assigned to the Ox Ed team, the Kids’ Farm Crew will work closely when needed with all Oxbow staff and volunteers.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Farming and Gardening: Assist with planting, sowing, weeding, mulching, harvesting, seed-saving and general maintenance and upkeep of Ox Ed infrastructure and two-acre Kids’ Farm and Living Playground.

Environmental Education: Participate in delivering environmental/farm education programs to all age groups, including Fall Farm Adventures, birthday parties, weekend farm tours, public education and seasonal festivals. An average of 50% of the OxEd Crew member’s time will be spent delivering education programming (typically for children pre-K – 3^rd grade).

Summer Camp: Assist in preparing for Oxbow’s 5-weeks of summer camp and act as Summer Camp Instructor. Contribute to the success of Oxbow’s five week-long summer camps sessions, including coordinating farm projects, storytelling, and supporting & training summer camp staff as needed. There will be approximately five mandatory weeks of summer camps and one training week.

Other duties: Perform other tasks as assigned in support of all Oxbow program and business areas, including but not limited to the production farm, conservation and restoration activities, and general operations

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience farming or gardening and/or a strong desire to learn
• Proven knack for working with kids of all ages, primarily youngsters
• Exceptionally positive attitude
• Two-year degree or comparable experience in the area of agriculture, sustainability, food systems, education, or environmental studies
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups
• Ability to stay organized while juggling multiple time-sensitive projects
• Consistent attention to detail
• Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarity when necessary, and accept constructive feedback on work and technique
• Clear, consistent communication
• Ability to work independently and within a team
• Positive leadership skills
• Ability to perform work in inclement weather, standing, sitting, bending over or kneeling, to lift heavy & awkward objects, up to 50 lbs., and to perform physical work such as digging and planting
• A musical inclination, video or photo editing skills, theatrical experience or any other sort of artistic expertise is a plus! Please make note of any skills you have in your cover letter.
• Flexible, creative, and able to perform well in diverse conditions and under pressure

Additional desired qualities include: environmentally conscious, detail oriented, self-motivated, energetic, and professional.

The Oxbow Education is part of a larger non-profit organization. A commitment to Oxbow’s overall mission and working as part of a team is critical.

COMPENSATION for the Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew

This is a seasonal, full-time position, paying minimum wage, $11 per hour, with some paid time-off and access to food from the fields.

REPORTS TO: 

The Ox Ed Program Manager with oversight from the Ox Ed Farmer-Educator and Ox Ed Program Coordinator.

TO APPLY for the Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew

Please read carefully, incomplete applications will not be considered. Email a resume, letter of interest, and 3 references to:

Megan Boyce-Jacobs
Finance & Operations Manager
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center
thedirt@oxbow.org

Please write Seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew in the email subject line and include where you found this position in the message body.

Deadline to apply is Sunday, March 5th, 2017.

To see the seasonal Kids’ Farm Crew job posting, and our other open jobs, on our website, click here.