Hiring: Assistant Grower at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

Assistant Grower
The Food Bank operates its Cultivating for Community regenerative and education farm initiative on the Food Bank Farm in Hadley. We seek to contract an assistant for the 2025 growing season (April-October) to work full time or part time alongside our field crew, farm manager, volunteers, farm apprentice and education & community engagement coordinator.

The Food Bank is an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and is committed to an inclusive environment for all its contracted workers, employees, and volunteers. Emerging Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) farmers are encouraged to apply.
The starting pay for this position is $17.00/hour with the possibility of a higher starting wage
based on experience. See below for the job description and position requirements.

Benefits:
• 3/4-hour paid lunch break
• Paid sick time

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter along with two references to Lee Gadway, Farm
Manager at: leeg@foodbankwma.org These positions will remain open until filled.

Responsibilities include:
• Greenhouse seeding, watering and general maintenance
• Transplanting and direct seeding, hand weeding, hoeing, cultivating, harvesting
• Washing and packing, cover cropping, mulching, pruning and trellising, irrigating, compost
making, pest and disease control

• Field maintenance (cleaning up beds in the spring and fall, mulching, wheelbarrowing, weeding,
irrigation, trellising)
• Machine and tool maintenance
• Basic record keeping and competency with word processing, spreadsheet, and email/calendar
software
• Maintaining crops with row cover, trellising and pruning
• Harvesting
• Weekend chore rotation (available for three weekend days per month)
• Non-vegetable tasks as needed (cleaning barns, mowing lawns, weed whacking, clean up and
maintenance around the farm, tool repair, etc.)
WORKING CONDITIONS
• Typical workday schedule: 8:00am – 4:00pm (Monday-Friday with weekend work rotation, the
beginning and end of the year will typically be shorter weeks with less than 40 hours
• This is a physically challenging contract work. Field Hand must be able and willing to:
o Stand, crouch, kneel, and bend for extended periods doing repetitive tasks
o Lift and move crates, materials, hoses, etc.
o Lift up to 50 pounds on a regular basis
o Perform other physical activities as needed
o Work steadily outdoors in all-weather including heat, cold, rain, and wind. (Working outdoors is
not required when conditions are hazardous per policy.)
• Use of hand tools and power equipment, including lawn mower, and weed eater.

Desired Qualities
• The ability to consistently perform quick, efficient, and high-quality work both independently and
with the team
• To be able to carry out tasks as instructed, possibly without direct supervision and ask for
clarification from one’s supervisor
• Arrives on time and ready to dig right in for the day
• Can respectfully receive and offer feedback
• Has a pro active working style demonstrating self-accountability and an eagerness to finish the
job well
JOB QUALIFICATIONS/ REQUIREMENTS
• Minimum of one-year/season work experience on a farm (will train the right candidate)
• High school diploma or GED
• Capable of both working independently and within a team
• Preference for someone who has experienced food insecurity

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Cultivating for Community (CFC) is a minimal-till organic farming initiative currently on 2 acres.
We grow 40+ types of vegetables on permanent beds for the Food Bank’s member food pantries and meal
sites. We have two heated greenhouses, two caterpillar tunnels, irrigation systems, storage barn,
coolers, and other equipment.

CFC seeks to promote minimal-till organic farming and support the next generation of farmers to
succeed by offering apprenticeships, Food Bank Farm incubator pathways, and access to technical
assistance.