Hiring: Assistant Farm Manager – Nordica Street Farm

Nordica St. Community Farm is seeking a dedicated farmer to join us as a seasonal Assistant Farm Manager. This position runs from April through November and is 28-32 hours/week. We are looking for someone with experience in no-till, handscale vegetable production who loves the vision of the farm and shares our commitment to growing for our community. This new position will give us the ability to expand the production and sales capacity of the farm while
continuing to improve the health of the soil. We are seeking someone who is curious, thoughtful, and hard-working, ideally from Springfield or the surrounding area, and who would be interested in growing with the farm. People of color and LGBTQ+ folks are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities of the Assistant Farm Manager include, but are not limited to:

• Maintaining and/or developing farm standards and efficiencies for bed prep, seeding,
  transplanting, mulching, weeding, harvesting, and wash-pack, as well as
  troubleshooting any quality issues or deficiencies. With training, they are expected to
  have intimate knowledge of each task and why it is done that way, as well as an
  understanding of what comes next.
• Working to create and improve upon farm systems in ways that support the health of
  the soil and the land around us.
• Performing daily tasks alongside the Co-Managers, volunteers or alone in all kinds of
  weather, such as bed prep, transplanting, harvesting, wash-pack, trellising, weeding,
  and high tunnel work.
• Operating a finish mower/tractor and other farm equipment.
• Operating the farm stand one afternoon/week (set up, stocking, sales, breakdown).
• Keeping records up to date.
• Coordinating with the Co-Managers to ensure a positive, communicative,
  smooth-running operation.
• Supporting with tours, volunteers, and events, as necessary.
• Assisting with marketing, website updates and social media posts.

Qualifications:

An ideal candidate will possess the following skills and experiences:

• 2+ years of vegetable production experience
• Experience with and commitment to no-till vegetable production and soil health,
  including using organic practices
• Commitment to active engagement with anti-racism and social justice change work
• Ability to pace oneself and stay motivated
• Attentiveness to precision and detail
• Strong desire to learn and be engaged in thoughtful discussions and self-reflection
• Strong leadership, organizational, collaborative, and time management skills
• Ability to perform labor-intensive tasks, including the ability to lift 25-50 lbs
• Excellent communication and respect for others, and a sense of humor
• Takes initiative, notices where and when things are needed
• Knowledge of the Springfield community and experience working in a multi-racial,
  multi-cultural environment
• Access to reliable transportation
• Familiarity with using spreadsheets and social media

Compensation:

$20/hr, benefits include work gear stipend, fresh produce, and educational
opportunities. Higher pay may be available for highly experienced candidates.

Hours:

28 – 32 hours/week, ideally 8 am – 1 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and
Thursday 1 – 7 pm plus flex hours. The position will run April – November.

To apply:

Email a resume and letter of interest to Anne Richmond, nordicastreetcf@gmail.com. Rolling deadline until position is filled. Visit our website for more information about the farm. We recognize that knowledge, experience, and potential are expressed differently for different people. We encourage anyone with an interest to apply, even
if you do not meet 100% of the qualifications.

More about the farm:

Nordica Street Community Farm is a small, no-till mixed vegetable and fruit farm in Springfield, MA, growing delicious vegetables, fruit, culinary herbs and cut flowers for our neighbors. We operate a small CSA and Farm Stand, growing food that reflects the diverse cultures around us. We are a community space where residents come together to learn about food, agriculture, health and the food system. We are committed to building a just food system where everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food for their family. We believe everyone deserves good, locally grown food and that racism, classism, and corporate farming make that difficult for many. The farm is located on an 11-acre parcel in the Liberty Heights neighborhood of Springfield, bordering Chicopee. We grow on under an acre of land using organic practices with a particular attention to building healthy soil. Much of the land was damaged by a developer in 2010, and restoring the land and ecosystem back to health is part of our work. We are in our fourth full growing season.