Hiring: Assistant Grower – Upswing Farm – Pepperell, MA
Assistant Grower
Hourly, part-time to full time, seasonal or year-round
Come work with our experienced team! We are seeking someone with full-season farm experience who is interested in learning and practicing the wide variety of skills and techniques needed to
produce organic vegetables for year-round, direct-to-consumer sales. We are professional growers dedicated to our craft and want to work with others who are also focused, driven and interested in
continually learning and improving.
Harvest, Wash and Pack: Assist with all aspects of harvesting, washing, packing and storing the wide variety of produce we grow. Share rotating responsibilities for setting up, managing, and cleanup of harvest and wash/pack.
Harvest management: Work closely with the farm manager to practice efficient harvest of a wide variety of seasonal crops and ultimately manage small harvests with one or two other staff members.
Distribution: There is opportunity to practice CSA distribution and farmers market management, but this is not required.
Propagation: Learn and practice the important nuances of healthy seedling and micro-green production.
Production: Practice all aspects of crop production as the season progresses both in our high tunnels and in the field, including bed preparation, transplanting, trellising, mulching, cultivation and pest and disease control. This position will also receive special training in irrigation management. Equipment training on our tractors and skid steer will be provided.
Qualifications
• Minimum one summer season experience on a production farm
• The ability to work both independently and as a part of a team
• Capable of meeting the physical demands of the job including, lifting and carrying 20-40 pounds frequently, 50 pounds on occasion, completing most work while standing/walking/bending/twisting and/or squatting, using tools such as knives, hoes, rakes and wheelbarrows for extended periods of time
• Able to settle into, sustain, and enjoy repetitive work at a set pace
• Willing and able to work outside in all weather conditions
• Able to accept, digest and retain constructive feedback
• Strong, clear and kind communication skills
• Strong observation skills
• Able to receive and retain a series of detailed instructions (some of us have a good memory, some of us write things down, etc)
• Detail and quality oriented without being perfectionist (many of us here are recovering perfectionists)
• Self-aware. Able to practice self-care such as staying hydrated and nourished, knowing your limitations and boundaries, arriving to work with appropriate gear
• Adaptable and open minded. Our work varies from hour to day, to week, to month.
Diversified organic vegetable production is highly complex. The way we harvest or care for a certain crop changes due to a variety of reasons and conditions. We are interested in working with folks who want to pay attention to, learn, and practice the complexities of this profession.
• Valid drivers license. Our farm is separated by a road and we are required to drive on the road daily for regular farm tasks.
• Interest and ability to operate a 16 foot box truck and participate in off-site distributions and markets a plus. Training provided. Not Required.
Schedule
Start Date: March 2nd, 2026 (an earlier start date is a possibility)
End Date: December 18th, 2026, winter hours will be made available to those who wish to stay on for a second season.
March: Monday-Thursday, 8am-4pm
April-September: 40 hours/week with a rotating schedule to share set-up/breakdown and weekend responsibilities with other staff.
October-December: 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday
Compensation
$17-$20/hour, depending on experience, plus time and a half for overtime,
1 hour paid sick time for every 30 hours worked
40 hours paid “wellness” time available after two months of employment
$200 gear stipend available after two weeks employment
A vegetable CSA share plus surplus and seconds when available.
Paid participation in local farm education opportunities through EMass CRAFT
Optional on-farm housing for $600/month, all utilities, internet, washer/dryer included.
Hiring Statement
Upswing Farm is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we work to build and maintain a culture of
inclusion for all employees and potential employees.
To Apply:
Email a brief letter of interest, resume and 2-3 references to brittany@upswingfarm.com with the subject line “Assistant Grower Application.”
We will follow up to schedule a 30-45 minute virtual interview, and then proceed to a paid, 3 hour working interview.
About Us
Our Farm
We love growing high quality produce that goes directly to the folks who are going to eat it. High quality to us means delicious, nutritious, long lasting, and grown, harvested, and distributed in a
way that allows the farm, the farmers, and the soils to keep producing food for years to come.
Upswing Farm got its start on leased land in Ashland/Holliston MA in 2016. After losing our lease in 2019, we farmed piecemeal on several small plots in 2020 while we worked to secure our current
location, a 131 acre APR farm in Pepperell, MA. We still distribute twice/week to our original customer base though a 230 member CSA and a weekly summer farmers market. We have a 270
member on site CSA and we are open for retail sales during distribution. We do a small amount of wholesaling, but CSA is the core of what we do. We offer a lot of choice and flexibility, which we have nuanced over the years, leading to high retention rates and increased total membership each year.
We are certified organic and “real organic” and our greatest pride is in our soils which we have worked diligently to improve since arriving here in 2021. Through mineral amendments, composting, cover cropping and using reduced tillage methods we have seen impressive results and our yields and crop quality have increased each season. 2024 and 2025 were exceptional growing seasons for our farm. We now cultivate 19 acres of produce and cut flowers, leaving at least 6 acres fallow each season. We have 6 high tunnels used for year-round production and two propagation greenhouses.
We are building an on-farm composting system to localize our fertility inputs.
This year we planted an acre of blueberries, ½ acre of raspberries and an acre of asparagus. We also rent a 2-acre asparagus field.
We are excited to be adding new events and workshops, working towards our goal of being an open and welcoming community space. We are also very interested in adding a grazing/animal
component to our farm systems.
Our Team
The foundation of our team is a close-knit group; many have been with us for four or five seasons.
The owners, Kevin and Brittany, work full time on farm, and are very involved in daily operations. We have built solid working relationships and a culture of commitment to quality and efficiency as a team, with respect for individual well-being. We are supported by several year-round, full and part-time crew members, ten work-for-share members and a seasonal summer crew of 3-5 additional
folks. We look forward to team lunches, birthday desserts and the moments of awe, wonder and deep satisfaction that come from working on a farm. We love the work that we do and the time we
spend together making this farm possible.
Our Location
Close to the heart of New England, we are just 45 minutes from the Ocean, the Mountains and both Boston and Worcester. Our farm is 131 acres, abutted by open space and the Nissitissit River. There are places in town to swim and hike, a bike path that connects to other area towns, and a small grocery, pharmacy and other amenities.
