Hiring: Production Grower-Coordinator -Farm School

The Farm School’s Program For Visiting Schools in Athol, Massachusetts is looking for a highly motivated, energized individual who wants to help us give authentic farm experiences to over fifteen hundred students a year while leading our production vegetable growing operation. This is a new position at The Farm School, which reflects our interest in broadening the ways in which youth visiting the farm through our Program for Visiting Schools (PVS) can connect with the land by merging the vegetable production and youth programming elements of The Farm School. In collaboration with a team of supporting food growers/distributors and the PVS farmer/teacher team, the production grower will build and strengthen partnerships with our PVS schools by growing food for their school communities (especially those facing food insecurity) while continuing to address food insecurity in our local Orange/Athol community by providing food for programs run through Quabbin Harvest such as their Senior CSA Shares and HIP funded CSA shares. Our goal is to build a more reciprocal relationship with those in our community as well as the visiting teachers and youth who help us plant the seeds and care for the land creating a direct link to the source of the food they eat.

Core responsibilities:

— Working alongside youth and integrating them into all aspects of the production vegetable operation

— Coordinating and collaborating with growing team to meet vegetable production goals and to maintain all vegetable systems, equipment and infrastructure

— With growing team, coordinating our food distribution and correspondence with partner organizations

— Participating in PVS and all-staff meetings

— With the vegetable growing team, participating in PVS programming/chore rotations

The Production Grower-Coordinator’s typical week will include a mix of engaging directly with youth visiting the farm through our Program for Visiting Schools (including participation in weekly PVS staff/community meetings), integrating youth into all aspects of the production vegetable operation, and time spent coordinating/implementing the weekly to do list of the vegetable operation alongside supporting growers on our 2 acre market garden. We anticipate developing what specific aspects of the vegetable operation the production grower-coordinator will be responsible for as part of a collaborative process with the current growing team, the co-directors and the PVS program director. Working as part of a team piloting a new direction for our growing operation, the production grower-coordinator will also play an active role in shaping our approach to food production and distribution.

In addition to the particular aspects of this position, the unpredictable nature of farming/working with youth and our shared responsibility for the care of the farm requires that all employees engage in the process of meeting the needs of the farm/program- gardens, fields, forest, barns, bunkhouses, kitchens etc. and to do so in communication with the PVS Program Director, Co-Directors and fellow farmer/teachers. This includes participation in a rotation of weekend recycling and animal chores across the farm.

Things we’re looking for…

• A passion for working with youth and adults on the land
• A commitment to racial equity and liberation
• A deep understanding of the skills and concepts of sustainable/regenerative agriculture
• Strong organization and follow up skills including record keeping, budget management and tool care
• An ability to work within a schedule that has multiple transitions
• Knowledge & experience with soil fertility management, weed management, pest & disease control, crop planning, greenhouse management, harvest and post-harvest handling.
• Knowledge & experience with drip & overhead irrigation set up & operation.
• Comfort with repetitive, physical work.
• An understanding and openness to multiple foodways and knowledge of food systems/history
• Excitement about communicating your work with others.
• An ability to prioritize, work efficiently and ask for help when needed.
• Comfort with farm machinery operation
• Basic carpentry and building/equipment maintenance skills are a plus

Compensation/benefits:

• Salary commensurate with experience, range: 38K-42K
• Full health insurance coverage (no dental)
• Participation in our Simple IRA retirement plan
• 3 weeks of paid vacation/year
• On-site housing and access to Farm School produced food

To apply:

Please submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@farmschool.org with title: PVS production grower-coordinator. We will review applications on a rolling basis and look to fill the roll as soon as possible. We will review all application submissions and will follow up with candidates who have been selected to continue in our search process.

We serve diverse communities of students and we are striving to develop a staff that reflects that. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply to our open positions. The Farm School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in any of its school administered policies or programs.