Hiring: Vegetable Farmer/Teacher – The Farm School’s Program For Visiting Schools

PVS Vegetable Farmer/Teacher

Position Begins- Full Time Year Round Position beginning January 23rd 2023

The Farm School’s Program For Visiting Schools 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 supporting our production vegetable growing operation. The Farm School Program for Visiting Schools hosts two groups of school youth per week. One school group stays Monday through Wednesday morning, while a second group arrives later Wednesday morning and stays through Friday. Alongside Farmer Teachers, these school groups participate in the daily work of the farm that needs to be done in the areas of animals, forest, market garden, and kitchen/garden. They also participate in morning and afternoon farm chores.

The Vegetable Farmer Teacher is part of a team that grows the crops and stewards the production of veggies for our communities!   Your stewardship helps The Farm School to strengthen our partnerships as we grow food for our Boston area school communities and our local Orange/Athol community that is also facing food insecurity. Our goal is to build a more reciprocal relationship with the land and those  who help us plant the seeds – creating a direct link to the source of the food they eat.

Core responsibilities:

— Support all aspects of the growing operation, including regular participation in (and potential management of) harvest/wash up and greenhouse tending

— Delivery of food to partner schools/organizations locally and in the Boston area

— With growing team, participate in all aspects of PVS programming including chores, washing dishes, scheduled options, class, evening activities, bunkhouse/bathroom cleaning, pre and post program setup

The Vegetable Farmer/Teacher’s typical week will likely include 1 – 2 days per week delivering food to our partners (and helping with communication to these partnerships) and 1 – 2 days per week involved in harvest, wash up and pack out. The remainder of the week will feature a mix of greenhouse watering, bed prep, transplanting, weeding and whatever else comes up on our 2-acre market garden.

Participation in regular staff meetings, including all-staff Race and Equity within Communities meetings, is another expectation of the role.  Like most roles at The Farm School, working alongside youth is an important part of this position and all applicants must bring an openness to sharing the work with youth.

In addition to the particular aspects of this position, the unpredictable nature of farming/working with youth along with our shared responsibility for farm requires that all employees engage in meeting the needs of the farm/program- gardens, fields, forest, barns, bunkhouses, kitchens etc. This includes participation in weekday chores as scheduled, as well as a rotation of weekend greenhouse watering and animal chores across the farm. This also includes seasonal participation in early evening hay pick-up/unloading.

Things we’re looking for:

• 1 or more seasons of commercial vegetable growing experience
• Experience with soil fertility weed management, greenhouse management, harvest and post-harvest handling.
• Comfort with repetitive, physical work that includes heavy lifting.
• Comfort with farm machinery operation a plus
• A passion for working with youth in all aspects of program
• Reliable showing up as committed on time, prepared and ready to engage in the plans of the day.
• Collaboration with co-workers in caring for the farm
• Comfort driving trucks or vans in both urban and rural settings
• Knowledge & experience with drip & overhead irrigation set up & operation is a plus.
• An understanding and openness to multiple foodways and knowledge of food systems/history
• Basic carpentry and building/equipment maintenance skills are a plus.
• Must be able to bend, lift and carry 50 lbs and work in various weather conditions.
• Ability to work within a schedule that has multiple transitions and independently keep track of your daily shifting responsibilities- including being punctual for all scheduled meetings and responsibilities.
•  Communicating your work with others.
• An ability to prioritize, work efficiently and independently  asking for help when needed.
• Following procedures such as sick and vacation time approval, completion of Paid Time Off forms, finding coverage when required, and communicating clearly with co-workers, coordinators and directors.
• Strong organizational and follow up skills

Compensation/benefits: 

• Annual salary of $38-45K commensurate with experience
• Employer Paid Health Insurance coverage (no dental)
• Relocation Benefits
• Professional development funds
• 6 days sick time
• 6 weeks of paid vacation annually
• On-site housing provided (as available)
• Access to Farm School produced food

Timing of job:

This position begins January 23, 2023 and will be vegetable production focused from then through early fall with possible shifts in responsibility and focus as the vegetable season slows depending on programming needs. This position is full time with hours usually ranging from 40 to 45 hours a week with occasional weeks where the hours are lower or higher than that range. Days can begin as early as 6:15 and end as late as 7:30 pm depending on your personal schedule and program responsibilities. We work hard to figure out to create manageable schedules for each individual and still cover all the needs of the program, the youth, and the land.

To apply: please send a cover letter, resume and references to jobs@farmschool.org with PVS Vegetable Farmer Teacher and your last name in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

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.