Assistant Flower Farm Manager and Floral Designer

We are always interested in highly skilled applicants. If you are a wonderful person and an excellent, experienced worker with strong interest in working at Old Friends Farm, please check out the Employment page of our website. www.oldfriendsfarm.com

Contact Deena Miller

• info@sweetrootsfarm.com
• (530) 277-0338
  

Description
Sweet Roots Farm is looking for farmer/florist to join our family team. Field tasks would shift with the seasons, while creating arrangements for wedding and events will be a weekly focus. This is a part time and seasonal position starting April 1st and ending November 1st, with hours increasing from 20 to 30 hours.

Sweet Roots Farm has been in operation for 10 years, with the focus shifting to high quality flowers and floral design from our beginnings in vegetables. Our nursery business is in full swing from January through June. Plants get tucked in the ground starting in March, and each month we are able to focus more on the fields, harvest and wedding design. The last weddings we take are the second week of October. We are looking for someone who is a good fit with our small operation, primarily working with Deena and Robbie or independently to complete over 30 events through the season, including growing and harvesting the flowers to create them. This is an opportunity to learn how we grow and market certified organic flowers from seed to vase.

Design Studio and Events – 50%
● Prepare materials, clean and set up design studio
● Work closely with Deena to create event flowers within a particular style
● Design flowers with speed and efficiency
● Assist in delivery and installation of weddings and events
● After trained, be able to deliver and install small events solo

Field Work – 40%
● Propagation in the greenhouse to complete weekly sowings (mostly in spring)
● Transplant, weed, trellis, pinch, and mulch fields (mostly spring)
● Harvest over 100 different types of flowers at peak ripeness and with efficiency, learn names of flowers and varieties
● Put together orders with high quality standards
● Harvest flowers in specific color palettes for events
● Weeks without events will be field and project focused

Office Work – 10%
● Be the “week of” point person to answer questions and check in with event planner(s)
● Build presence on Pinterest, open and maintain accounts on WeddingWire and The KnotQualifications

This job is the right fit for someone interested in both organic farming and floral design. Applicants should be punctual, self-motivated, able to work independently, a great multi-tasker, and have excellent people skills.

It is also entails hard work, outside in the elements: walking miles while harvesting thousands of flowers at the correct stage, and then bringing them into the design studio to quickly create beautiful arrangements that are delivered and installed to delight customers. The physical requirements include the ability to perform certain tasks such as heavy lifting, repetitive motions, standing, bending and walking up to 6 miles on a big harvest day.

Your application must include:
● Minimum of two years on a production farm
● Cut-flower growing experience preferred
● Willingness to start work by 7am
● Willingness to work weekends
● Design portfolio with minimum 5 photos of your floral work

Compensation
This is an hourly position starting at $14/hour with a $1 increase after a 90 day review. There will be various opportunities for self-directed projects with financial incentives.

The Hiring Process
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter with the following information to info@sweetrootsfarm.com
● Please include in your cover letter your goals in agriculture and floral design
● Other related skills
● Design portfolio with a minimum of 5 photos (okay to create arrangements specifically for this application if you do not yet have a portfolio)
● Three references with contact information and relationship

We look forward to hearing from you!

We’re currently hiring for the 2020 season!

We are always interested in highly skilled applicants. If you are a wonderful person and an excellent, experienced worker with strong interest in working at Old Friends Farm, please check out the Employment page of our website. www.oldfriendsfarm.com

Contact Missy Bahret:

• grow@oldfriendsfarm.com
• (413) 253-9184
  

Specific 2020 positions available (full descriptions below):

• Cultivation (part-time)
•  Vegetable Harvest Leader/Farmers’ Market (full-time)
• Flower Production Assistant/Farmers’ Market (full-time)
• Factotum/Various tasks (full-time)

Who we are:

We’re a small, urban flower farm with a focus on sustainability and artful design.  We’re a queer woman-owned business, rooted in our community, committed to creating a safe, empowering, caring work enviromnent. We value positivity, hard work, thoroughness, and humor in ourselves and the people we work with.  It’s a blood, sweat and tears endeavor to change the flower culture of our city.  You want in?

About this position:

You will work with owners to plan and execute all farm projects across 2-3 sites including but not limited to bed prep, composting, planting, weeding, harvesting, fertilizing, installing/repairing irrigation, soil and plant health management, supplies management/ordering, and interfacing with interns and volunteers.

Plan and and execute weekly harvest schedule, assemble and deliver CSA bouquets, flower bunching/prep for pop-ups and wholesale accounts.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing and executing garden tasks at each of our 2 established gardens
• Manage and execute the creation of a new farm site
• Management of volunteers and interns
• Keeping ongoing list of immediate, mid- and long-term projects and to-dos
• Maintaining plant and soil health
• Keeping tabs on supplies (fabric, stakes, netting, fertilizer, soil amendments, broken hoses/irrigation etc), and creating supply lists as needed.
• Replacing/repairing irrigation fittings/lines
• Harvesting
• Bunching, putting flowers together for market
• Operating pop-ups/markets/CSA coordination

Qualifications:

• At least 2 years farm experience, preferably in flowers.
• Preference to applicants experienced in harvest and market bouquet bundling
• Demonstrated farm planning experience and working knowledge of farm infrastructure (including irrigation, farm tools and machinery)
• Comfortable leading and organizing projects
• Adept at working in a busy team environment, with proven leadership skills
• Capable of working in all kinds of weather conditions (HEAT, some rain, some cold, etc)
• Self motivated, cooperative and flexible

• Good organizational and record keeping skills
• Responsibly manage administrative and record keeping tasks related to running the farm business and overall success of the organization.
• Own an operating vehicle and use it to transport tools and flowers when need be

Pay/Hours:

This is a 30-60 hour a week position, based on the season. June-August, and December-February are the slower seasons, and Sept-Nov, March-May are our busier months. It includes 2 weeks of paid leave and 2+ weeks of unpaid leave.

Starting salary $28,000-$33,000 based on experience.

Please email a resume and cover letter to pistilandstamenflowers@gmail.com.  Interviews will start second week of October.

Position description: This position is a two-fold management position that oversees both people and the aspects of farming that fall under “field work.” Because we are a small farm, the person in this role will be doing the same field work as the crew and will have the added responsibility of crew leadership and execution of the crop plan. This person should have a detailed understanding of the farm and an ability to communicate the overall picture to the crew at all times. A big part of your duties will be keeping an eye on the crew in terms of quality control and efficiency. You’ll be asked to manage field staff and/or volunteers on your own, which will require thinking on your feet, making snap decisions in a sometimes chaotic environment, and communicating instructions effectively to others.

All field crew members, including field manager, are involved in all aspects of the farm field work: planting, cultivating, irrigation, pest and disease control, mowing, greenhouse management, washing buckets, and especially harvesting flowers. Crew members can expect to gain an understanding of all aspects of running a sustainable flower farm. Some days are full of many varied tasks, while others are more routine (for example, lots of hand-weeding or harvesting). While we have fun, we are also dedicated to staying focused on completing the farming tasks in an efficient manner, regardless of the rain, wind, heat, or sometimes beautiful weather. This position does not include post-harvest handling/processing of flowers in the studio. In other words: if you have dreams of arranging flowers – this is NOT the position for you.

5-6 days/week plus rotating weekend chores or farmer’s markets. We are looking for help Monday-Saturday. Some staff will go to markets on Saturdays, and a couple people will be at the farm to do the daily chores.

We work ~6-8 hours a day, depending on the time of year. Hours vary throughout the season: March-July hours are 30-40 per week; July, August, and September could be nearly 50 per week; Oct and Nov are ~35 per week. We take lunch breaks every day.

5 unpaid vacation/sick days per season. Paid farm field trips will happen throughout the season.

Employee is responsible for having a valid driver’s license, housing, reliable transportation to the farm, and appropriate farm clothes/rain gear/boots.

This position is seasonal full time, but part-time winter work is also available with a two-year commitment. Hourly wage commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Desired Qualifications:
● Farm work experience (min 2 years)
● Excellent communication (both in person and via text)
● Ability to make decisions and lead effectively
● Interpersonal skills
● Willingness to communicate with diverse groups of people
● Positive attitude
● Able to stand on your feet, lift heavy loads, and do manual labor in all kinds of weather

Responsibilities will include:
● Assisting in execution of a yearly flower crop rotation plan including cover crops
● Planting, cultivating, irrigation, pest and disease control, mowing, greenhouse management, washing buckets, and especially harvesting flowers
● Overseeing work of seasonal staff, volunteers, seasonal interns
● Promoting the farm at farmers markets, farm activities, farm tours, and community events
● Supporting retail and wholesale sales of flowers

Send cover letter and resume no later than 5 pm, Feb 1st, 2019 to
Maggie Taylor 806 S Lynn St, Urbana IL 61801 or electronically to delightCSA@gmail.com Early applications encouraged. Call 402-432-9342 with any questions.

Call or email Lis Murray
(740) 400-3356
racewayberryfarm@gmail.com

Twelve acres of land with five tillable acres of prime, Hadley sandy loam soil. Includes residence with two bedrooms and one bath, plus two-bedroom, one-bath apartment, as well as retail floral showroom and workroom.

Also includes:

• Two 30 x 125 traditional glass greenhouses with raised, soil-filled benches.
• One 20 x 75 glass/polycarbonate greenhouse.
• One 24 x 60 plastic-covered hoophouse
• One 30 x 50 barn, and other storage buildings
• Natural gas and woodchip heat systems.

River irrigation for field, new water system for greenhouses, town water for residences.

Currently growing floral crops for wholesale and our own retail markets, as well as full-service retail florist, in business since 1934. Close to highways and markets.

For more information contact John LaSalle at (413) 210-7376.