Job description

Growing Gardens is a Boulder-based non-profit organization established in 1998 with the mission to enrich the lives of the community through sustainable urban agriculture. Growing Gardens helps people experience a direct, deep connection with food, the land and each other through our programs for diverse populations: the Children’s Peace Garden, Community Classes, Community Gardens, and Cultiva Youth Project. Our activities are centered in the heart of Boulder on 11 acres of land that has been in agricultural use for the past 100 years. We are expanding our programming with a 2 acre farm in Longmont in 2016. To learn more about Growing Gardens, visit www.growinggardens.org.

Job Title: Longmont Site Farm Manager
Job Status: Full Time Seasonal Employee
Reports To: Executive Director
Pay: This position is paid salary. Year 1 (2016): 9 months, 40 hours a week. Feb 15- Nov 15. Salary range for the first year $24,248- $29,444.
This is planned to become a salaried, year-round, position. Salary 2017 and beyond: $29,120- $35,360.
Benefits: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, IRA Retirement benefit after 1 year of employment. Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays)

Application Deadline: December 20, 2015. Applications will be reviewed immediately until the position is filled.

Job Purpose:
The Longmont Site Farm Manager will oversee the cultivation of a new, organic, two-acre urban farm focused on producing food for the Longmont community. In addition, this farm will be an urban, educational space for the Growing Gardens’ children’s, teen adult and senior programming. This position is also responsible for overseeing the Growing Gardens Food Project, which provides free produce, plant starts and seeds to community members in need to increase access to fresh, organic produce.

Required Qualifications

● 3 years of experience in organic vegetable production
● Experience creating planting schedule, ordering seeds, starting plants in greenhouse and field
● Experience creating and using field maps
● Using and maintaining drip irrigation, tractors and other farm implements
● Ability and desire to be a guide for children visiting the Longmont farm for tours and field trips
● Excellent communication skills (public speaking, recruiting, interacting with adults from other non-profits, email and phone communication)
● Mentoring skills including the ability to provide group and individual feedback to teens, interns, and coworkers, ability to organize, prioritize, and delegate tasks
● Experience managing large groups
● Ability to multi-task and delegate
● Project management
● Ability to work long hours in dry heat, rain, cold
● Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with a small staff
● Bilingual Spanish/English is highly desired

Major Functions and Accountability

● Coordinates with other Growing Gardens site and director staff to fulfill program needs
● Work with Volunteer Coordinator to schedule and manage volunteers for
special projects
● Oversees vegetable production and donations from farm to Longmont community
● Be a liaison for Growing Gardens to visitors of all ages to the Longmont Farm site
● Education and training (interns and tour groups)
● Record keeping and administrative work around farm production and Growing Gardens Food Project
● Attend weekly staff meetings

Growing Gardens Food Project
o Overseeing the Growing Gardens Food project will be roughly 20% of the position. This program spans both our Boulder farm and the new Longmont Farm.
o Outreach to current community partners and determining new partners to continue building a strong donation program that benefits all parties
o Keeping careful records of donated produce, seedlings, and seed packets across all Growing Garden’s programs.
o Coordinate with agencies and individuals participating in Growing Gardens Food Project to complete pre and post program evaluations
o Managing harvest, preparation, and distribution of all donations with intern and volunteer help

Longmont Farm Management
o Install and maintain irrigation system
o Oversee all transplanting and seeding at Longmont Site
o Coordinate with Hawthorn Greenhouse Manager for seedling production in early spring
o Weeding, pest management, and site upkeep
o Harvest, process, and distribute produce
o Managing intern and volunteers to assist in farm tasks
o Proper use and maintenance of farm equipment including, tiller, mower, and manual farming implements
o Community and farm liaison
o Joyful sharing of your knowledge and crops with children’s programming
o End of season chores including winterizing beds, irrigation, and tools

Events
● Growing Gardens hosts a number of events throughout year. This person will work with staff to make these events successful.

Special Requirements:
● Hours change seasonally and additional time may be required, including occasional weekend and evening work and long hours as necessary
● Ability to operate computers, mobile devices, office and farm equipment
● Must be able to successfully manage multiple, high priority tasks in a fast-paced environment
● Must be able to lift 50lbs
● Must have a reliable vehicle for transportation between sites and partner organizations. Must have a cell phone. ($20 per month cell phone reimbursement will be issued)

Compensation

this position is:

Application instructions

Deadline

December 20, 2015