Job Description The Organic Gardener Ltd. (TOG) creates beautiful and productive organic edible gardens. Since 2005, we've built more than a thousand vegetable gardens utilizing a full line of customized services: design, installation, maintenance, and education.  

Based in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago, our team's reach extends to a wide variety of clients throughout the Midwest region, including Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. We work with families to create suburban and urban home gardens in yards and unique spaces. And we partner with non-residential groups like businesses, schools, restaurants, and non-profit organizations to craft public food production projects with accompanying educational programming.  

Our approach is rooted in the idea that anyone, anywhere, can grow their own food. Each TOG project connects us to the larger good food movement growing within Chicagoland and throughout the nation. Come grow with us!  

Role:  A garden maintenance team member is expected to be an outdoor professional, working in all conditions to maintain the health and aesthetics of our organic vegetable gardens while positively interacting with clients and their children. Garden maintenance team members are also expected to assist with all aspects of TOG’s needs, including early season soil preparation and end of season project support.

Responsibilities:

• Perform tasks in all aspects of planting and maintaining organic fruit and vegetable gardens, including transplanting, seeding, thinning, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, harvesting, deadheading, grooming, and edging
• Work with clients and their families by teaching and interacting directly in the garden
• Perform tasks related to integrated pest and disease management, including scouting, hand-picking, treating, and troubleshooting  
• Follow all Maintenance Protocols and attend regular trainings
• Properly fill out detailed garden visit record in Filemaker database immediately following each visit
• Stock crew vehicles with plants, seeds, and supplies before each shift
• Assist with tool and supply inventory
• Assist in caring for transplants at our headquarters and keeping the plant shelter organized
• Attend weekly crew member meetings and participate when necessary
• Keep the vehicles neat and tidy before, during, and after garden shifts
• Keep our headquarters clean and organized

 Ideal candidate will possess:

• Two seasons of gardening or farm work
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in horticulture, botany, environmental studies and or environmental education
• Ability to collaborate and work well with others as part of a team
• Strong communication skills
• Takes direction and guidance well
• Positive attitude, flexibility, and ability to adapt to fast paced environment
• Willingness to be solutions oriented

Position Details: 
Reports To: All TOG senior staff                       

Start Date: April 1st, 2016 

Season: This is a seasonal position (approximately April 15 to November 25) with full-time and part-time options.

Work Week: Workdays during the garden maintenance season (July- November) are typically 8-9 hours, which includes 30 minutes for lunch and two 15-minute breaks. Workdays during the initial planting season (May-June) may exceed 10 hours.  These hours will vary seasonally, depending on need.  

The ability and willingness to work on Saturdays throughout the season is mandatory, though some flexibility with regard to scheduled Saturdays off will be considered on a case-by-case basis.   

Reliable transportation is required to our headquarters in Highland Park, IL on a daily basis. A clean driving record and valid driver’s license is also required. Final employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Compensation this position is : hourly How to apply Deadlineno deadline