Company description

Hall Brook Farm is a certified organic, commercial scale vegetable farm located in Thorndike, Maine owned and operated by Pheonix and Megan O'Brien. 2023 will mark our 10th growing season in business! We grow about 20 acres of produce in the field and 1/3 of an acre in our greenhouses. In 2022 we completed construction of a new produce packing facility. We put great value and emphasis on growing high quality produce in a way that is ecologically, economically, personally and physically sustainable. 

We sell our produce to supermarkets and grocery stores from Bangor, Maine to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We focus on growing a dozen or so staple vegetable crops in order to maintain the highest quality possible, increase efficiency by investing in specialized equipment and meet our markets needs. Some crops we love to grow are winter greens, bunched greens, carrots, tomatoes and winter squash!

We are fairly mechanized (having made lots of investments in equipment that makes this job easier on our bodies) so while there is some hand weeding we do most of our cultivation mechanically. We utilize harvesting equipment like harvesters and conveyors for major, bulk harvests. That being said, there are still lots of tasks that need to be done by hand, and some bending over is definitely still part of the job!

The crew at Hall Brook Farm enjoys a fast-paced, fun (we think), efficient, team-oriented work environment. As managers, we emphasize clear and open communication, reasonable expectations, fair wages and fostering a work environment of inclusion and learning. We are happy to teach/train folks serious about learning to farm, and give opportunities for professional growth and skills development. 

Job description

We are looking for an energetic, team oriented individual with strong communication skills to join our team leading the harvest crew and packing house. This person will be working collaboratively with farm owners to keep track of orders as they come in, make sure everything is getting picked while in the field and then bringing the harvest back to the pack house and ensuring produce is washed, packed, labeled and put away correctly.

At peak season there can be as many as ten people on the farm crew on a given day. This middle management position requires you to not only manage and train others but do the work yourself. 

 

Responsibilities

• Compile orders and generate harvest lists.
• Delegate harvest tasks and manage team members for efficient work flow.
• Train team members on quality standards and procedures.
• Set the work pace for harvest, washing and packing providing feedback to team members as necessary.
• Maintain harvest and washing equipment to food safety standards.
• Maintain or delegate harvest, packing and food safety records.
• Organize and oversee order packing. 
• Ability to create systems and procedures 
• Preemptively identify and communicate any crop issues (pest, disease, gaps in production) that are noticed during picking or otherwise.

Job requirements

• Minimum 2 years experience on a commercial vegetable farm
• Basic experience scouting pests and diseases in vegetable crops
• Solid base of knowledge in vegetable production 
• Strong communication skills 
• Attention to detail
• Self motivated, strong work ethic
• Ability to lift 50 lbs 
• Ability to manage others in a professional manner
• Ability to harvest, wash and pack vegetables quickly 
• Positive attitude
• Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions
• Interest in food handling/food safety 

 

Compensation and Hours

Pay is based on experience starting at $17+ an hour. This position begins in March, or possibly sooner. This is a year-round position, hours being 40-50 hours a week through the primary growing season and 20-30 hours a week in the winter. 

Benefits

• We offer overtime and PTO.

 

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline