Company description

Siena Farms is an award-winning, 50-acre market farm growing diversified produce on the fertile soils of the Sudbury River valley, twenty-five miles west of Boston. We grow over 100 varieties of vegetables for our year-round CSA, our farmstores in the Boston Public Market and Boston’s South End, and area restaurants including family-owned Oleana, Sofra, and Sarma. We use regenerative, biological agricultural practices to build our soil’s health and productivity, free of chemical herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.

Job description

We are seeking a hard-working, committed, talented individual motivated by a career interest in sustainable agriculture to join our 2025 team as a Greenhouse Manager. Two or more seasons of previous farming experience is required.

Siena Farms’ Greenhouse Manager is a core member of the year-round crop production management team for our 50-acre diversified produce farm. They, like all of our employees, are held to high standards for respect, kindness, organization, communication, positive attitude, work quality, work ethic, work pace, and work schedule. Of all of these values, respect and kindness for coworkers is the top priority, as everything else follows from that.

Primary responsibilities of our Greenhouse Manager include but are not limited to the planning, management, and execution of the following.

Greenhouse Management

• Plan greenhouse and high tunnel crops in alignment with the overall farm crop plan, accounting for holidays, seasonal climate variations, and crop rotation needs
• Oversee the production of all greenhouse and high tunnel plants, managing seeding schedules, watering, transplanting, and growth stages
• Supervise and provide direction to farm staff helping with work in the greenhouses, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and with attention to crop health and quality
• Apply expertise in botany, soil science, and pest and disease management to monitor and enhance crop health, growth, and sustainability, implementing effective solutions as needed
• Manage greenhouse supplies, including hoses, soil, fertilizers, potting mediums, seeds, and other essential materials
• Maintain and operate greenhouse equipment, ensuring safety and functionality
• Continuously evaluate and improve processes to boost growth efficiency, optimize yields, and support sustainable practices
• Ensure that greenhouse and high tunnel tasks are completed year-round, managing staff for weekend and holiday coverage as necessary
• Secondary responsibilities of our Greenhouse Manager include but are not limited to the planning, management, and execution of the following.

Production Management

• Develop, understand, and execute Siena Farms’ crop plan, managing year-round production of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers
• Apply various crop production methods including, but not limited to, direct seeded crops, transplanted crops, perennials, plasticulture, irrigation, etc
• Cooperatively manage post-planting crop care including: row cover and plastic cover, fencing, weed management, twining, trellising, pruning, and pest management
• Operate various farm machinery including tractors, tillage and planting implements, and weed and pest control equipment, as well as help maintain trucks and handheld tools for farm work

Harvest Management

• Assist with harvests of field crops, mushrooms, and flowers, as well as post-harvest handling, including washing, curing, packing, and transporting produce. 
• When it comes to the harvest of greenhouse and high tunnel crops, such as winter greens and summer high tunnel crops, the Greenhouse Manager has a leading role in coordinating and training the harvest team

General Farm Management

• Collaborate with other managers in the training and leading of farm crew through crop production and field work, harvest operations, and post-harvest handling activities ensuring smooth, efficient workflows
• Participate in seasonal planning meetings to shape crop, staffing, equipment, and marketing plans and contribute to business development strategies
• Lead farm upkeep, ensuring safety, cleanliness, equipment maintenance, and support for farm events and team-building activities

Qualifications

• Two or more seasons of previous farming experience is required, including at least one season operating tractors on a farm
• Familiarity with the necessary tools and equipment to perform day to day tasks around the farm
• A basic understanding of how farm machinery functions, and the ability to operate the machinery safely
• A basic understanding of farm machinery maintenance
  The ability to lift and carry 50+ lb objects
• A valid driver's license and safe driving record
• Strong communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work efficiently and both independently and collaboratively on a team

Schedule

Our Greenhouse Manager position is considered a full-time, year-round position, averaging 40 hours/week spread over 4 days per week in the “cold months” (December through March), and averaging 50 hours / week spread over 5 days in the “warm months” (April through November).

Core schedule during December through March is 7am – 5pm four weekdays per week (either M-H or T-F). Core schedule during April and May is Monday through Friday, 7am – 5pm. Core schedule June through November includes 5 days a week from 7am – 5pm, with either a “Saturday/Sunday” weekend, or a “Sunday/Monday” weekend. One paid hour of lunch break per day is allotted to all farm staff on any given work day. 

Compensation

• Competitive salary, generous PTO package, and fully covered health insurance benefits 90 days after start date.
• Perks include a weekly veggie farm share to take home, additional access to surplus produce, plus employee discounts at Siena Farms' retail sites as well as at family restaurants Oleana and Sofra.

Other

• We do not offer on-farm housing
• Reliable transportation to and from the farm in Sudbury is required (we are located in an area that lacks sufficient public transportation).

Compensation

this position is: salaried, 50k-75k

Application instructions

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Deadline

December 31, 2024