Company description

Just Roots Chicago envisions caring communities that motivate and support all residents to participate and access food in ways that promote and sustain the holistic health of people and the environment. Through our work, we strive to impact our communities in three primary ways:

1) Improved holistic health and well-being for residents through the production, harvest, and consumption of healthy, culturally relevant food.  

2) The development of a thriving community that learns and shares about local, healthy, regenerative food practices together.  

3) Greater collaboration and resource sharing among urban farmers working to support and uplift residents in proximate communities. 

We are a young, growing organization that was founded in 2017. We are a team of ten staff and nine board members, with invaluable support from a host of seasonal staff, interns, volunteers, and community partners. To learn more, visit https://justrootschicago.org/our-team/

Workplace Values

Honesty (Candor), Authenticity, Empathy, Inclusion, Continued Growth, Respect

Organizational Values

Interdependence, Equity, Responsibility, Collaboration, Restoration, Joy

Job description

The Farm Lead works closely with the Farm Manager at It Takes A Village Community Farm to support all aspects of farm production, including bed prep, planting, IPM, harvest, buildout projects, and other daily farm tasks. This is a 30 hour/week seasonal position, with potential opportunities for growth within the organization.

Primary Qualifications

• Believes in Just Roots’ vision, mission, and values.
• Has the ability to do outdoor physical labor at an efficient pace.
• Has a minimum of 1 year of experience working at an urban farm/garden, preferably in the Chicagoland region.    
• Committed to ongoing personal and professional growth.
• A self-motivated individual who’s able to work independently and complete tasks in an efficient manner.
• Is able to work with and help lead people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
• Can work in outdoor weather conditions and move supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Lives in Chicagoland, preferably in a south suburban community or on the south side of Chicago. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Supports the Farm Manager in making regular updates to the crop plan, weekly farm plan, food safety plan, standard operating procedures, and other key materials.  
• Works closely with the Farm Manager to complete daily tasks in a timely and efficient manner and keep clear and consistent logs.
• Regularly leads interns, volunteers, and seasonal staff in completing tasks on the farm.
• Supports buildout projects, in coordination with the Farm Manager and Farm Operations Manager.
• Supports weekly harvests and food distribution for all market channels.
• Assists the Farm Manager with routine IPM sprays and treatments.

Salary & Benefits:

The compensation for this position is $20/hour for 30 hours per week from March 5 - November 15th. This position will be also provided with the following benefits:

• A $200 monthly stipend for health and travel expenses
• Option to enroll in Just Roots retirement plan with employer matching
• Regular professional development and opportunities for growth.
• 5 paid vacation days/season
• Paid leave time
• Regular access to fresh produce from our farms.
• An inclusive team environment where we actively work to foster joy, mutual respect, and continued personal and professional growth. 

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Just Roots Chicago works affirmatively to provide equal opportunity among its workforce and does not discriminate in the selection of its staff on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, income, marital status, or any other dimension of identity. We strongly encourage applications from diverse candidates, particularly individuals from groups that have been historically under-represented, including but not limited to women, people of color, and immigrants (including individuals who were formerly detained, incarcerated, undocumented, or who have navigated the immigration legal system).

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

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Deadline

January 15, 2025