Company description

Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center is a nonprofit, certified organic farm located on over 50 acres of conserved land along the Connecticut River in East Thetford, Vermont. Our organization has a deep commitment to developing regenerative agriculture systems for our annual vegetable and flower production and to offering educational programming that builds connections between our food, ecosystems, and community.

Our farm is a community hub with a farmstand, retail greenhouses, a farm kitchen, a coffee shop, a cut flower garden, education programs, and unique CSA options. It’s a place where folks can learn about and deepen their appreciation for organic regenerative agriculture.

Our staff is a reflection of our community and is the most essential aspect of our farm. When you join our dynamic team, you’ll have the opportunity to make valuable contributions to our greater mission of promoting organic, regenerative farming and the transition to a localized food economy!

Job description

Seasonal, Full Time, May-October
Evening and Weekend Market Availability Required

ABOUT THE POSITION

We believe it takes self-initiative, constant and thoughtful communication, a strong belief in the purpose of our work, creativity, and a deep appreciation for one another in order to accomplish the challenge that is diversified vegetable farming.

We are currently seeking a Field Rep who is ready to be a vibrant part of our mission to grow healthy and abundant food for our community in an ecologically conscious way.

The Farmer Field Rep is an exciting new position at Cedar Circle! It is first and foremost a farming role with participation in all production tasks from seeding to transplant to cultivation and harvest. Ideally, a candidate has had exposure to, or participated in, vegetable production in the past and is familiar with the nature of this work. This position is unique, however, in that it splits time between farm production and retail markets, with roughly 25% to 50% of the hours spent working farmers’ markets or in the farmstand.

While our farm team is immersed in the beauty, abundance, and challenges of our cropping systems in the field, the community we serve does not get the same perspective and access to real time information about our crops and what may be impacting them at any point in the growing season. This role is intended to transfer field knowledge to our customers and farmstand staff, to better facilitate a fuller understanding of how, why, and when our produce gets to market.

An ideal candidate is excited about being a productive member of our field team, a student of our systems, and seeking to understand the processes occurring on our farm. This person is eager to engage with customers and field questions and is a conveyor of knowledge.

While the Vegetable Production Crew focuses solely on the growing responsibilities, this role sees the process in its whole, from seed to sales, and is well suited for someone who might have long term aspirations for farm entrepreneurship.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Field work including but not limited to:

• Vegetable propagation — Seeding, thinning, watering, grafting, tagging and organizing (retail starts)
• Plant care & culture — Hand weeding, hoeing / Manual pest management (squish squish) / Setup and removal of row cover / Pruning, pinching, etc.
• Planting — Transplanting via water wheel, bare-root, manual / Direct seeding
• Harvest — Daily with morning and afternoon harvests depending on crop
• Wash/Pack —Washing, packing, quality control, cooler upkeep
• General farm and facility upkeep
• Relaying experiences and information from farmstand duties back to vegetable production team

Market work including but not limited to:

• Greeting guests and making them feel welcome
• Fielding guest questions pertaining to field availabilities, shortages, and generally engaging the public in the growing process
• Disseminating crop information to farmstand staff
• Setting up, breaking down, and restocking produce displays
• Receiving and stocking merchandise
• Moving large amounts of produce from building to building
• Culling & investigating to ensure we have top quality produce
• Assisting guests with CSA signups. Setting up and adding value to CSA Cards, with the help of Leads and Farm Retail Manager.
• Answering the phone, distributing messages, transferring calls, checking messages
• Ability to attend one evening market and one Saturday market each week

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least one season of previous vegetable farm experience preferred (other manual field work experience welcomed!)
• Small engine operation (e.g. string trimmers, irrigation pumps) experience preferred (willing to train!)
• Organized with ability to plan, anticipate for and implement work responsibilities
• Excellent time management skills
• Consistent attention to detail
• Positive, energetic interpersonal skills
• Clear, consistent communication skills
• Ability to work independently and within a team
• Flexible, creative, and able to perform well in diverse conditions and under pressure
• Ability to work for long durations in inclement weather – standing, lifting, sitting, bending over, or kneeling
  Interest to return for consecutive seasons is a plus!

COMPENSATION

This is a seasonal position, full time May through October (other time commitments considered). The Field Rep is an hourly position with benefits including sick time accrual, fresh produce, and a discount to our farmstand. Pay range is $15-17/hr, depending on qualifications.

Compensation

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

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline