Company description

Morningsun Herb Farm is a family owned plant nursery.  We have been in business for 30 years.  We specialize in culinary, medicinal, fragrant herbs, drought tolerant perennials as well as vegetable starts and fruit trees.  We are located in the countryside of Vacaville, California on a 3 acre farm, close to Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.  We are a unique agritourism experience, with customers coming not just to purchase plants, but to wander our demonstration gardens, feed our donkeys and chickens, sit and paint or read in the gardens and enjoy classes and our lavender fields.  We grow our own plants from seed and cuttings in our greenhouses, allowing us to offer a huge selection of unusual plants for our retail customers as well as for mail order and farmers markets.  We also partner with several neighbor farmers to grow lavender we use for fresh cut, classes, drying and essential oil, as well as a small production tomato field and cut flowers for drying.

Job description

The work day can include many aspects of herb growing, production and marketing.  Plant production is year round, starting with production of culinary herbs, California natives and spring vegetables in late winter, rotating to ornamental and pollinator plants and succulents in early summer and harvesting vegetables and flowers, then moving to planting fall vegetables and harvesting seed in the fall. 

Nursery techs will help with all aspects of production, from seeding and transplanting to prepping plants for sale and staging them on the sales floor.  Assisting customers with plant questions, helping them with plant selection and answering questions about how to best grow is essential work. 

Nursery techs will also spend some time in the gardens, cleaning, maintaining and planting in the demonstration gardens.  The nursery attends two farmers markets a week, and nursery techs may be asked to assist either at the market or prepping for markets.  The day often includes flexibility to move between independent work in the garden or greenhouse and helping customers in our retail nursery. 

Morningsun ships plants throughout the United States, and depending on the week the crew may be asked to help pull, clean and prep plants for shipping.

Work is outside, and conditions can be very hot during summer.  Expect repetitive lifting of 20-30 lbs.  The position is from March-October, 24-32 hours/week.  Pay is $19-$22/hour, depending on knowledge and experience.

Requirements:  Basic plant knowledge and plant identification of vegetables and herbs is a must and required.  Particularly required is good basic knowledge of culinary and medicinal herbs.  Good people skills and ability to communicate with customers is critical.  Techs are expected to work at least one weekend day each week, and being able to work at a weekend farmers market may be required.  If working a market, the ability to start early in the morning and to work overtime is necessary. Must be able to lift 20 -30 lbs.  The applicant must have a valid drivers license with no moving violations from the previous 3 years.  Must be comfortable driving and parking a large panel van in crowded areas.

Desired Qualifications: Basic gardening skills, especially using organic gardening techniques and background in culinary and ornamental gardening a plus.  Cashiering experience is beneficial.  Ability to speak basic Spanish is a plus.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $19.00 - $22.00

Application instructions

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Deadline

February 20, 2025