Job description

Backyard Gardens is a small market garden operation located by the beautiful Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon. We supply quality produce to our rural community through farmers’ markets, CSA, direct sales, restaurants, retail stores, and our own catering business.  2013 will be our twelfth season of operation.  This is a great opportunity for the right individual to learn hands on about the workings of a small, diversified vegetable, flower, and herb operation.  

Crew Leader Job Description:

Dates: April/May – November 1, 2013
This is a great position for a beginning farmer seeking to gain experience leading a farm crew and learn all aspects of running a small commercial vegetable operation.   Crew leader will work with active owner/manager and current crew leader to lead and oversee apprentices in the day-to-day operations of a small vegetable farm.  Looking ideally for someone with an interest to grow with the position for more than one season.  Responsibilities to include:  leading crew in greenhouse propagation, ground preparation, transplanting, direct seeding, weed management, irrigation, pest management, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and marketing.  

Requirements:

• Mininum one year experience in organic vegetable production
• Comfortable working with small equipment (i.e. rototiller, weedwacker, possibly tractor) or learning these skills
• Field work experience v  Good communication skills v  Self motivated with a strong work ethic
• Strong leadership and problem solving skills v  Good attitude and sense of humor
• Enjoy working with people
• Comfortable representing the farm to the public at farmers’ markets and other venues
• Valid driver’s license    

Apprenticeship – Two Positions

Dates: April 15 (or as close to date as possible) –November 1, 2013  
We’re excited to share the experience with people who are really interested in learning about growing food for a small community.   Apprentices will have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a high elevation, small market garden operation. Responsibilities include plant propagation, bed preparation, seeding, transplanting, weed management, fertility management, irrigation, harvesting and marketing. Most of the educational experience occurs in the day-to-day, hands on work.  Since we’re a small operation, apprentices work closely with the owner/manager and crew leader where there's a lot of opportunity to work side by side and talk about farming related issues.  We also offer some more structured educational opportunities, with classes, readings and farm tours, in part tailored to the interests of the individuals. We are offering 2 positions from April 15 through October.  Experience helpful, but not necessary..  We are looking for people who are motivated to learn and work hard, possess good senses of humor, are flexible, reliable, responsible, and most importantly, people with whom we can work and play well.

Compensation

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Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline