Farmer Field Rep

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. Salary range is $15-17/hr, depending on qualifications.

TO APPLY

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to growing@cedarcirclefarm.org or through our employment application below.

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Cedar Circle Farm is an EEO/AA employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we are not able to reply to every applicant individually. We will be in touch via e-mail if we are interested in scheduling an interview with you.