Harris Family Farm Foundation (HFFF) seeks a full-time (hours will vary as the season progresses) Lead Grower & Program Assistant for 2023. This is a year-round, salaried position with lots of room for growth that will start as soon as possible once a job offer is made and accepted.
HFFF is a nonprofit donation & education farm in Galien, Michigan that works to support the dietary health of underserved communities by sustainably growing and donating fruits and vegetables, offering educational programming to children and adults, and supporting organizations engaged in related work. Our farm is a beautiful, peaceful place to work and includes a small fruit orchard and a large “market”/demonstration garden with about 50 raised beds. Everything that we grow is donated to local food pantries, senior centers and other organizations that serve people in need.
During the 2023 growing season, the Lead Grower & Program Assistant will primarily be engaged in fruit and vegetable production at HFFF’s small farm in Galien. Responsibilities will include:
Seeding, transplanting, caring for, harvesting and processing a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops
Implementing our crop plan throughout the season
Participating in crop planning for 2024
Identifying and organically addressing crop pests and diseases
Keeping propagation, harvest, application, and donation logs up to date
Assisting with the construction and maintenance of raised beds, temporary season extension structures, drip irrigation, paths, and other farm infrastructure
Assisting with management of hired help and garden volunteers
Delivering produce to donation outlets, building relationships with the organizations and clients we work with, and participating in mobile food pantries
Helping with elements of our education & community outreach work, including preparation for workshops and posting to our website and social media
Experience growing a wide range of vegetables and fruits, preferably using organic methods, with at least one growing season of market garden or small farm experience - crop planning, season extension, raised bed gardening and fruit orchard experience are big pluses
Strong work ethic, positive attitude, superb attention to detail, exceptional verbal and written communication skills, eagerness to develop new skills… and a good sense of humor!
Deep commitment to sustainable food production, healthy living, and helping those in need
Willingness to work long hours outdoors and in all weather conditions
Ability to regularly lift up to 50 lbs - bending, kneeling, crouching, standing and lifting for long periods of time is a big part of the job
Comfortable using Google Sheets & Docs, Word, Excel, social media, and other online tools
Non-smoker, up to date with vaccinations and boosters against COVID-19 and other commonly vaccinated illnesses, and happy to properly wear well-fitted and effective face masks such as N95s and KN95s when required (primarily in indoor settings)
Comfortable with squishing bugs and slugs!
Valid driver’s license
This is a small operation in which each team member is a major piece of the puzzle, so reliability and a strong commitment to the organization’s mission are essential. The intention is for this position to expand along with our growing capacity and programming over the next few years, so we are especially interested in finding a candidate who sees this as a career opportunity.
Compensation starts at $35,000/year (non-exempt salaried position per FLSA rules), with 22 days of paid time off (including sick days, family leave, vacation, etc).
To apply, please email a résumé, cover letter and 3-4 professional references to contact@harrisfamilyfarmfoundation.org.