ORGANIC FARM CREW TEAM MEMBERS RADICAL ROOTS FARM

By December 21, 2021Job Opportunities

NEW FOR THE 2022 SEASON

After 17 years of offering our intensive apprenticeship program for beginning farmers, this year we will be hiring farm crew positions with a minimum of 1 year of farming experience. Our goal is to empower motivated crew members to take their farming to the next level, while creating a healthy farm-work life balance.

ORGANIC FARM CREW TEAM MEMBERS

FARM INFORMATION:

Our mission is to grow high quality, certified organic vegetables and herbs in a sustainable way. We farm five acres of intensively cultivated beautiful garden soil and grow nursery crops in a 3,000 sq. ft. greenhouse and have 2 – 5,000 sq. ft. high tunnels, along with 6 –  2,000 sq. ft. high tunnels. After 20 years of selling through farmers markets, plants sales, wholesale, CSA and direct to customers, this year of 2022, we are focusing our efforts on our nursery sales (40%), wholesale (20%), and serving our local, low income community through a collaborative grant with a local nonprofit farm, Vine & Fig (40%).

We are a family farm with 2 awesome kids aged 14 and 16. Dave and Lee have over 40 years of combined farming experience. We started our first farming season in 2000 after apprenticing with successful small scale farmers for four years. Lee is passionate about herbal medicine, as well as about serving our local community with the best organic food around. Dave teaches permaculture design and organic gardening classes for community groups and has experience in landscape design. We are both committed to farming in a sustainable way that creates connections between the people and the land.

Radical Roots Community Farm is located in the Shenandoah Valley seven miles outside of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a fun college town that has a vibrant downtown with lots of restaurants, yoga, and unique shops. The farm is four miles away from the George Washington National Forest, which has hiking trails and nice swimming holes, and three miles away from the great mountain bike & hiking trails at Massanutten Resort.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

This position requires at least one year minimum of experience on a diverse, organic vegetable farm. All crew members must be detail-oriented, conscientious, energetic and hardworking, physically fit and enjoy working cooperatively with the farm owners and other staff. The applicant must be committed for the entire 7 month season from March through September and have great communication skills and self-motivation.

As a member of the Farm Crew you will work within all aspects of our farming operation, including greenhouse seeding & propagation, planting and cultivation of our production fields, high tunnel management, harvesting and post harvest handling. You will be expected to work an average of 40 hours a week (mostly Monday through Friday with occasional weekend chores) doing a variety of tasks, including lifting heavy objects, using hand tools regularly and having excellent and fast field skills. Attention to detail and quality control are critical.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Work cooperatively with a crew of 5 on the:

  • Greenhouse Production for the farm, as well as Nursery Production for plant sales, wholesale, consignment & direct sales

  • Vegetable Crop Production for all outlets: wholesale, markets, direct to customer, grant fulfillment

  • Harvest & Post-harvest Handling:  Harvesting of produce efficiently and consistently for a variety of market needs;  Maintaining a high standard for food safety at all steps of harvest and post-harvest handling;  Working in the pack shed, including receiving and processing produce

  • General Farm Team Responsibilities: Participate in the organization and smooth functioning of all production aspects of the organic farm; Look to increase efficiency and improve technology; Work to ensure and improve employee safety & knowledge; Participate in food safety program and organic certification record keeping;  Monitor multiple gardens on a daily basis.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • 1 year minimum experience working in organic vegetable production

  • Must have familiarity with a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruit trees, and nursery crops and a willingness to learn and expand working knowledge

  • Excellent time management skills

  • Consistent attention to detail

  • Positive, energetic interpersonal skills and passion for working as part of a team

  • Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarification, and give/accept constructive feedback on work and technique

  • Clear, consistent communication skills

  • Ability to work independently; self-motivated, critical thinker/problem solver

  • Ability to work for long durations in inclement weather

COMPENSATION:

This is a regular, full-time seasonal position with an hourly range of $13-16, depending on qualifications, as well as vegetables for personal consumption. Optional on-site group housing available.

TO APPLY, EMAIL THESE 3 DOCUMENTS TO LEE@RADICALROOTSFARM.COM

  • Your résumé

  • 3 work references, including at least one previous farm reference

  • A letter of interest describing your motivation for the position, along with your short & long term aspirations