Farm Site and Farm Store Assistant - Temp

TSNE • Springfield, MA

19h • $19 - $22 • Onsite

About The Position

Overview Gardening the Community ( gardeningthecommunity.org ) is a BIPOC-led urban agriculture organization engaged in youth development and advancing racial justice to build healthy and equitable communities. We work with youth to grow food on reclaimed abandoned lots in the Mason Square community of Springfield. We partner with the Springfield Food Policy Council on advocacy campaigns for increased access to healthy food and greater food security for historically marginalized residents. The impact of our work is far beyond growing vegetables. GTC contributes to the local and statewide food and racial justice movements that seek to change the root causes of the poor health and unjust food systems facing communities (especially low- income communities and communities of color across the State. We are creating locally controlled food resources that support our young people, build community and offer sustainable alternatives to Springfield families. GTC is a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE ( www.tsne.org ). Responsibilities The goal of this temporary position is to help fill immediate gaps at GTC farm sites and the farm store staffing coverage while GTC evaluates its long-term needs. This role is responsible for managing the daily operations of the farm sites, farm store and farm stand during assigned shifts, and will also assist with other projects, as needed. Ideally we will hire an individual at up to 35 hours a week, benefits eligible. This position is also open to hiring 2 part-time individuals. The standard weekly hours or those part-time hires would be based on their standard weekly hours. If less than 18.75, the position would not be benefits eligible.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED
• Minimum of one season work experience on a farm (will train the right candidate)
• Consistently perform quick, efficient, and high-quality work both independently and with the team
• Proactive working style demonstrating self-accountability and an eagerness to finish the job well
• Respectfully receive and offer feedback
• Ability to work Saturdays and occassional Sundays
• Knowledgeable about GTC
• Interest in issues relating to local food, food access, and sustainable agriculture
• Highly detailed oriented
• Experience in NEON CRM or other database management
• Knowledgeable of Food Justice and Food Access issues and solutions
• Experience working in an urban farm or garden setting (with GTC or other similar organization)
• Ability to work mornings, nights and weekends
• Successful background check
• Valid Driver’s License and Successful Driver’s License Check, preferred Should the incumbent not have a driver’s license or license check is not successful they will be required to use other method of transportation (Uber/Lift/public transportation, etc) to travel and perform required duties.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual, preferred
• Retail experience, preferred
• Lived experience with food insecurity, preferred

Responsibilities

• Farm Site Assistant Greenhouse seeding, watering and general maintenance
• Transplanting and direct seeding, hand weeding, hoeing, cultivating, harvesting
• Washing and packing, cover cropping, mulching, pruning and trellising, irrigating, compost making, pest and disease control
• Field maintenance (cleaning up beds in the spring and fall, mulching, wheelbarrowing, weeding, irrigation, trellising)
• Machine and tool maintenance
• Basic record keeping and competency with word processing, spreadsheet, and email/calendar software Maintaining crops with row cover, trellising and pruning
• Harvesting
• Weekend chore rotation (three weekend days per month, one Sunday a month)
• Non-vegetable tasks as needed (cleaning barns, mowing lawns, weed whacking, clean up and maintenance around the farm, tool repair, etc.)
• Farm Store Assistant Maintains store and cold storage cleanliness including daily compost, garbage and recycling disposal
• Helps set up store product layout and culls through produce to make sure it is looking fresh
• Role models good leadership, customer service, safe food handling, and work ethic for staff
• Staffs the Farm Store weekly based on assigned schedule (Saturday may be required)
• Performs general store maintenance (including bathroom); refers issues concerning major repairs to Farm Store Lead and/or Executive Director
• Drive GTC refrigerated truck and passenger van, as needed
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff.
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans
• Low-cost Guardian Dental and Vision
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Employer-paid Pension and Employee-paid 403b plan through TIAA
• ...and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED