Bear Roots Farm
Seeking: Farm Assistant
Bear Roots Farm is 355 acres of mixed fields, woods, pastures and marsh resting between Barre and Williamstown VT. Bear Roots Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm, producing 20+ acres of vegetables, with an extensive 90+ acre cover crop rotation. We grow over 100 varieties of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers. We produce year round using high tunnel greenhouses and grow 100,000+lbs of storage crops. Our produce is distributed through our year round farm store, ”The Roots Farm Market,” in Middlesex, VT and through our regional wholesale distribution. We are a small but efficient, productive team that works together to ensure the farm operates with ease & good flow.
We are looking for a part time/full time farm assistant to join the Bear Roots Farm team. This position is dynamic and the employee will work closely with the farm owner to assist in a variety of tasks. Most of the work will be spent managing orders- wholesale and retail. This looks like spending time in the wash/pack room, washing, packing & labeling vegetables for distribution, including doing deliveries. This person will also manage the admin side of wholesale- sending a weekly availability list, corresponding with vendors & invoicing with quickbooks. On other days, this position includes greenhouse work like seeding and transplanting according to the yearly crop plan. This year, we’ll begin to have nursery offerings at the Roots Market. This position will act as a liaison between the Farm and the Nursery at the Market, overseeing the seedling inventory. There are also opportunities to assist with tractor work (for the right person).
Responsibilities
- Maintain and establish wholesale accounts, communicate with customers via email/phone and administer invoices using quickbooks
- Oversee wholesale and farm market packout including washing, weighing, packing and labeling of all products
- Delivering to wholesale sites and our farm store
- Assisting farm owner with seeding & transplanting schedules
- Communicate and coordinate with store staff about produce & seedlings
- Oversee seedling management at the Roots Market- deadheading, organizing & labeling
- Potential to assist farm owner with tractor operations: field work (disc, plow, seed, spread, fork lift)
Qualifications and Qualities
- 1-3 seasons working in food systems- preferably vegetable production, horticulture, or grocery
- Strong communication (oral and written) skills, positive attitude, solution-oriented
- Strong work ethic and excellent attention to detail
- Self-starter, self-disciplined, goal orientated
- Ability to share and accept feedback in a team environment
- Ability to use (or willingness to learn) Quickbooks & Google docs/sheets
- Passion and interest in working/learning about small-scale, low-input, sustainable horticulture
- Ability to work efficiently and effectively both independently and as a team member with minimal supervision
- Must be willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions
- Commitment to the full 2024 season (march- december) with the opportunity to continue through the winter if it’s a good fit
- Ability to frequently lift 25-50 pounds
- Position is based in rural VT, so you must have reliable transportation
Compensation
- $18/hour -$20/hour
- Potential for farm housing
- Access to farm-grown produce
- Seasonal/Year-Round
To apply please submit a brief letter of interest, a resume, and two relevant references to Jon: [email protected]