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This job expired on May 22, 2019

Field Manager - Organic Vegetables Spear Spring Farm, LLC

  • Date Posted March 23, 2019
  • Location Warren, ME
  • Category Agriculture
  • Job type Full-Time
Company description

Spear Spring Farm is an historic 163-acre diversified farm dating back to 1736, located in beautiful MidCoast Maine. The farm has been vacant for a few years and we are working hard to bring it back to beauty and sustainable production.


Spear Spring Farm is committed to “organic practices”.  We are not a certified organic farm at this time, but we farm in harmony with the land using organic methods and natural pest management techniques. We are planting a wide diversity of vegetables, flowers, perennials, and herbs, which we expect to sell primarily through our on site farm store, CSA, and wholesale accounts.  We have recently added 20 heritage laying chickens and 2 beehives, and may also choose to add livestock and other farm activities down the road.


We place a special emphasis on building soil health and sustainable ecosystems that are efficient and in harmony with the land. We believe in creating community around our farm and in helping people understand why buying from small local farmers is important.  We support many other local farms in our area through sales of their products in our farm store, through co-branding and product development collaborations, and through good old "sweat equity" in lending a helping hand whenever it is needed...

At the end of the day, we want to feel good about the work we do, feed people good healthy food, watch this land bloom, and watch our kids grow up and teach their kids about growing good healthy food... Job description

Work description: The Field Mgr will work closely with our extended farm family, including the farmers, their kids, interns, employees, customers and visitors to the farm.  A great attitude and sense of humor are a must!  He/she will be responsible for all transplants and direct planting into our fields, cultivation, soil health, and harvest. We farm about 4-5 acres, with a 30'x90' high tunnel that is in use year round and a 30'x80' greenhouse. The Field Mgr will ensure that all planting, cultivating and harvesting is being done efficiently and in line with sales goals and customer needs.  Quality is important to us and we need someone who has an eye for detail, a great attitude, is self-motivated and can handle being responsible and accountable.  This is a great opportunity to experiment and learn about different methods for promoting soil health, Lean labor efficiency, natural pest management, and new harvesting techniques.

Our workday includes:

  • Overseeing all farm labor, training and scheduling, ensuring safety protocols are met, working alongside our team to ensure efficient use of time and resources, teaching wherever possible and creating a happy, hardworking farm environment that values our employees’ input and unique experience
  • Planting seeds, seedlings and vegetables/shrubs/trees
  • Managing the greenhouse and field tunnel
  • Weeding, fertilizing, maintaining fields and growing areas
  • Helping to restore the farm (Store, Fields, Workshop, Roads, Etc.)
  • Harvesting vegetables by hand
  • Washing and packing vegetables for sale
  • Possible delivery of vegetables
  • Manning the farm store
  • Tractor work
  • Possible maintenance work, such as painting, building stone walls, landscaping, cleaning grounds (buildings, fields)
  • Possible care of livestock
  • Pruning trees and orchard care
  • Maintaining equipment
  • Ensuring the farm is a clean, safe environment for our kids, our family, our workers and our visitors/customers/friends
  • Working with customers, wholesale buyers and CSA members to ensure timely deliver, quality product and positive interactions

Timeframe:   Our season runs from late March to November 15th.

Hours:  7am to 7pm (somewhat flexible depending on what needs to get done) with a one-hour lunch (bring your own) taken around midday.  The field manager is expected to put in an average of 40 hours or more per week.  Our work doesn't just stop at 5pm.  We work until the job is finished.  Some days that means longer hours - especially during planting and harvest times. 

Housing:  We have a beautiful 12′ x 24′ tiny house/bunkhouse that could be available to the right person/couple.  It has a private bathroom, bed, a small kitchenette with hot plates and fridge, a couch and wood stove, as well as a propane heater.  Outside there is a gas grill, picnic table, fire pit, camp chairs and firewood for your use.

Family Meals:  We occasionally do a "family style" meal with employees.  This is a way for us to share the harvest, and to form a bond with our staff outside of regular work hours.  It's also a way for us to introduce you to our philosophy around food, engage you in the quality and outcome of your work, and help you to try new things.  We also share the harvest by offering up seconds and surplus to our employees when available.

Location: Warren is only 15 minutes from the ocean and the neighboring towns of Rockland and Damariscotta (great food, theaters, museums, and a vibrant local community), and only 25 minutes to Camden/Rockport.  The farm boasts sweeping views of fields and the Camden Hills in the distance, 3 ponds, frontage on the St. George River and ample woods. We have a nesting pair of Barred Owls in the back fields and a nearby lake with beach that’s accessible by a short walk. There is a vibrant local food community, along with many area activities and festivals that make the MidCoast of Maine a great place to live and work!

Rules:

  • There is no smoking in any building at the farm – throwing cigarette butts or trash on the ground will result in us asking you to leave.  Remember - this is where we grow your food!
  • Employees MUST be respectful of all people and property on the farm – this is our home and we care about our extended farm family a great deal.  Anyone that is being disrespectful, rude, violent, or causes damage will be asked to leave without notice.
  • We aim to teach people what we know, but much of our work is learning together – from each other and from the land – so please be patient with us, as we will be with you, as we all encounter new experiences and perspectives.

Other Important Things:

  • Farming is hard work!  Please come prepared to stretch, bend, lift, pull, carry, etc. – Understand that this is physically demanding work and we will expect you to work hard and be open-minded as we teach you what we know and find opportunities to learn from you!
  • Reliable transportation –  this is a requirement! 
Compensation this position is : hourly, varies DOE, $14.00 - $16.00 Application instructions
This job expired on May 22, 2019
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