Barn Crew Sunny Meadows Flower Farm
- Date Posted June 21, 2021
- Location Columbus, OH
- Category Agriculture
- Job type Full-Time
Sunny Meadows Flower Farm is an urban flower farm located 6 miles from downtown Columbus, producing sustainably grown fresh cut flowers and seasonal wedding floral designs of the highest quality.
We strive for responsible stewardship, with fairly treated employees, supporting a healthy community. Our flowers evoke feelings of nostalgia, creating a botanical journey through seasonality and plant diversity. We hope to cultivate a greater connection to where your flowers come from, historically influenced by small-scale floriculture.
OUR WORK CULTURE:
We have created a culture of feedback where curiosity and learning are valued, questions are answered with no judgment, and constant improvement is our mindset.
Communication is important to us. We have a morning meeting each day to discuss the tasks at hand via Evernote. During that meeting, you are welcome to bring any questions or issues to the table. We are open to discussing efficiencies and systems, if there are resources we can provide to make systems better, or you have questions about why we do something the way we do. A lot of systems were created by learning the hard way and groupthink, so we appreciate having more minds thinking about all the moving parts of the farm. Periodically, we will have a check in meeting with the crew either reviewing a large task that we just accomplished for the season, discussing systems and efficiencies, or for a mid-season check in.
We believe in learning by doing. We encourage team members to take initiative by trying tasks in new ways, ask questions, and show curiosity. Employees who want to dig deeper are encouraged to stay after work and discuss their passions with us in further detail. Those who show interest are welcome to access the farm’s library, learn about our crop plan, discuss financial or business plans, or be connected to other local farm operations. We love to talk farming and have an open-door policy!
Some of the perks of being on Team SMFF include free flowers weekly, access to a fully working shop and our traveling mechanic if needed, and the opportunity of being part of our tight-knit community we call our farm family. We get tacos and drink cervezas on Fridays after work and everyone is welcome.
Compensation increase if Spanish/English translation is possible as we exist in a Spanglish culture here on the farm where we are all learning more each year!
This is a seasonal position that begins immediately and goes through the end of October. Potential for year-round employment depending on need and availability.
Monday - Friday, 8-10 hours a day. Some Saturdays required. (Overtime is not required in the Agriculture world, but SMFF offers time and a half compensation for any overtime worked on an 80 hour pay period.)
Applicants will need:
- At least one season of farming or comparable work in a fast paced, team oriented setting
- An interest in farming and floral design
- Outstanding work ethic with emphasis on efficiency and quality
- The ability to stand or squat comfortably for hours
- A willingness to complete physical labor outdoors in all weather conditions
- The ability to work as part of a team and independently
- A willingness to take initiative, to learn, and to ask questions
All barn crew team members are involved with daily harvest in the fields, as well as post-harvest: turning the flowers into bunches or bouquets for sale. Other tasks may include washing buckets, hand-weeding in the fields or greenhouses, planting at the home farm, or other assorted projects. Note that harvest and post-harvest handling are the top priority for Barn Crew, so tasks such as tractor work, greenhouse management, or irrigation may NOT be a part of your assigned duties. Crew members can expect to gain an understanding of flower harvest stages, post-harvest care, and grocery bouquet design. Some days are full of many varied tasks, while others are more monotonous (for example, lots of hand-weeding or harvesting). We have fun, but the task at hand must always take priority– crew members must be able to work quickly and efficiently, whether it is beautiful and warm or cold and rainy.
Hours vary throughout the season based on the task at hand. 5 unpaid vacation/sick days per season.
Employee is responsible for housing, reliable transportation to farm, appropriate farm clothes/rain gear, and a working phone. Valid driver's license is a plus.
If you are from out-of-town and need to relocate, please let us know when you initially contact us, as it makes it easier to plan. No on-farm residency is available.
*** Farm duties will be determined by employees’ desire for learning. Once you have learned a skill, you will need to be able to do it efficiently unsupervised. Our goal is for each worker to receive 1-2 areas of responsibility, in which we hope they become proficient. ***
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR SUNNY MEADOWS:
- Is a trustworthy, hardworking individual.
- Is self-motivated to move quickly and efficiently complete the task at hand.
- Is committed to doing good work with a good attitude.
- Is able to work all day on their feet lifting heavy things whether it’s raining, sweltering, or beautiful outside.
- Is able to work fast and efficiently both at time-sensitive tasks like harvest and tedious jobs like hand weeding.
- Works well with others in a responsible manner without letting socializing get in the way of efficient work.
- Has a strong interest in local, sustainable flowers.
- Is positive and inquisitive.
- Is energetic, hard-working, and highly motivated.
- Has a desire and patience for community, as you will be working with the same folks throughout the season in a cooperative environment.
- Takes precautions to avoid accidents, keeping safety in mind, especially around heavy equipment and vehicles.
- Is willing to be in the public eye, positively representing our business.
Must be able to lift, bend, and work outside in the elements. You will need rain gear, a sun hat, and proper work attire. You will get dirty and sweaty, but it is rewarding work, spreading the joy of nature one bouquet at a time!
Hourly rate starts at $14/hr, dependent on experience.
Compensation this position is : hourly Application instructions