Sprout City Farms is a 501c3 agriculture and education nonprofit founded in 2010 with a mission to create a just, equitable, sustainable local food system by:

• growing and distributing fresh, local produce
• providing community education
• training farmers
• facilitating ecological stewardship & research

We envision a thriving local food system supported by a network of accessible farms which nourish, and are nourished by, their surrounding communities.

Our newest farm at Jack's Solar Garden (JSG), built in 2021, is a unique site with an emphasis on agrivoltaic (or agri-solar) research and education. Please follow the integrated links to learn more about our organization, our partnership at Jack’s and the meaning of “agrivoltaic.”
 

In 2023, we are seeking several apprentices to help implement operations at Jack’s Solar Farm under the direction of the Research Farm Manager and two Assistant Managers. The farm is 3.5 acres of diversified vegetable production and research under a 5-acre 1.2 megawatt solar array in south Longmont. 
 

This is a great opportunity for folks with some relevant experience who are interested in the nexus of sustainable farming, local food production, and renewable energy. The apprentice positions will receive the training needed to do a wide array of field tasks to help meet our research and production goals. The ideal candidates will have previous experience that enables them to work efficiently and effectively in a physically demanding role, and understand harvest-related time sensitivities. The apprentices should expect to be walking, standing, squatting, stooping, lifting and carrying for the majority of the work day.
 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Understand and help implement annual crop plan. 
• Assist in facilitating harvest to ensure high quality and timely production.
• Participate in and help coordinate all fieldwork activities including bed prep, seeding, weeding, mulching, harvest, cleaning, storage and distribution.
• Assist with leading groups of volunteers in the completion of various farm tasks.
• Assist with food distribution programs and community service programs & events. 
• Assist with recordkeeping of harvest totals and research data.
• Adhere to SCF training in employee manual and food safety plan.
• Basic tool, equipment and facility care, cleaning and maintenance.

Desired Experience and Skills:

• Agricultural field experience on a vegetable farm, or least one year of experience doing physically demanding outdoor work whether that be farming, landscaping, construction, etc. (The applicant may substitute experience in a commercial kitchen or restaurant for field work.)
• Enthusiasm to work on an experimental research farm. Ability to work positively with leadership, for example:  following work plan set by leadership, offering constructive observations, learning from success and failure.
• Willingness to take initiative and follow-through on tasks. Pragmatic and outcome-driven. 
• Genuine interest in learning while doing. 
• Positive communication style and curiosity mindset.
• Physical stamina and flexibility. Ability and willingness to squat, bend and lift repeatedly and  work in a variety of conditions (i.e. endurance to work long days, in diverse weather conditions).
• Flexible availability including working some evenings and weekend events. 
• Preference will go to local residents rooted in the Longmont and surrounding area. Transportation to the farm and a mobile phone with text capability required.
• Bilingual English/Spanish speaking and/or writing skills are an asset.  Please share with us if you have these skills and if you are interested in connecting with the Spanish-speaking Longmont community. 

Time Commitment :

30 hours per week from April 17 to October 31, 2023 including some potential weekends throughout the season. Apprentice must be dedicated for the season (dates specified above), and committed to working on harvest days. This is a part-time paid position totaling $16,520 for the season, which is based on $18/hour plus a monthly health stipend, and apprentices receive a SCF CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share valued at $750+.
 

Work days will be Tuesday-Friday with an occasional Saturday required throughout the season. Each apprentice will be required to work late on 1-2 Thursdays/month (until 6:30pm) for the 18 weeks of CSA distribution. The apprentices will rotate the responsibility of helping the Assistant CSA Manager with setup, distribution, breakdown of our CSA pickup station each week and engage positively with the CSA members. These late Thursdays will be offset by a short day on Friday, provided necessary farm chores are completed Friday morning. 

Flexibility around daily start/finish times is necessary as our schedule will shift with demands of the seasons. Some longer days will be required during planting season and compensated for with some shorter days during the growing season.
 

We believe that systemic inequalities disproportionately impact BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), women, people from working class backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, and other oppressed groups. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in our work as we fight for food justice for all, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other disenfranchised communities. 

Studies have shown that women and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. Sprout City Farms will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background.