Company description

SweetRoot Farm is a small organic farm run by partners Noah Jackson and Mary Bricker in the center of Montana's Bitterroot Valley. With help from a crew of an additional 3-7 person team at various points in the year, we raise vegetables, herbs, flowers, and laying hens on 10 acres just outside of the town of Hamilton. Despite our cold-climate location, we are a four season farm. Using a combination of storage crops and winter greens grown in low-tech unheated tunnels, we feed locals the entire year.

In 2023 we enter our ninth season of full-time farming, with about 2.5 acres in production including four stationary unheated high-tunnels (30’x60’), and six moveable “caterpillar” tunnels (16’ x 100’). We sell through a local farmers market, a self-serve farmstore, a farm membership program and a regional food hub, a local grower's cooperative. We grow organically and with minimal tillage techniques but do not currently undergo organic certification.

From May to October we attend the farmers market in Hamilton on Saturday mornings and serve a seasonal farm membership of about 110 households. Our self-serve farmstand is open year-round, including acting as the pickup point for a 75-household winter farm membership from November-April. As a four-season farm, we have opportunities for farm crew to work year-round with options ranging from half to full-time for the winter months to ensure some recovery and rest while also meeting people’s financial needs.

Job description

We are currently searching for at least 3 experienced farmhands to join our team, with both full and part-time options available. While we are a small team where everyone does a little bit of everything, experienced crew members will select one or two focus-areas in which they will have additional training and responsibility. Focus-areas are detailed in this link. We are looking for people who are hard-working, motivated to learn, perform well in a fast-paced environment, and are interested in some aspect of farming as a career.

This job gives the opportunity to learn all aspects of vegetable production, and is best suited to someone with at least one year of farm experience and a goal of continuing in small-scale agriculture. Responsibilities will include soil and bed prep, seeding, transplanting, cultivation, greenhouse management, irrigation, harvest of a diverse range of crops, post-harvest handling, direct-sales (farmers market and farmstore, membership pickup), animal care (laying hens) and record keeping.

People applying to this position should be able to commit to a minimum work season of mid-April through early November, but crew who are a good fit are encouraged to continue on through the winter. Full-time crew can expect to work 5 days/ week, with two full days off each week.

Qualificqtions:

• ability to work efficiently both independently and with others

• attention to detail

• willingness to ask questions and ask for clarification as needed

• enjoy the personal challenge of working towards speed and efficiency goals

• comfortable working full 8-hour days in all weather (Montana’s weather can be extreme in both heat and cold)

• comfortable lifting 50-pound units repeatedly

• ability to work at least 24-30 hours per week, and a minimum of 3-4 months (strong preference will be given to those who can commit to the entire 6-month season April-October)

• ability to give and receive feedback

• work efficiently and understand pacing and sense of urgency

• enjoy eating vegetables!

Pay and Benefits:

• Hourly pay at 40-45 hours/ week, with overtime pay over 40 hrs.

• All workers covered by workplace comp insurance.

• For experienced farmhands: pay starts at $16-19/ hour depending on experience and housing choices. Quarterly evaluations with potential for performance-based raises up to $20/ hour, or $22/ hour for individuals who take on extra responsibilities.

• Paid time off begins accruing after 30-day period, at 2 hours per 80 hours worked (equivalent to 13 days in a full year).

• up to 5 days off during the peak-season, if scheduled into the farm calendar by April

• vast quantities of produce!

• individualized learning and professional development plans based on interests

• Several options exist for affordable/ subsidized crew housing on and near the farm, including a tiny-home style cabin, and rented rooms in a shared house on farm.

Start and end dates:

Start: Rolling; seeking to add at least 2-3 people by mid-April of 2023

End: It doesn’t have to end! We love employees who are looking for year-round farming jobs and generally work out the ideal winter schedules with continuing farmhands in the fall. For folks who want to move on to other adventures after the markets are over, the season ends when the fall field cleanup is complete. Usually this is between November 5th st and November 15th.

Educational Benefits:

We are in a constant process of evaluating and improving our farm, and we invite crew into both the learning and behind the scenes farmwork alongside us. If someone has specific learning goals for the season, we work with them to make a plan for professional development in addition to the basic training to farm effectively and efficiently for the season. We have close ties with many farms in the region and can help facilitate visits to other farms for motivated individuals. Team members are encouraged to attend at least one of the “Field Day” events hosted by Missoula’s Community Food and Agriculture Coalition. We also have a deep archive of Growing for Market magazines, and a substantial library of farming books available for crew to check out.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $16.00 - $22.00

Application instructions

Deadline

February 28, 2023