Company description

At Ethos Farm Project (EFP) we implement human-scaled agriculture. We currently produce organic vegetables, blueberries & strawberries on about two acres. Located on over 300 acres of preserved agricultural land surrounded by a rural landscape of farm lands and rolling hills.

EFP is a non-profit started by Dr. Weiss a primary care physician specializing in lifestyle medicine. We are a farm-based healthcare system, where health emanates literally, from the ground up. From the 2500-year-old Hippocratic teaching, farm-based healthcare recognizes that food is the most powerful medicine.

EFP’s focus is on the regenerative production of whole plant foods grown in healthy soils. These “living medicines” are the essential tools utilized by the lifestyle primary care physician to prevent and reverse the chronic diseases that plague our society today.

Who We Are

At Ethos Farm Project we practice human-scale agriculture and prefer to invest in people over mechanization. Our methods are intensive but regenerative. We grow organic fruits and vegetables on about two acres. We have a total of six high tunnels which helps us to extend our growing season. We are a small crew of three, looking to add two more full-time growers during peak season mid-April-October. We practice ecologically minded growing practices in addition to being chemical free. Most of our work is done by hand & with our walk behind BCS tractor. We are passionate about creating a better food system by building healthier soils, providing meaningful employment, and by producing nutrient dense fruits & vegetables for our local community. We currently sell through our on-site farm store & donate surplus to local organizations who are working to address food insecurity. We also work with local organic growers to supplement our offerings at our market such as mushrooms, grains, vegetables, and fruits. We increased total gross sales by 70% last season and hope to continue this growth next season.

Farm Setting

Ethos Farm Project is located in the small quaint town of Long Valley, NJ. We are surrounded by farmland and rolling hills. The farm encompasses over 300 acres with about half being wooded. The woods are a great place to hike and go foraging for wild edibles such as mushrooms & ramps. There is also a 100 acre field that we’ve planted in native grasses to help restore the soil from decades of conventional farming from previous owners. The field is currently in a five year study with Rutgers University and Rodale Institute researching the restoration capacity of native warm season grasses after chemical intensive systems. They will be measuring the grasses ability to sequester carbon, and changes to the microbiology in the soil. There are several smaller fields in addition to the 100 acre field. Our production area is a 12 acre field with a 8’ deer fence surrounding the perimeter.

Nearby Adventures

Bike/hike Columbia Rail trail following Raritan River ~1/4mile from farm
Hike Schooleys Mtn & refresh in cool waterfalls ~5 min drive
Hacklebarney State Park ~15 mins drive
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (biking,hiking, climbing, whitewater kayaking) ~50 min drive
Excellent trout fishing in Ken Lockwood Gorge ~30 mins bike or 10 min drive

Job description

As a crew member you will play a key role in our farms operation. You will learn and be involved in most of the tasks on the farm in a fast paced but fun environment. We will explain the reason behind our methods and why we do tasks a certain way. We also enjoy feedback and strive to create an open-minded environment.

Your week on the farm will typically be Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. We typically take an hour lunch break around noon.

We will have a rotating weekend irrigation schedule. This will include running irrigation in fields if needed and watering seedlings in our greenhouse. This only requires a couple hours of work. We don’t anticipate each member working more than a couple weekends a month and we’re flexible! We also only expect crew members to work 35-40 hours a week. We do believe in a work-life balance. As a crew member you will be involved in most aspects of the farm including

• Irrigation
• Greenhouse management
• Weeding
• Transplanting
• Seeding
• Operating small power equipment, including our BCS tractor.
• Harvesting
• Washing & packing
• Working our farm market
• Pruning/trellising

What we are looking for

• Hard work-ethic & passion for growing food
• Ability to follow direction & take constructive criticism
• Attention to detail & staying focused during repetitive tasks
• Occasional weekend work for events, irrigation, and farm market staffing
• Ability to withstand long hours of physically demanding work in all weather conditions
• Team player, works well individually and as a group
• Good communication skills
• 35-40 hours a week of meaningful and productive work

Preferred but not required

• A season working on a production farm or landscaping, trail crew or similar work
• Experience with small power equipment (string trimmer, mowers, walk-behind tractors)

Benefits of working at Ethos

• Positive & encouraging work environment
• Additional educational opportunities at various local farms
• Weekly share of farm produce
• Access to Ethos Primary Care & farm events
• 100+ acres of woodlands to hike, explore, & forage (Ramps, edible mushrooms, watercress)
• Opportunity to take ownership & management of certain aspects of the farm
• Constantly varied tasks & participation in all growing practices

Compensation: starting at $15/hr

Housing: rustic housing available with kitchenette, small living area, and a sleeping loft. Access to shower, laundry, bathroom, WiFi & utilities

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

May 18, 2023