PVS Garden Farmer/Teacher 

The Farm School’s Program For Visiting Schools is looking for a highly motivated, energized individual who wants to help us give authentic farm experiences to over 1500 middle school students a year while supporting our production vegetable growing operation. The Farm School Program for Visiting Schools hosts two groups of school youth for 2.5 day trips per week and  7 week Summer program. 

The Garden Farmer Teacher leads youth through every aspect of growing veggies, fruits, flowers, perennials, herbs and growing related things from crop planning, seeding, watering/irrigation, cultivation, disease/pest management, harvest, wash up and pack out for delivery to cover cropping and the care of equipment, growing/cultivation tools, hoop houses and the greenhouse. Beyond the vegetable work area you will also work alongside youth in all other Program for Visiting School tasks including morning or evening chores, washing dishes, specialized farm courses, evening activities and our summer programs. All of the food produced on the Farm is donated to families facing food insecurity in Boston and our local Athol Orange area.

The role of the Garden Farmer Teacher is to have the foresight and ability to organize your assigned work area in ways that are accessible for youth and allow youth to equally engage, side by side with you, in the core elements of the work area listed above. 

Core responsibilities:

–  Kindness, ability to have a warm hosting, welcoming nature

– Flexibility, comfort with multiple transitions throughout the day, solution oriented and capable of going 

   with the demands, ebbs and flows of farming and youth work. 

–  Energized by a full day working alongside youth grades 5th to 12th in all aspects of Program operations

 -- Support all aspects of the growing operation, including regular participation in (and potential 

    management of) harvest/wash up and greenhouse tending

-- Delivery of food to partner schools/organizations locally and in the Boston area

-- With growing team, participate in all aspects of PVS programming including chores, washing dishes, 

   scheduled options, class, evening activities, bunkhouse/bathroom cleaning, pre and post program setup

– Participate in facilitation and preparation of FS fundraising and community events

– Participate in all hands on deck activities like harvest, sap collection and bringing in the hay.

Interpersonal skills

• A passion for working with youth in all aspects of the PVS program 
• Kindness, a team player with a genuine enthusiasm for sharing things you love with youth
• An understanding and openness to multiple foodways and knowledge of food systems/history
• A genuine interest in sustainable agriculture, greenhouse watering, bed prep, transplanting, weeding 
• Reliable with an ability  to work within a schedule that has multiple transitions and independently keep    

    track of your daily shifting responsibilities

• Flexibility, operating within a shifting schedule, pivoting as farm/youth needs arise to best host the group 

   and take care of the land, 

• Ability to kindly and effectively communicate, directly to co-workers, coordinators, directors and team. 
• Ability to work collaboratively and participate in team meetings at the start and end of each week.
• Dependable with an ability to prioritize, work efficiently and ask for help when needed.

Hard Skills

• Experience with weed management, greenhouse management, harvest and post-harvest handling. 
• Comfort with repetitive, physical work that includes heavy lifting.
• 1 or more seasons of growing experience 
• Strong organization and follow up skills 
• Some knowledge or experience with soil fertility management, weed management, pest & disease 

    management practices, greenhouse support, harvest and post-harvest handling. 

• Must be able to bend, lift and carry 50 lbs and work in various weather conditions.
• Knowledge & experience with drip & overhead irrigation set up & operation is a plus. 
• Comfort operating farm vehicles and driving in both urban and rural settings is a plus
• Comfort with farm machinery operation a plus
• Basic carpentry and building/equipment maintenance skills are a plus.

In addition to your particular position, the unpredictable nature of farming/working with youth and our shared responsibility for the care of the farm requires that all employees engage in the process of meeting the needs of the farm/program- gardens, fields, forest, barns, bunkhouses, kitchens etc. and to do so in communication with your Program Director, Co-Directors and fellow farmer/teachers. 

Compensation/benefits: 

• Annual salary of $38,500 to $45,000 
• Employer Paid Health Insurance coverage ( employee paid dental option)
• Relocation Benefits
• Professional development funds
• 6 days sick time
• 6 weeks of paid vacation annually  
• On-site housing provided (as available) and access to Farm School produced food 

Timing of job:

Immediate opening: This year long full time position includes a 7 week summer youth program from June to August. February  to November (9 months of the year) your schedule can begin as early as 6:15 and end as late as 7:30 pm. December and January schedules are reduced and farmer teachers take vacations during the months of December, January, February, June and August.