Company description

Humble Umbel Farm is a two-acre vegetable and flower farm outside Hillsborough, NC started by farming couple Anna and Brian in 2018. We specialize in year-round production of high-value crops, including lettuce, salad greens, root vegetables, herbs, microgreens, and cut flowers, as well as high tunnel tomatoes, cucumbers, and various other vegetable crops. We grow about 40 types of vegetables and 50 types of flowers, and sell our products at local farmers markets and wholesale flowers to local florists. Besides ourselves, we typically employ six people throughout the year (some seasonal, some year-round).

We manage our farm intensively using “market garden” tools and techniques, specialized hand tools, a BCS walk-behind tractor and associated implements, high tunnels, sprinklers, and various season extension strategies to extend harvests through hot summers and cold winters. We are passionate about crop quality and nutrient density, and our farming approach involves the use of progressive organic and biological techniques and materials, always striving to grow healthy plants that are immune to pests and diseases, and contain all the vitamins, minerals and medicinal components that plants should have.

It is our mission to demonstrate that small-scale ecological farming can be productive, efficient, profitable, fun, meaningful, and play an essential role in local communities in terms of providing healthy food, developing resilient farming systems, contributing to the local economy, educating the public, all while building soil and taking care of the land.

Job description

We’re hiring for two full-time crew member positions for the 2024 season, which runs February through the end of November. Folks interested in part-time work may inquire as well. Employees that demonstrate reliability and capability will be considered for a year-round full-time position. While not required, this position could be a good fit for someone interested in year-round work and/or returning for consecutive season(s).

We are seeking hard working individuals who are reliable, quick learners, self-motivated, can get along well with others, have excellent time management skills, and can maintain a positive attitude throughout a long day’s work no matter the weather! A strong interest in learning about vegetable and flower production is also a must.

You'll be involved in most aspects of vegetable and flower production, including greenhouse seeding, bed preparation, spreading compost, planting, weeding, irrigation, crop removal, trellising, harvesting vegetables and flowers, washing and packing produce, bunching flowers, and selling at farmers markets.

As a small-scale farm, we do many things by hand and this job is very physical. You must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs, and stand or squat for extended periods of time. Previous farm work experience and/or outdoor manual labor experience is not required, however is highly valued.

We work 5 days a week. Your schedule would be Tuesday-Saturday or Monday-Friday (depending on whether or not you are hired to work a Saturday farmers’ market as part of your job). Monday through Friday are farm days and we typically work 8 hours, 8 am to 4:30 pm during the cooler seasons, and 6:30 am to 3:30 pm during the hotter months. We typically take a 30 minute unpaid lunch.

We are living wage certified. We pay an hourly wage starting at $17/hr. If you work Saturday farmers markets as part of your job, you will get paid $20/hr for all market hours. You’re welcome to take home as much produce (and extra flowers) as you/your household can eat. You'll learn about successful small-scale regenerative farming practices first hand. This is a great opportunity for someone seeking in-depth agricultural experience or someone interested in starting their own farm.

*We also have two other job openings on are farm. Check out our website for more details.

Compensation

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

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline