Company description

Frinklepod Farm is a unique, small farm growing certified organic vegetables and flowers on 4 acres in Arundel, Maine, a small town nestled between the coastal communities of Biddeford, Kennebunkport and Kennebunk.

At Frinklepod Farm:

We are passionate about providing our community nourishing food and on-farm experiences that celebrate and increase connections to the land and one another.

We follow regenerative farming methods that build soil health and draw on permaculture practices and principles, and are certified by the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association and the Real Organic Project.

During our peak growing season, our farm members and other customers shop in the well-stocked farm store, pick their own flowers, enjoy soft-serve ice cream, listen to the happy sounds of our summer campers, and sign up to attend events such as plant-based cooking classes, farm dinners, and concerts.

Each new year, we continue our commitment to conserving agricultural land and biodiversity in our area of southern Maine.

We, Noah Wentworth and Flora Brown, are life-partners and co-owners of Frinklepod Farm. Now in our 13th year, we continue to cultivate our success by managing different aspects of our business.

• Noah is the Head Farmer. He directs all farm crew member training and operation - from our seedling greenhouse to 4 high tunnels and crop fields - growing and harvesting 30+ varieties of annual and perennial crops.
• Flora is the Commerce Manager. She is the flower farmer who directs retail, marketing and financial operations; oversees educational programming and events; teaches plant-based cooking classes in our commercial kitchen; and manages our on-farm Airbnb apartment.
• Noah, Flora, and our Post-Harvest Produce Manager, Peyton, co-manage the tracking, aggregation and post-harvest quality control of fresh produce, from the processing area into storage, the farm store and our customers shopping baskets.

Frinklepod Farm provides a dynamic, supportive work environment.

We strive to engage all of our employees with integrity and thoughtful, proactive communication.

Our 2024 farm team will consist of

• 1Assistant Crop Production Manager
• 1 Post-Harvest Produce Manager
• 2-3 Part-time Field Crew
• 2-3 Farm Store Cashiers
• 3 Farm Camp Counselors

Job description

Summary: Frinklepod Farm is seeking an Assistant Vegetable Production Manager to work directly with Noah to manage all aspects of the vegetable production. This is a great opportunity for a person who seeks to hone their farming know-how into the full set of professional skills needed to run a successful, diversified farm. You will help make pivotal improvements to the efficiency of the vegetable production and processing systems.

Schedule: April - October, Tuesday - Saturday, 7:00AM - 4:00PM, 1-hour unpaid lunch break. Exact start date in mid-April TBD.

Essential Duties:

• Assist with seedling production
• Assist with crop planning and bed layout
• Bed rehab and preparation, transplant seedlings, direct seed row crops and cover crops
• Follow best practices for High Tunnel intensive crop production, pruning and trellising
• Irrigation installation and maintenance
• Weeding, mulching, crop support and trellising
• Follow no-spray organic pest management and disease control protocols
• Harvest and process up to 30 different crops, including fruit and other perennial crops
• Conduct daily record keeping as required to maintain USDA Organic Certification
• Record data to develop detailed, crop-specific enterprise budgets
• Help maintain equipment, tools and infrastructure
• Assist with construction projects related to vegetable production and processing

The successful applicant should have a minimum of two years of prior farming experience, ideally on organic farms that are a similar scale to Frinklepod Farm. Prior experience operating tractors - both ride-on and walk-behind - with implements is a plus.

Noah’s management style is to maintain a low-stress environment while meeting high standards for efficiency and product quality. The successful applicant must be a skilled observer and communicator; someone who is able to analyze situations and take action to make adjustments as challenges arise. They must be able to work independently, and collaboratively with Noah, and the Farm Crew, as many tasks require initiative, accountability and leadership.

Frinklepod Farm values kindness, tenacity, curiosity and good communication skills. We are looking for an enthusiastic and mature learner, someone who is able to take constructive feedback and make adjustments, and who is able to express their ideas and participate in collaborative problem solving. The successful applicant must have the physical stamina to complete repetitive tasks, and the emotional and mental confidence to meet new challenges with flexibility throughout the growing season.

Compensation includes an hourly rate of $18-22 dependent on past farming experience. This position includes 3 paid days off, unlimited fresh produce from the farm, and an employee discount in the farm store.

If you are not already living locally, there is the opportunity to rent living space on our family's homestead across from the farm.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $18.00 - $22.00

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline