Company description

Hayshaker Farm is a small-scale, mix-powered vegetable growing operation based in the SE Washington state. 2024 marks our tenth season. The business is owned and operated on leased land by Chandler Briggs.

We farm on 8 irrigated acres, growing diversified vegetables and fruit for local families, grocery stores and restaurants. We sell mostly through our online market called the Walla Walla Food Hub. We feature our produce but carry many other producers’ goods from across the region. The food hub is managed by the farmers and is a regular part of the work here.

Our farm is partly draft horse-powered, thanks to the help of our fuzzy teammates, Dusty, Juni, Jane and sometimes other helpful visiting horsequinees. In addition to the compost they help create daily, they help us plow, disc, harrow, cultimulch, cultivate, spread compost, pull loads and harvest crops. We also use a BCS for tilling the salad field and flail mowing. We have a small tractor for a transplanter, pallet forks, bucket and a rotary mower. We are 4 miles from downtown Walla Walla and part of a fantastic local community. It is a thriving college-town city of 40,000+, with excellent outdoor activities, restaurants, bakeries, breweries, music, theater, lectures and wine production.

Job description

We are looking for smart, strong and detail-oriented folks to join our 2024 farm crew. Ideal farm crew candidates will have a strong interest in food and farming, and enjoy working both on a team and individually. We have a unique and fun business model–growing produce and running a food hub on one property. Join our small but mighty crew growing food and feeding the community. Produce and food hub goods are sold to local, regional and state-wide families, restaurants, groceries, and food banks. 

Walla Walla Food Hub is located at Hayshaker Farm and is part of the same business–time worked here is one paycheck, one W-2. Applications are reviewed as they are received.

Responsibilities
Work under direction from and in collaboration with farm owner and farm managers (Food Hub, Harvest, Production) & communicate in person and on Slack

Farm duties (~80-90%)

• Harvest, wash and pack produce 3-5 days/week
• Wash/pack is shared between the farm crew
• Perform field work including but not limited to seeding, transplanting, trellising, hand weeding, hoeing, using row cover, and moving irrigation
• Perform non-field work: greenhouse work, plant starts, delivering, tractor driving, farm clean up & projects

Food Hub duties (~10-20%)

• As needed, help with packing, organizing and running the food hub (non-farm products)

Background and Skills

• One or more seasons previous farm experience preferred but not necessary
• More experience and skills will have higher pay offerings
• Flexibility and desire to learn new methods and farm systems
• Attention to detail, especially with quality control
• Self-starter mentality, always looking for how to help the team
• Good communication skills
• Energetic and motivated personality
• Excellent work ethic and positive attitude, adaptability to challenges
• Conscientious and able to work with all kinds of people
• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions
• Willingness to commit to the farm for the full summer season

What you can expect from us:

• 17 years of farming experience in ownership, 40+ years experience in the farm crew
• Approaching relationships with care, love, curiosity and compassion
• Investment in tools, equipment and improvements
• Flexibility for time off
• Focus on work/life balance, through communication and time spent
• Understanding that no one is perfect and that everyone deserves dignity
• Desire to feed all community members, regardless of income level
• Some farm mottos we have posted around the place: “Have fun and be safe,” “Every Farm Needs a Team,” and “Eat the Rainbow”

Housing: we can help search for a private apartment or house if you’re moving from out of town, and ask our network about rentals. There is no housing available on the farm.

Food: all farm seconds and some items we grow are available for the crew. Wholesale cost on other products sold in the food hub. Meals are on your own, with shared lunches when possible.

Paid Worker’s Compensation: covered with LNI state program

Paid Family Medical Leave: new program in WA state began 2020

Compensation this position is : hourly, $15-20/hr Application instructions Deadlineno deadline Attachment click here to download the attached document.