Company description

Common Hands Farm, a biodynamic vegetable farm outside of Philmont NY, is a family owned farm, always working on building our community through our farm crew, our CSA, our customers at the markets, our volunteer and donation programs. Community and food access are our two driving forces. This is our 14th year of production and we are growing over 200 crop varieties, attending local farmers markets, distributing CSA shares, and working with many restaurant and wholesale outlets. We always prefer hiring people with experience and/or passion for learning, but experience is not required. By working on our farm, new farmers can learn about vegetable production farming, soil and plant growth, holistic farm management, greenhouse skills, regenerative agriculture basics, and attend farmers markets. We also have a value-added food enterprise in which we make and sell sauces, ferments, dressings, and other tasty things with our crops to preserve our bounty.

Everything we grow is organically grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc. We make our own compost and are Certified Naturally Grown. We own 24 acres of land with a beautiful stream running through it.

Job description

We are looking to hire 2 farm crew members for our 2025 season. This May we are getting the farm ready for weekly farmers' markets, CSA shares, restaurant and retailer wholesale, and our new farm store, which will all be running throughout the season. By June we will be in full swing with our production and harvest with a broad variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. This role will be highly educational, and will be an opportunity for new farmers to learn about the following:

• Introduction and Brief History of Agriculture
• Core Principles behind Sustainable and Regenerative Farming
• Biodynamic Agriculture Styles
• Introduction to Permaculture Principles and Design
• Greenhouse Management and Planting Skills
• Soil and Plant Growth Science
• Holistic Farmland Management
• Plant Species and Breeding
• Cover-Cropping and Crop Rotations
• Introduction to Farm Equipment
• Introductory Grazing and Animal Management
• Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Community Models

Farm Crew Duties & Responsibilities:

Greenhouse planting, transplanting in the fields, weeding, cultivating, watering in the greenhouse, helping move irrigation, harvesting, processing vegetables and herbs are some of the main tasks, but the farm is ever changing. We love when employees are interested in working our farmers markets as well. Our farmers markets are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays in multiple locations.

Reliability, punctuality, and clear communication skills are integral to this job, as well as dedication to the season and the team.

There is a definite path to promotion for those interested, as they learn on the farm. We also have management level positions for confident applicants who have experience, and encourage experienced farmers to reach out if they're interested.

Qualifications:

We prefer that applicants have some prior farming experience, even if it is limited. However, we still encourage anyone interested to apply, as learning is part of this work. Employees must have the ability to consistently arrive on time and be ready to work.

This is a physical job working with the earth, which for many people is a key factor in the work's enjoyment. Connecting with nature and the earth, and learning about plants and soil are all central parts of this dynamic work.

Working from the beginning of spring through the fall gives employees an ever-changing variety of tasks and projects to tackle, learn through, and engage with. The farm changes with the season and our work load is not always the same. People with a desire to work in an ever changing environment, with an ability to adapt to situations, and who don't mind working in all types of weather should apply.


When:
Our main work days are Monday-Friday from 7:30AM-5:30PM with an hour lunch. However, the exact hours do vary throughout the season based on weather and sunlight.

We prefer that applicants work with us for our entire growing season (May - November) to get a comprehensive understanding of our farm, but we are open to those who are not available for the entire season as well. Reduced hours during winter months may be available.

Compensation:

Hourly rate starts at $17.50 with opportunities to increase. Pay is commensurate with experience, higher starting rate available for more experienced farmers.

Compensation

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

Application instructions

Deadline

April 01, 2025