Company description

Bar Harbor Farm is a MOFGA certified, organic vegetable farm located seven miles from Bar Harbor, Maine. Our farm is approximately 45 acres large with most of that forested. About 10-12 acres are clear. We cultivate approximately 3 acres with half in cover crop and the other half in annual production. We grow vegetables for local restaurants and two local food pantries. We are dedicated to no-till and minimal-till farming. We incorporate tarps and extensive cover cropping to replace tillage in the field, increase our organic matter levels, reduce erosion and to feed our soil's microbial life. We aim to keep our soil covered as much as possible with living green roots and when not possible to do so, we use mulch: straw, leaves, seaweed, or plastic tarp.

Our mission is to produce top-quality, nourishing food for the local community, to preserve fertility and carbon sequestration in the fields, to build rewarding relationships with neighbors and our customers, to prove economic viability for this enterprise, and to have fun.

Our infrastructure includes three 96’ long high tunnels for in-ground production of tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and other vegetables, a 50 hp Kubota tractor that we mainly use to move heavy things around the farm, a 30-foot long seedling greenhouse and a barn fitted with photovoltaics which power all electrical operations on the farm.

Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park. For anyone that enjoys biking, hiking, x-country skiing, sailing or kayaking, this is the place for you. With views of Cadillac Mountain from the farm, we are a short trip to Acadia. Free bus service is available on the island from the 3rd week of June until early October with a bus stop one half mile from the farm.

Job description

Job requirements:

Three years of small scale farming experience

The ability to lift 50 lbs repeatedly

The ability to work in all types of weather

Attention to detail and the ability to follow specific planting instructions

Ability to work as a team member and independently

Ability to squat or kneel for long periods of time

Ability to perform repetitive and monotonous tasks.

Preferred Skills:

An entrepreneurial spirit

Basic carpentry skills

Basic Mechanical skills or an interest in learning some

An eye for waste/time saving measures.

Cheerful demeanor

What the season looks like:

Spring work includes seeding, transplanting and watering in the seedling greenhouse, preparing our work environment for the upcoming season, spring cover crop planting, bed preparation work using broad forks, wheel hoes and a rake, direct seeding and transplanting into the field.

Summer brings on the mulching, weed management, succession planting, irrigation, pest management and harvesting of crops as well as the addition of one or two additional people to work with us during June, July and August. Managing the crew during the summer months is also an aspect of this job. Once produce is harvested, the vegetables are transported to the washroom where they are cleaned, cooled and packed before delivery to our wholesale markets. Delivery occurs 2 days per week. Winter greenhouse production seeding begins in July and continues into late summer or early fall.

Fall responsibilities include preparing beds for winter by harvesting and then mowing the previous crop, seeding our winter cover crops, continued harvesting, storage, winterizing, high tunnel maintenance and lastly, planting garlic for the next season.

Other responsibilities include helping with loading and unloading deliveries, equipment maintenance, walk-behind tractor mowing, record keeping, maintaining orderly work spaces, keeping an eye out for improved efficiencies and perhaps most important, representing the farm to the public with an authentic enthusiasm for our customers.

In general, growing vegetables is production work. We try to be as efficient as possible in all that we do and ask that our employees keep that in mind throughout their day.

The job is 40 hours/week during most of the season. We generally start at either 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning and stop at 4:00 with a full hour off for an unpaid lunch hour. We work most holidays during the growing season but often stop early on those days to give us a little time to enjoy the holiday as well. At times, during the hottest days of the summer, we may work a split shift by starting at 6:00 am, breaking at noon and returning from 4:00 to 6:00 to transplant seedlings when that time of day is a little kinder to both the newly planted seedlings and the humans transplanting them. Taking a break from the heat allows us to take care of ourselves by going for a swim or a rest in the shade during really hot weather.

Perks:

As part of your compensation, we provide you with housing. Housing consists of a tiny house/sleeping cabin looking out at Cadilac and Sargent Mountains (best view on the farm!) with access to a community kitchen and bathroom with a shower in the barn. Wi-Fi is available in the barn. We do allow for long weekends off when we’re able to. We offer Workers Compensation and 3 paid days off during the season and a $100 clothing allowance for full time assistant managers. In addition, all staff have access to vegetable seconds and surplus items as well as pick-your-own raspberries and blueberries with a staff freezer available to store your frozen bounty. We also have a hedgerow planted to serve as a wind break and pollinator browse with the side benefit of fruit for all of us to try (including farm critters): honey berries, elderberries, currants, gooseberries and hazelnuts. We have yet to taste any hazelnuts though, the squirrels are always faster than we are!

Compensation

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

Application instructions

Deadline

March 15, 2026