Company description

In February 2018 the Alpha Omega Urban Farm program began with the development of a 3/4 acre farm at our Ball Road permanent supportive housing facility. In 2023, the AOVS Urban Farm program expanded to develop a second farm location at our Jackson Avenue transitional housing facility, with approximately one acre of outdoor production space. We are a CNG-certified farm (Certified Naturally Grown), operating under the same standards as USDA organic, just with a different inspection and audit process.

AOVS farms are directly in the backyards of our residents, all of whom are veterans who have experience homelessness. About 40% of the produce we grow at AOVS goes directly to our onsite residents, weekly to their doorsteps, for free. The other 60% is sold weekly at the Cooper-Young Farmers Market and to local restaurants and schools via wholesale contracts.

Job description

Title: Part-Time Seasonal Production Assistant – AOVS Urban Farm, Ball Rd

Job Site: AOVS Urban Farm, 2226 Ball Rd, Memphis TN 38114

Reports to: Ball Rd Farm Manager & Asst. Farm Manager

Time: May 4 - Oct 30, 15-18 hrs/week. Monday Wednesday Friday, 8a-1p in cooler temps, 7a-12p in hotter temps.

Compensation: $15-18/hr, commensurate with experience. Plus single-share farm produce.

Qualifications: Experience with organic farming or gardening is strongly preferred. Must be able to frequently lift 50lbs. Driver’s license is strongly preferred.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Harvest
  • learn technique and quality standards in order to correctly harvest leafy greens, root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, melons, okra, sweet potatoes, bush beans, cut flowers, plums, blackberries
• Post-Harvest
  • weigh and record daily quantitative and qualitative harvest data
  • sanitize, rinse, and dry select produce per washpack protocol & FSMA guidelines
  • sort, pack, and store produce in its appropriate location, at appropriate temperature, in appropriate container per washpack protocol & FSMA guidelines
  • ensure produce is ready at correct times to be sent off to wholesale clients and residents on Tuesdays, and farmer’s market on Fridays
• Field Monitoring
  • while harvesting, monitor the field for signs and symptoms of disease, fungus, pests, and potential need for irrigation, cooling, pruning, input application, etc.
• Field Tasks As Needed
  • the production assistant’s primary work will be harvest and post-harvest, but depending on the needs of the farm and the production assistant’s skills and interests, may be asked to learn and assist the farm manager and assistant farm manager with additional field tasks. these may include but are not limited to:
  • hand-weeding and weeding with tools
  • integrated pest management (mechanically removing eggs, laying and removing row-cover, setting pheromone traps, spraying organic inputs, etc)
  • flame-weeding
  • setting up irrigation lines
  • trayseeding and direct seeding
  • transplanting
  • mulching
  • trellising
  • driving t-posts
  • shoveling and transporting compost
  • season extension tasks (high tunnel repair, adding/removing endwalls, adding/removing shadecloths, laying frostcloths, etc)

Compensation

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

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline