Full time grower in Cornwall

Organic Growers Alliance; Cornwall; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established community-focused farm is seeking a passionate Market Gardener to join their small but dedicated team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to grow a variety of vegetables using sustainable practices while contributing to a mission centered around social justice and community support. You will engage in all aspects of farming, from sowing to harvesting, and enjoy a dynamic work environment that values hard work and rest. If you are enthusiastic about local food systems and eager to make a meaningful impact, this position could be your next step towards a fulfilling career in agriculture.

Qualifications

• Experience in market gardening or outdoor work is preferred.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team is essential.

Responsibilities

• Grow a full range of vegetables for CSA, market, and wholesale.
• Participate in crop planning, harvesting, and packing.

Skills

Market Gardening Experience

Physical Fitness

Attention to Detail

Teamwork

Self-Motivation

Social Justice Commitment

Basic IT Skills

Education

Experience in Agriculture

Tools

Basic IT Tools

Job description

Soul Farm has been working for 2.5 years as a market garden and is a community interest company based in Flushing, Cornwall, dedicated to “soil, soul and society”.

We tend the soil by farming using agroecological methods, which means we do our best for the environment and for the plants we work with. We avoid disturbing soil life by using no dig methods and practise intercropping to maximise space.

We regard the food we grow as soul food – food that’s integral to health and that should be accessible to all. We tend the soul by making decisions guided by our values of authenticity, abundance, equality and equity.

We tend society by connecting our community with the land and with the people growing their food so we can build trust and recognise and nurture interdependency. This also involves working towards a more just and equitable food system. Our Community Supported Agriculture veg box scheme delivers partially funded low income shares and fully funded solidarity shares to people who need them.

The farm is located just over the water from the thriving town of Falmouth and a short walk from the sea. We sell to restaurants in Falmouth and the surrounding area in addition to our CSA veg box scheme, which is expanding to 120 members weekly this May 2021 to mid Feb 2022. We are also one of the founding producers for the Food Barn Tregew, a weekly Saturday market that began in Dec 2020.

About the post:

The Market Gardener will join a relatively new company looking to expand their operation quickly this year. We are a small but thriving team working to make a difference. You will be growing a full range of vegetables for CSA, market and wholesale across our 3 sites.

We work at a furious rate when we’re working. We all have a strong work ethic but we recognise when to call time and highly value rest. You will input in crop planning and weekly scheduling with the rest of the team. We currently split the week into growing days, harvest days and packing days and you will be involved in all aspects including sowing, weeding, ground preparation, harvest, packing & storage of produce.

We are willing to consider those with experience and those at the beginning of their journey towards a great career in this area.

Key tasks you will have or will learn include:

1. Liaising communicatively with the directors and head grower on a daily basis
2. Participating cooperatively in team work, following instructions where needed
3. Getting involved in other aspects of the farm’s development and maintenance
4. Full set of growing duties as well as harvesting and packing
5. Thinking on your feet and making effective decisions on the fly
6. Lifting heavy bags of compost or crates of veg (you need to be physically fit and strong)
7. Working outside in all weathers
8. Working at the timings of farming – farming doesn’t fit the normal working week
9. Organising thoroughly and precisely
10. Remaining aware of what needs to be done around the farm (things to be weeded, put away, trellised, and repaired)
11. Performing the more tedious tasks of weeding and cultivation
12. Welcoming and training new employees
13. Working on your own at times, reliably and with self-motivation
14. Basic IT skills and good record keeping essential

Other tasks will include:

1. Working on our market stall on Saturdays
2. IT and social media skills. We are a digital company too. We don’t all live on our sites and we require online communication through various platforms
3. Sometimes delivering produce to customers
4. Coming alongside some volunteers to ensure that they are picking things properly, being safe with equipment. You will assist on volunteer days, make people feel welcome, assist people in their jobs and ensure best practice is undertaken
5. Attending CSA meetings for members
6. Taking a full and active role in the development of Soul Farm

Required Criteria:

1. Previous work outdoors or some experience in market gardening
2. Able to handle cold weather well
3. Fit and able to carry crates of vegetables
4. Finding enjoyment in repetitive tasks
5. Commitment to equality and equity – in fact, enthusiastic about social justice
6. Personable
7. Willing to be flexible
8. Attention to detail and diligence
9. Extreme punctuality
10. Able to work from their own initiative, sometimes on their own, self-managing and self-motivating
11. Working well as part of a collaborative team
12. Full UK driving licence without points
13. Has own transport

This position will best suit someone who:

1. Has experience of a similar role, related sector or comparable organisation
2. Someone that wants to start their own market garden in the future
3. Shares Soul Farm’s values
4. Has enthusiasm for the food scene and local farming
5. Can recognise faces and names of regular customers

How to apply:

The closing date is 8am on 1st of Sept with interviews taking place by Zoom the week after. The final stage is that we may ask you to spend a day with us on the farm to get to know us and to see how it all works. If you don’t live in Cornwall, we’re open discussing this last stage.

Please submit a CV (maximum one page), along with a cover letter (short is sweet!) or video outlining why you want to work with us and what you think you could bring to the team in terms of experience, skills and ideas.

Applications should be by email to [e-mail] and the subject heading should be ‘Application – Grower’.

Thanks for your interest!