Care Farmer

Empregara; City of Rochester (NY); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Homesteads for Hope in Rochester, NY seeks a seasonal Care Farmer from March/April to October/November to support operations, cultivation, and community engagement. You will mentor interns and volunteers, coordinate diverse activities from seeding to harvest, and ensure adherence to organic practices.

The role spans vegetables, flowers, CSA, and animal care, with a focus on experiential learning. You will balance production efficiency with a growth mindset, serving as a role model for

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating interns, volunteers, and groups in a farm or educational setting.
• Ability to mentor and coach people with diverse abilities in agricultural tasks.
• Strong safety mindset and adherence to organic practices.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day farm operations including seeding, planting, irrigation, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.
• Coordinate and supervise interns, volunteers, and school groups.
• Assist greenhouse production and daily watering and climate management.
• Lead daily tasks for teams ranging from a few staff to 30+ participants.
• Oversee CSA pickup, farm store operations, and flower distributions.
• Care for goats, chickens, geese, and ducks; supervise animal caretaking.
• Maintain safe, inclusive learning environments and model sustainable farming practices.

Skills

Team leadership

Volunteer coordination

Agricultural mentoring

Animal care

Tools

Square POS

Job description

Company description
Homesteads for Hope is a non‑profit community farm located on the Erie Canal in Rochester, NY. Our mission is to inspire individuals with disabilities and their families to grow their unique abilities, purpose, and sense of belonging through meaningful experiences in nature's classroom. In 2027, the farm will grow approximately 3 acres of vegetables for CSA shares, the on‑site farm store, and donations. Flowers will be grown for weekly flower subscriptions, events, florist sales, classes, and our U‑pick. The farm store is open 7 days per week during the busy season and sells our produce, as well as other locally sourced goods. Our animals include chickens, ducks, and geese who lay eggs for the store, as well as some goats just for fun. The farm property also has a budding orchard and many acres of woodlands.

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

This is a seasonal position, beginning in March/April and ending in October/November. The Care Farmer supports the daily operations and long‑term vision of a nonprofit community farm dedicated to sustainable agriculture, vocational development for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and community engagement. This position plays a key role in coordinating diverse hands‑on activities, from seeding and transplanting to harvest and distribution of produce through sales and donations. The Care Farmer will also serve as a mentor and role model for interns, volunteers, and students of all abilities, fostering a collaborative learning environment that teaches agricultural skills. This means time spent working one on one coaching people in agricultural skills you may have just learned. The Care Farmer must balance production efficiency with a curiosity about the natural world and a mindset geared toward continuous growth for those they are coaching. The key areas this position will focus on are our vegetable CSA, farm store, flower operation, and animal caretaking.

Through taking part in the hard work of growing produce and flowers regeneratively, you will be investing your energy in a national movement (Care Farming) that uses farming and homesteading practices to grow people and community. Whether it is through working our CSA pickup, staffing a shift in our farm store, or caring for the animals, you will get to know the families and neighbors that sustain, and are sustained by, our mission.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS (60-70%)

• Support all day‑to‑day farm operations, including seeding, planting, irrigating, weeding, pest management, harvesting, and post‑harvest handling using organic and sustainable methods.
• Coordinate and supervise interns, volunteers, and school groups fostering a safe, instructive, and inclusive work and learning environment for individuals of all abilities.
• Assist in greenhouse production, including seeding, daily watering, climate management, and organization.
• Take part in daily irrigation schedules, running the pump/spigot and making repairs as necessary.
• Basic tractor operation, including using the forks and bucket, changing attachments, mowing, and disking for those interested.
• Lead daily tasks for teams ranging from a few staff to over 30 community participants, adapting to group size and learning needs as necessary.
• Support produce distribution through CSA, farm store/stand operations.
• Support flower distribution through harvesting for florists, floral subscriptions, and events.
• Ensure compliance with farm safety policies and organic practices, supporting equipment and facility maintenance as needed.
• Serve as a role model for careful, thoughtful agricultural stewardship and experiential learning, reinforcing a culture of growth and continuous improvement

FARM STORE (20-30%)

• Help oversee the operation of the Farm Store to ensure a positive, welcoming experience for all customers and community members.
• Model and teach skills including customer service, handling transactions, and maintaining a high quality inventory.
• Assist and train interns, students, and volunteers by offering product knowledge, recommendations, and creative solutions to meet community needs.
• Follow standard operating procedures to maintain safety, cleanliness, and readiness.
• Share your passion for farm‑grown, farm‑made, and locally sourced goods with all members of our community
• Maintain accurate inventory of all store products, including produce, baked goods, seasonal fruit, and locally sourced items.
• Monitor stock levels and reorder materials, supplies, and seasonal products as needed.

Ensure all products are properly stored, rotated, packaged, labeled, and attractively displayed.

When on duty, take responsibility for all point‑of‑sale operations using Square, including transactions, billing, refunds, discounts, and end‑of‑day/week reconciliation.

Work with the rest of the farm team and the marketing coordinator to lead creative merchandising efforts to make all items visually appealing and “sellable.”

Keep both store restrooms clean and stocked with essentials.

Set up, maintain, and clean any self‑serve beverage stations.

ANIMALS (10-20%)

• Support daily care of goats, chickens, geese, and ducks.
• Clean stalls, refill water and feed containers, check on well‑being of animals.
• Put animals away safely each evening and release them each morning.
• Collect eggs and ensur they are clean for sale in the farm store.
• Create daily care checklists and provide feedback to our interns and students.
• Train and supervise interns, volunteers, and school groups with the animals.
• Assist with weekend chores and caretaking.
• Improve infrastructure for the safety of the animals and a better experience for the public.
• Pick up animal feed and supplies in the farm truck.
• Keep a neat and organized space around the animals and their supplies.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +