Field Assistant Job Description

Free Verse Farm, LLC; Town of Vermont (WI); On-site; USD 23,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fresh herbs access

15% Farm Shop discount

Hands-on instruction

Scenic Vermont hillside

Job summary

Free Verse Farm in Vermont is seeking field assistants to grow and harvest herbs on our small hillside operation. You will plant, weed, and pick herbs, with occasional help for cattle, farm events, and related tasks. Expect 8-hour days, 2-3 days per week, with potential full-time shifts at Farm Shop or Apothecary.

Wages start at 17–19 per hour, seasonal from late April to October, with options to extend. No apprenticeship guarantee, but we share knowledge and emphasize reliability, teamwork, and

Qualifications

• Hard worker willing to perform fieldwork in varying weather.
• Able to lift 50 pounds.
• Flexible, patient, and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable working alone or in a group.
• Interest in farming and herbs.
• Previous farming experience not required but strongly recommended.

Responsibilities

• Plant, weed, and harvest herbs in the field.
• Dry and process harvested herbs.
• Assist with caring for beef cattle on pasture.
• Help with farm events.
• Maintain a positive, team-oriented attitude.

Skills

Manual labor

Lifts 50 lbs

Reliable transportation

Team player

Punctual

Farming interest

Job description

Free Verse Farm is an equal-opportunity employer that values inclusivity and diversity in Vermont's farm community. We are a family-run business offering a respectful work environment that encourages input and feedback from employees. As managers, we strive to establish strong lines of communication with all of our employees, as we deeply appreciate the ways that employees commit their time, energy, and physical bodies to our farm during the season. We take the physical and mental health of our employees very seriously and strive to teach and model healthy body mechanics and mindframes. We approach employee management with open-heartedness and a deep respect for each individual\'s needs, strengths, and interests.

Since 2012, we have grown medicinal, culinary, and tea herbs at our small farm, which has been located in Chelsea, Vermont since 2014. We cultivate approximately 2 acres of herbs and wildharvest from our open meadows, pastures, and woods. Using the herbs that we grow as our primary ingredients, we offer a line of herbal remedies, tea blends, herbal body care products, and culinary herbs. Our products are available in boutiques, groceries, farmstands, gift shops, restaurants, and cafés, primarily in the northeast. We also sell our products through Free Verse Farm Shop in downtown Chelsea. At the Farm Shop we sell products in-store and online, offering pickup or shipping around the USA.

Field assistant positions at Free Verse Farm provide the opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to work on a small herb farm. Positions at our farm are not “apprenticeships,” though there is a lot of learning that happens on a daily basis, and we are very open to sharing all of our knowledge of growing, tending, and harvesting herbs. The work will be mostly in the field, focused on the cultivation of herbs, with employees spending the majority of their time planting, weeding, and harvesting crops, as well as drying and processing herbs. Field assistants may also assist with other farm activities, such as tending the herd of beef cattle that spend the summer on our pastures, helping with farm events, etc.

We are a growing business and there is opportunity for long-term employment and growth for the right candidates.

The ideal field assistant:

• Is a hard worker who enjoys manual labor, regardless of weather conditions
• Is able to lift 50 pounds
• Is flexible, patient, and detail-oriented
• Is comfortable working alone, as well as in a group
• Has a positive attitude and a team mentality
• Has a dedicated interest in farming and herbs
• Has previous farming experience (not required,but strongly recommended)
• Has reliable transportation and a commitment to arriving on time to work

The Details:

• Wages start at $17-19, based upon experience level.
• The full season runs from approximately late April through October. There may be the opportunity to begin the season earlier than late April, and/or continue farm work with us into November and December. This is dependent upon our needs and upon the spring and fall weather.
• Field assistants are expected to commit for the full farming season, though we are open to hiring on folks who are only available for peak season months (i.e. June thru August) for reasons such as school schedules.
• Long trips during the farming season are discouraged, as they can cause significant disruption to our season and increase the workload for our small crew. However, we always work to maintain open communication with our staff and do our best to accommodate their needs, while working to minimize the impact of any time off.
• Workdays usually begin at 8 am, lasting 8-9 hours.
• Positions are for 2-3 days per week on the farm, with the possibility of being full-time by taking shifts at the Farm Shop and/or Apothecary, if available.
• There is also the possibility of extra farm work during the growing season and farmsitting for us during the occasional short trip our family might take during the summer months.
• Benefits of this position include access to fresh herbs and vegetables from our farm (when available), 15% off at the Free Verse Farm Shop, first-hand instruction on growing, tending, and processing herbs, and the opportunity to expand your farming knowledge and experience while spending the summer on a beautiful hillside in Vermont.