Greenhouse & Nursery Lead

Farm on Central; Carlisle (Cumberland County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus after 6 months

PTO program after 6 months

CSA participation after 6 months

15% discount at farmstand

Access to farm-grade/seconds

Job summary

Farm on Central is seeking a hands-on Greenhouse Operations Lead to own propagation, crop production, and seasonal retail shift planning. You will drive schedules, monitor plant health, and coordinate with retail staff to ensure displays stay stocked and visually sharp.

Responsibilities span propagation, cultivation, pest management, and data tracking, with leadership duties to guide a small team. The role emphasizes zero-synthetic inputs and a strong commitment to quality and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Hands-on greenhouse production experience — seeding, propagation, transplanting, and basic crop management.
• Identify and respond to common plant health issues (pests, disease, nutrient deficiencies).
• Comfort outdoors in greenhouse year-round in heat, humidity, and cold.
• Lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and perform repetitive tasks.
• Reliable, self-directed, able to manage multiple tasks without constant supervision.
• Basic computer literacy — email, spreadsheets, printing labels and signs.

Responsibilities

• Plan propagation schedules: seeding, cuttings, and plug production across crops.
• Receive, inspect, and document incoming plant material.
• Manage greenhouse environment — watering, fertigation, pruning, and crop care.
• Weekly pest and disease scouting; elevate or treat per organic IPM protocols.
• Maintain clean propagation areas, greenhouses, and storage.
• Order and maintain inventory of growing supplies and print/apply labels.
• Plan labor for potting, seeding, and propagation; coordinate with team.
• Track crop quality and timing; flag concerns to farm manager.
• Prepare retail area for floor presentation; keep fully stocked and signed.
• Design, print, and install signage and plant tags; upsell products.
• Supervise retail staff during sales season; set daily priorities and standards.
• Coordinate handoff between greenhouse production and retail displays during peak.

Skills

Greenhouse propagation

Crop management

Pest scouting

Team supervision

Fertigation

Irrigation management

Recordkeeping

Customer interaction

Job description

This role owns the greenhouse operation from seed to shelf — driving propagation, managing crop production, and shifting into retail mode during sales season to keep the nursery area stocked, merchandised, and staffed well.

~50%

• Plan and execute propagation schedules, including seeding, cuttings, and plug production across all crop types
• Receive, inspect, and document incoming plant material
• Manage greenhouse environment — watering, fertigation, pruning, and general crop care
• Execute weekly pest and disease scouting; identify issues early and elevate or treat per organic IPM protocols
• Maintain clean, organized propagation areas, greenhouses, and storage
• Order and maintain adequate inventory of growing supplies (media, trays, tags, inputs)
• Print and apply tags for all greenhouse production
• Plan labor needs for potting, seeding, and propagation tasks and coordinate with team accordingly
• Track crop quality and timing; flag concerns to farm manager proactively

~20%

• Maintain awareness of what's ready for retail and prep it for floor presentation
• Keep the retail nursery area fully stocked, well-signed, and visually sharp — refill from backstock daily
• Design, print, and install signage and plant tags for the retail area
• Make real-time product quality calls — remove anything not meeting standards, repurpose or compost accordingly
• Assist customers in selecting the right plants; confidently upsell and cross-sell complementary products
• Supervise and direct retail nursery staff during sales season; set daily priorities and quality expectations
• Coordinate handoff between greenhouse production and retail floor so displays never go empty during peak periods

Office, planning & administration

~20%

• Maintain accurate seed inventory and communicate reorder needs and germination rates to farm owner/manager
• Keep organic nursery records current using farm's proprietary software
• Run basic crop profitability analysis; surface findings and recommendations to management
• Help plan the annual retail plant program — variety selection, production volume, timing
• Contribute proactive feedback on systems, workflows, and process improvements
• Assist in planning and creating farm signage for spring retail season

Field & harvest support (Off-season)

~10%

• Support planting, trellising, and care of hoophouse and field crops as greenhouse workload allows
• Help lead harvest days — balancing speed with product quality and communicating standards clearly
• Train new team members on greenhouse operations, harvest technique, product quality, and bunch/pack standards
• Provide ongoing feedback to harvest crew on quality, efficiency, and technique
• Fill in with field crew as needed when other responsibilities are current

Leadership & supervision

• Directly supervise nursery and greenhouse staff — set daily work plans, provide real-time direction, and conduct feedback conversations
• Model Farm on Central's standards for product quality, customer service, and workplace conduct
• Assist farm owner/manager on hiring, scheduling, and performance of direct reports
• Identify and elevate operational problems; bring solutions, not just issues

Compensation Package

• The right person will be offered salary and department performance bonus after 6 months with the company
• PTO program and company sponsored CSA participation after 6 months
• Free Access to farm-grade/seconds
• 15% Discount on all items at the farmstand store
• Working at a one-of-a-kind, cutting-edge, and innovative farm and learning from the best.

Requirements

• Hands-on greenhouse production experience — seeding, propagation, transplanting, and basic crop management
• Demonstrated ability to identify and respond to common plant health issues (pests, disease, nutrient deficiencies)
• Comfort working outdoors and in greenhouse environments year-round, including heat, humidity, and cold
• Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and perform repetitive manual tasks
• Reliable, self-directed, and able to manage multiple tasks without constant supervision
• Basic computer literacy — email, spreadsheets, printing labels and signs

Additional Qualities & Qualifications

• Experience in a retail nursery or garden center setting — merchandising, customer interaction, product knowledge
• Prior experience leading or supervising a small team, even informally
• Familiarity with organic production practices and the reasoning behind them
• Experience with fertigation, drip systems, or irrigation management
• Plant ID knowledge across common annuals, perennials, vegetables, and herbs
• Experience with crop scheduling or basic production planning

Who thrives in this role

• Takes pride in plant quality and notices when something's off before being told
• Comfortable making judgment calls and owning them
• Thinks ahead — sees what's coming in the next week, not just today
• Doesn't need a script to help a customer or give feedback to a teammate
• Bought into the mission — zero-synthetic-inputs isn't just a rule here, it's the whole point