We're now accepting applications for a 2024 Advanced Apprentice
Job Name
Advanced Apprentice (2nd season apprentice)
Job Description
Good Stead Farm, a Certified Organic vegetable farm serving Midland County and the surrounding communities, is looking to hire an advanced apprentice, someone who already has a year or two of production farming experience and is looking to acquire more advanced skills in the business, organizational, and management aspects of farming. We do not expect you to come with managerial experience, but expect that you're ready to learn the tasks, responsibilities, and skills of the position. This it meant to be a learning based position that will involve more responsibility, time and involvement than our summer apprenticeship. Ideally, the right person would work two seasons with us: the first season would really be learning the farm, systems and role while the second season would give you the chance to work more independently and take ownership of learned tasks and responsibilities.
Growing vegetables in Michigan can prove to be hard work. The ideal candidate for this position is detail-oriented, hard-working, communicative and adaptable. The candidate must be comfortable with performing physical tasks including lifting 50+ lbs, standing for extended periods of time, harvesting (bending, straddling and kneeling for extended periods of time) and able to work in variable weather conditions, from heat waves to sub-freezing temperatures. The ideal candidate for this position is also a self-starter, highly analytical, and proficient in various computer software programs, like Google Workspace and Square POS system. If this rings true to you, please continue reading below:
Job Details
Responsibilities Include:
Wednesday Farmer’s Market Lead:
Saturday Farmer’s Market Co-Lead:
Wash/Pack Assistant Manager
Harvest day setup and breakdown
Harvester:
Field Worker:
Greenhouse Management:
Job Duration: Year-round
Time:
Compensation: Salary plus room and board. Please see the full breakdown here.
Housing: As part of your overall benefits, we provide you with a food budget and housing, which is a fully furnished, 840 sq. ft. cabin, located on the farm. This would be your year-round residence. The farm covers all utilities, which includes internet. During the summer months (May-August), the kitchen and bathroom is shared with the summer apprentice, otherwise this is your private home. Please note, there is no smoking on the farm and we are not able to accept pets.
Additional Benefits:
Experience: One-year working full-time on a production farm is required.
Required Skills:
Additional Requirements:
Important Final Note: We are a small farm with a small community of workers, this includes ourselves, our two residential employees (includes yourself), and a handful of part time staff that commute from Midland. We are looking only to enhance and grow our tight-knit farm community with a kind, hard-working, mature, and thoughtful team member. Since we live and work together in such a close proximity, it's essential that we like one another and that we enjoy working together as a team. As we ask you for references, we're also happy to connect you with other staff of ours that have once lived and worked here so you can better gauge your fit with us.
TO APPLY: Please send a copy of your resume, a letter of interest, and references to Sarah at goodsteadfarm@gmail.com.
Advanced Apprentice (2nd season apprentice)
Job Description
Good Stead Farm, a Certified Organic vegetable farm serving Midland County and the surrounding communities, is looking to hire an advanced apprentice, someone who already has a year or two of production farming experience and is looking to acquire more advanced skills in the business, organizational, and management aspects of farming. We do not expect you to come with managerial experience, but expect that you're ready to learn the tasks, responsibilities, and skills of the position. This it meant to be a learning based position that will involve more responsibility, time and involvement than our summer apprenticeship. Ideally, the right person would work two seasons with us: the first season would really be learning the farm, systems and role while the second season would give you the chance to work more independently and take ownership of learned tasks and responsibilities.
Growing vegetables in Michigan can prove to be hard work. The ideal candidate for this position is detail-oriented, hard-working, communicative and adaptable. The candidate must be comfortable with performing physical tasks including lifting 50+ lbs, standing for extended periods of time, harvesting (bending, straddling and kneeling for extended periods of time) and able to work in variable weather conditions, from heat waves to sub-freezing temperatures. The ideal candidate for this position is also a self-starter, highly analytical, and proficient in various computer software programs, like Google Workspace and Square POS system. If this rings true to you, please continue reading below:
Job Details
Responsibilities Include:
Wednesday Farmer’s Market Lead:
- Assisting the farm manager with market sales forecasts based on produce inventory, previous sales data and weather.
- Loading and packing the van with produce and market supplies, then driving it to the market.
- Independently setting up the market booth and merchandising produce with attention to detail.
- Managing the display by restocking, re-merchandising, misting, and/or unloading (if necessary) to ensure a beautiful display, while reducing product loss as much as possible.
- Managing the delivery of pre-sale and wholesale orders at market.
- Being friendly and professional with customers, and willing and able to answer any questions that may arise.
- Communicating all pertinent customer, sales, and market feedback to the farm manager.
- Inventorying and tidying the cooler/cellar post-market in preparation for the next harvest day.
Saturday Farmer’s Market Co-Lead:
- Assisting the farm manager with market sales forecasts based on produce inventory, previous sales data and weather.
- Loading and packing the van with produce and market supplies, then driving it to market.
- Assisting in the set up and merchandising of the market booth.
- Co-managing the display by restocking, re-merchandising, misting, and/or unloading (if necessary) to ensure a beautiful display, while reducing product loss as much as possible.
- Co-managing the delivery of pre-sale and wholesale orders at market.
- Being friendly and professional with customers, and willing and able to answer any questions that may arise.
- Inventorying and tidying the cooler/cellar post-market in preparation for the next harvest day.
Wash/Pack Assistant Manager
- Being a point person in the wash/pack area to communicate direction, facilitate efficiency and answer questions from staff members (i.e. quality control, inventory numbers, product weights, cooler organization, proper equipment use, etc.)
- Assisting in cooler/cellar organization and efficiency.
- Washing and storing freshly harvested vegetables
- Weighing, bagging and labeling greens
- Packing customer orders
Harvest day setup and breakdown
- Assisting in cleaning and sanitizing the wash/pack area
Harvester:
- Harvesting efficiently and with attention-to-detail, based on the harvest numbers set by the farm manager.
Field Worker:
- Assisting the field manager with field projects including planting, bed-flipping, weeding, mulching, watering, fertilizing, and high-tunnel management.
- Ability to lead field crews, or work independently on projects, based on the instructions and tasks set by the field manager.
Greenhouse Management:
- Assisting in and/or leading greenhouse projects and tasks. This includes transplant seeding, environment control (water, air movement, and temperature), microgreens management, organization tasks and more.
Job Duration: Year-round
Time:
- March-April (no weekends) - 30 hours/week
- May-September (includes weekends) - 55 hours/week
- October-November (includes weekends) - 40 hours/week
- December-February (no weekends) - 24 hours/week
Compensation: Salary plus room and board. Please see the full breakdown here.
Housing: As part of your overall benefits, we provide you with a food budget and housing, which is a fully furnished, 840 sq. ft. cabin, located on the farm. This would be your year-round residence. The farm covers all utilities, which includes internet. During the summer months (May-August), the kitchen and bathroom is shared with the summer apprentice, otherwise this is your private home. Please note, there is no smoking on the farm and we are not able to accept pets.
Additional Benefits:
- Paid time off
- Gear and boots stipend
- End of season bonus
- Personal garden space, with access to the farm's greenhouse and a small seed budget.
Experience: One-year working full-time on a production farm is required.
Required Skills:
- Communication skills
- Critical-thinking skills
- Math skills
- Experience with Google Workspace (gmail, sheets, docs, etc) and online POS systems.
- Knowledge and interest in plants and the environment
Additional Requirements:
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must speak english
- Must have transportation to and from the farm
Important Final Note: We are a small farm with a small community of workers, this includes ourselves, our two residential employees (includes yourself), and a handful of part time staff that commute from Midland. We are looking only to enhance and grow our tight-knit farm community with a kind, hard-working, mature, and thoughtful team member. Since we live and work together in such a close proximity, it's essential that we like one another and that we enjoy working together as a team. As we ask you for references, we're also happy to connect you with other staff of ours that have once lived and worked here so you can better gauge your fit with us.
TO APPLY: Please send a copy of your resume, a letter of interest, and references to Sarah at goodsteadfarm@gmail.com.
