POSITIONS AT RED FIRE FARM:
2010 and 2011 Growing Seasons
All positions require a valid drivers license, physical stamina, sense of humor, and the ability to lift 50-75lbs repeatedly. Compensation is based on position and experience. To apply for a position, please visit our application page and e-mail us all the necessary information. We aim to fill our management positions from within our crew, with folks that have been with us through a season or more.
You can click on a position from this list or scroll down to see them all.
Field Crew Positions
Vegetable Growers
Farm Interns
Packing Shed Supervisor
CSA Program and Office Manager
Tractor Operator
Bookkeeper and Office Assistant
Flower Grower
Granby Farm Stand Caretaker
Planting Manager
Montague Farm Stand Caretaker
Events Organizer
Chef and Food Educator
Perks of working on the farm
Field Crew: Taking Applications for 2010 and 2011
From May- Nov. (esp. June, July, Aug. and Sept.).
We are seeking mainly full-time crew.
Work involves transplanting, weeding, hoeing,
harvesting & packing over 40 different types of vegetable crops.
Some retail and Farmers Market assistance is also needed.
Farming is
hard physical work, requiring a rugged work ethic and endurance, but
is also very satisfying.
Starting pay is $7.25/ hr.
Vegetable Grower Positions: Hiring for 2011
For the 2010 growing season we have several positions open for experienced vegetable growers to join our production team. We seek individuals who have a minimum of 1 season of experience as a vegetable farm apprentice or the equivalent.
Farm skills such as crew supervision, tractor operation, quality control, retail and wholesale marketing, customer service, and produce delivery are recommended.
Candidates must have a strong work ethic and good attitude.
Competitive wages; housing may be available.
For more information, email us or call us at 413-467-7645
Farm Interns: Hiring for 2011
Learn organic farming skills and gain valuable experience! Candidates should have some prior experience with vegetable growing. You will be an integral part of the crew, doing seeding, planting, weeding and harvesting organic vegetables for our multiple markets. Depending on the farm’s needs and your abilities, you will take on roles in the packing shed, help with the farmers' market, assist farm stand stocking and lead crews later in the season. Most of your on-farm learning is hands-on. Interns also participate in the CRAFT farmer-training program, visiting area farms to learn aspects of regional farming from different farmers.
Second-season interns with demonstrated skill will begin working with tractors on the farm, take on daily crew management, and learn other areas of increased responsibility.
Starting as an intern is a great way to learn our systems and prepare for taking on a position of more responsibility in the next season. Candidates considering a commitment of 2 or more seasons are preferred.
The season starts in April and goes through November.
Starting pay is $8/ hr.
Packing Shed Supervisor: Hiring for 2011
We seek a highly organized individual with great communication skills to work our packing shed. In this position you will lead and organize the packing processes at the farm. We wash and pack for our CSA distributions, farmers' markets, and wholesale accounts. You will coordinate and supervise packing crews and do packing personally.
Responsibilities
- Ensure that the produce coming in from the field meets quality standards for the different markets.
- Receive, process and communicate orders with customers and crew.
- Load trucks and make sure orders get filled and delivered correctly and completely.
- Manage inventory of packing supplies and reorder as needed.
- Enforce sanitation practices.
- Plan layout and keep barn and packing shed organized.
- Jump in to help with other areas of our organic vegetable farm as needed.
Necessary Skills
- Knowledge of diverse vegetable varieties, quality standards and washing/packing techniques.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to lift 50-75 lbs repeatedly and easily.
- Experience with pallet jacks and forklifts (tractors a bonus).
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word.
- Leadership skills and ability to work well with a small team.
Candidates must have a strong work ethic and good attitude.
Competitive wages; housing may be available.
For more information, email us or call us at 413-467-7645.
CSA Program and Office Manager: Hiring for 2011
We are seeking someone with great communication skills and a passion for local organic agriculture to manage our CSA memberships and our office. Aside from the responsibilities below, applicants should be flexible to help cover other areas of the farm's work as needed.
Responsibilities
- Communicate with CSA members and prospectives about the program and shares.
- Manage the CSA program, from creating weekly lists for each distribution and preparing packets for delivery, to communicating with delivery drivers, to making sure each distribution has a tent, scales and other equipment.
- Manage farm e-mail.
- Answer phones.
- Manage payroll and employee paperwork.
Necessary Skills
- Good writing abilities, please provide samples with your application.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and email (experience with FileMakerPro or Dreamweaver a plus).
- Experience in customer service.
- Experience and skill doing other detail-oriented office work.
- Experience managing an office a plus.
Full-time position, Monday through Friday, year round, with fewer hours in the winter. Start date is somewhat flexible, sometime this winter 2010/2011.
Tractor Operator: Filled for 2010
We are looking for an individual with proficiency operating a mix of farm machinery with precision and safety. You will work with the management team to implement the farm’s production plans in the field, from field preparation and seeding to cultivation and irrigation. Aside from field tractor work, you will round out time helping with harvests, and assisting with the general process of the farm.
Tractor Responsibilities
At Red Fire Farm you will operate 65-75 hp Massy and John Deer Tractors with Imants Spader, Flail mower, Chisel Plow, Perfecta, Bed Former, Mulch Layer, Lannen and Rain Flow Transplanters and other vegetable farm implements for field preparation and crop care. Detailed operation of ACG's and Farmall Cubs for seeding and cultivating also. Please detail previous machinery experience, including crops and methods, in your application.
Background and Skills:
- Knowledge of vegetable growing systems and understanding of the field production process for organic crops will be helpful to understand detailed farm plans and practices.
- Field management experience.
- Ability to jump in to help in other areas of an organic vegetable farm as needed.
- Mechanical experience a plus.
Farm Bookeeper and Office Assistant: Filled for 2010
We employ 6 year-round employees in addition to about 25 seasonal employees. We are seeking an organized, detail-oriented professional to do the bookkeeping and manage the office for our farm.
Core Responsibilities:
- Keeping the financial records
- Managing Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable
- Payroll and related HR financial accounting and reporting
- Explaining CSA programs to customers and processing CSA orders
- Managing the CSA member system and communications
- Providing financial reports to the management team
- Participating in financial analysis of the business
Necessary Interpersonal skills:
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a small team setting
- Self-starter able to take initiative and follow tasks through to completion
- Effective verbal and written communication skills
Required Experience:
- Previous work experience in business, accounting or economics
- Proficiency in using Quickbooks, MS Word, MS Excel, FilemakerPro, and e-mail programs
- Accuracy with numbers
- Typing proficiency
- Attention to detail.
In addition to experience in the above areas, knowledge of farming, crops, and passion for vegetables would make a big difference for this position.
Flower Grower: Hiring for 2011
We are looking for an experienced flower grower to handle growing and harvesting the CSA flower shares and bouquets for our farmstands and market.
This is a
Part-time position, but could become full-time if combined with other roles on the farm, depending on your background.
Responsibilities
- Develop growing plan for flowers (if you’re available in the early winter)
- Seed flower starts and manage greenhouse care
- Arrange transplanting plans, field preparation, and cultivation
- Harvest flowers, manage crews and prepare bouquets for scheduled deliveries
Necessary Skills
- Knowledge of flower varieties, growing needs, and harvesting techniques
- Proven experience planning flower crops
- Excellent organizational skills and self motivation
Planting Manager: Filled for 2010
We seek an individual with plant propagation experience and excellent attention to detail and plant care to lead the transplant season and greenhouse management. You will work with our management team and crews to implement the farm’s planting plans in the greenhouse and field.
Growing Responsibilities
- Convert planting plans into weekly and daily lists of planting goals
- Manage and train seeding and transplanting crews
- Seed and pot-up plants
- Organize and care for plants in the greenhouses
- Keep track of greenhouse supplies
Tractor Responsibilities
- You will operate 65-75 hp Landini and John Deer Tractors with Lannen and Rain Flow Transplanters and other vegetable farm implements as needed.
- After the major transplanting season is over, you will help with the harvest season in various roles and be involved with planning for the winter greenhouses and the next season.
Granby Farm Stand Caretaker: Hiring for 2010
We are seeking someone with retail experience and an artistic sense of display to stock and manage the care of the farmstand in an efficient manner. Must be able to lift 50 -75 lbs repeatedly and easily. Weekend availability a must.
Seasonal position: late April – early November 2010.
Responsibilities:
- Stock the farmstand with fresh produce various times a week.
- Clean displays, remove old produce/product, neaten farmstand grounds.
- Learn and implement display standards of the farm, and create new displays with the latest produce.
- Manage cooler and shelf product inventory and assist in ordering.
- Help customers with purchases and questions about plants and produce
Requirements:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and e-mail use.
- Retail leadership experience.
- Ability to work independently.
Montague Farm Stand Caretaker: Filled for 2010
Our farm stand in Montague has grown over the years, and we would like to hire someone part-time to take care of the place.
We are seeking someone with retail experience and an artistic sense of display to stock and manage the care of the farmstand in an efficient manner.
Must be able to lift 50 -75 lbs repeatedly and easily.
Weekend availability a must.
Seasonal position: late April – early November 2010.
Responsibilities:
- Meet the delivery truck, help unload, and then stock the farmstand with fresh produce various times a week. (Deliveries currently on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).
- Clean displays, remove old produce/product, neaten farmstand grounds.
- Learn and implement display standards of the farm, and create new displays with the latest produce.
- Manage cooler and shelf product inventory and assist in ordering.
Requirements:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and e-mail use. (Access to your own computer and cell phone to communicate product orders is needed as well).
- Retail leadership experience.
- Ability to work independently and communicate back to the farm.
Events Organizer: Hiring for 2011
We seek a highly organized individual to lead the preparations for our annual Tomato Festival and coordinate other farm events, like Feasts in the Fields.
You will develop event plans and coordinate all the details to make the events run smoothly.
This is a part-time position.
Responsibilities
- Organize vendors, musicians, and chefs to come to the festival
- Prepare all aspects of each event, from crew and layout to forks and spoons
- Delegate preparation tasks and check in with volunteers and farm crew
- Develop publicity
- Manage day-of processes and feedback
Necessary Skills
- Proven ability to keep tabs on multiple projects with timelines
- Familiarity coordinating tasks with other people
- Experience writing press releases and other materials
- Excellent attention to detail and organization
Chef and Food Educator: Filled for 2010
Part of Red Fire
Farm's mission is to not only grow great produce, but also to educate
our customers about how to cook and utilize farm fresh produce.
The person
hired for this position will be on the forefront of food education for
the farm's customers.
This will include developing recipes that use in-season
produce for publishing in the CSA newsletter, and also for printing and
distributing to customers at our farm stand and farmers markets.
Cooking
demonstrations will also be organized and conducted at Red Fire Farm CSA
and Farmers Market distributions on occasion.
The farm-cooking expert
will also prepare lunch meals for the core farm crew on weekdays. The focus at
Red Fire Farm is primarily on vegetarian cooking. Part of
each day will include fieldwork with the crews.
Other components of the
job include helping maintain a kitchen herb garden located near the farm
kitchen, and also helping to research and develop the feasibility and
recipes for processing some of Red Fire Farm's produce into pickles, salsa
and jams for selling at our markets in the future.
The ideal candidate
will have a sincere interest in local agriculture, food, vegetables, and
community education and, of course, really enjoy cooking.
Compensation based on experience. Housing possible.
The farm also pays
for all food that is needed in addition to the abundant supply of vegetables
that come from the fields.
The time frame is ideally April 1 -Nov 21.
Benefits of working on the farm
- Being part of a dedicated community of people working on improving our local food system
- Lots of delicious organic vegetables generally available for your use
- Voluntary pre-tax health care options available