Skip to content

Farmstand Manager and Field Crew Members at LexFarm

by Marilene Rivas-Chavez on February 14, 2020

We’re hiring a full-time Farmstand Manager and two part-time Field Crew Members.

We’re looking for motivated, engaged, fun individuals with a strong work ethic to join our small team.

Please send a letter of interest along with your resume to Allison at employment@lexfarm.org

Farmstand Manager—Lexington Community Farm—Lexington, MA

About the farm:

Lexington Community Farm Coalition (LexFarm) is a non-profit certified organic farm. We are committed to increasing access to organic produce for households of all income levels. LexFarm provides hands-on education to foster connections to farmland, farming, and each other, through workshops, our CSA, and volunteer programs.

LexFarm was founded in 2009 in an effort to preserve the 7.9 acre Busa Farm upon its sale to the Town of Lexington. LexFarm incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2011 and is currently in its seventh year of production on five acres. Produce is sold through a 200 share 20-week summer CSA, 75 share 4-week fall CSA, 60 share summer flower CSA, and farm stand. We have a busy flower and vegetable seedling sale during May weekends. We donate produce through two local food rescue organizations. In 2020 farm production will focus on improving yields, increasing efficiency, and improving soil health through reduced tillage, improved drainage, compost production, and targeted amendments.

Job Description:

The Farmstand Manager will work closely with the, CSA Manager, and Director to set up, stock, and operate the farm stand before, during, and after CSA distribution and retail hours. The Farmstand Manager will be responsible for ordering value- added products, communicating with vendors, organizing invoices for timely payment, and communicating with farm staff to respond to demand for produce from LexFarm fields and relay customer feedback.

The Farmstand manager will be expected to achieve sales targets set out in the annual budget and manage the quality of the farm stand and CSA pickup experience. The Farmstand manager will record and report cumulative expenses for value-added products ordered for the farm stand to stay within the budgeted amount for the year. If sales exceed expectation, it is possible to increase the amount available for bought-in products at the approval of the Executive Director and LexFarm Board of Directors.

The Farmstand manager will help staff seedlings sales and stock the farm stand with value-added products in May. In June, the Farmstand Manager will transition to overseeing the retail farm store and CSA pickup Wed-Sat. The farmstand manager will advise, harvest, and arrange flowers for our cut-flower program as time allows.

The Farmstand Manager’s duties include:

Plant Sale staffing
-Facilitate and staff front-of-house seedling sale operations in May
-Order and record value-added product expenditures, and organize invoices for timely payment -Water plants and seedlings displayed at the farm stand
– Assist the greenhouse manager in seeding and greenhouse duties as time allows

Farm stand
-Create a clean, attractive and welcoming display in the farm stand, including educational signage for farm-grown products
-Supervise famrstand work shares

-Order value-added products for the farmstand
-Coordinate pickup of products when necessary (mileage reimbursed)
-Communicate customer feedback to farm managers regarding produce and CSA experience
-Answer farm stand phone and listen to voicemails- relay messages to appropriate staff members verbally or over email
-Post on social media to promote farm stand products or special deals when time allows
-Record value-added product expenditures, and scan and organize invoices weekly for timely payment -Record and report on cumulative spending on value-added products at the end of each month
-Record and report on monthly SNAP sales

CSA
-Set up CSA distribution in farm stand and write Pick-Your-Own signage prior to the opening of the farm stand and CSA distribution
-Post social media and farm stand signage when weather requires the pick-your-own be closed

Hours (may vary for the right candidate):

  • –  The Farm Stand manager is expected to work approximately 40 hours/week during the farm season with the possibility for additional hours in the spring to advise on our cut-flower program.
  • –  May – early June: Wednesday through Sunday 8:30-4:30pm. (Seedling sale staffing Fri, Sat, and Sun.)
    June-October : Tuesday-Saturday. Tuesday 9:00-4:00. Wednesday 10:30-6:30. Thursday 11:30-7:30. Friday 10:30-6:30, Saturday 8:00-5:00. Requirements:
  • –  1-year customer service experience. Some experience working outdoors preferred, and an interest in organic farming is encouraged.
  • –  A positive attitude and good sense of humor, in all kinds of weather
  • –  Comfortable working with basic Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft Office
  • –  Demonstrated ability to follow directions and work independently
  • –  Ability to bend and lift 50 pounds repeatedly. Vegetable bins weigh up to 50 pounds; setting up the CSA and stand daily is a workout!
  • –  Punctuality. Compensation and Benefits:

– $15.50/hour. Healthcare stipend. 1 week paid vacation. Paid holidays. Vegetable and flowers from the farm.

Field Crew—Lexington Community Farm—Lexington, MA

About the farm:

Lexington Community Farm Coalition (LexFarm) is a non-profit certified organic farm. We are committed to increasing access to organic produce for households of all income levels. LexFarm provides hands-on education to foster connections to farmland, farming, and each other, through workshops, our CSA, and volunteer programs.

LexFarm was founded in 2009 in an effort to preserve the 7.9 acre Busa Farm upon its sale to the Town of Lexington. LexFarm incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2011 and is currently in its seventh year of production on five acres. Produce is sold through a 200 share 20-week summer CSA, 75 share 4 -week fall CSA, 60 share summer flower CSA, and farm stand. We have a busy flower and vegetable seedling sale during May weekends. We donate produce through two local food rescue organizations. In 2020 farm production will focus on improving yields, increasing efficiency, and improving soil health through reduced tillage, improved drainage, and targeted amendments. Farm leadership gives staff the education they need to succeed and take ownership of tasks.

Job Description:

The Field Crew will work closely with farm staff, work shares, and volunteers to complete seedling production, planting, harvesting, washing and packing, irrigation, cultivation, record-keeping, and farm maintenance tasks.

Hours (may vary for the right candidate):

  • –  20 hours/week May 12th – August 29th. Field Crew works Tuesday-Friday in the fields roughly 7:30-12:30.
  • –  In the case of extreme weather, there may not be work available for all or part of a day. The right candidate will be interested in sustainable agriculture, self-motivated, quick, responsible, attentive to detail, curious, flexible, and comfortable communicating with a wide variety of people. This position involves working both independently and with a group. Requirements:
    • –  Ability to work outdoors in all kinds of weather
    • –  Punctuality. All staff are expected to be dressed for the weather and ready to work when the work day begins.
    • –  A positive attitude and good sense of humor
    • –  Demonstrated ability to follow directions and work independently
    • –  Ability to bend and lift 50 pounds repeatedly -Benefits include: compensation at $12.75/hour, produce from the farm, discount on local products in the farm stand, Workers’ Compensation, and paid holidays.

From → Uncategorized

Comments are closed.