Gardener jobs in Hailsham

Job description

We are looking for a senior grower to join our team as the Lead Vegetable Farmer. This is a unique opportunity to be part of building this exciting project from the start. You will be managing our vegetable production and working with our team on our beautiful farm in Streat, in the South Downs. You will be responsible for all aspects of our vegetable production operation, from crop planning to harvesting.

Key responsibilities include:

– Being responsible for all aspects of our vegetable production operation, from crop selection / crop planning, to cultivation, to harvesting
– Overseeing seed propagation operations in our greenhouses
– Bed preparation (weeding, topping with compost / manure, making natural preparations and amendments)
– General crop and bed maintenance (weeding, netting, covering, watering, pest management)
– Harvesting vegetables
– Packing boxes
– Produce management (managing excess produce, liaising with food products team)
– Managing the compost
– Occasionally helping with farm infrastructure building (eg. polytunnels, beds, greenhouses)
– Occasionally contributing to the animals or non vegetable farming such as tree planting
– Creating crop plans (including) rotation plans for our gardens to ensure year round vegetable production
– Planning growing calendars with scheduled sowing, planting, harvesting times
– Creating rotas and delegating work however needed / in your absence
– Being responsible for the work of the Assistant Grower(s)
– Managing online farmshop
– Buying supplies needed and placing orders (seed trays, seed compost, tools, equipment, seeds)
– Keeping a farm log
– Occasionally contributing to the farm update newsletter
– Manage annual budgets for vegetable growing production
– Building the community, interacting with members and facilitating volunteering work
– Managing team of volunteers

Requirements:

– Passion for regenerative farming
– Extensive knowledge of vegetable farming in a market garden style (no dig, Richard Perkins and Jean Martin Fortier style)
– Experience working on a market garden type farm
– Willing to improve farming processes and experiment with new techniques
– Organisational and communication skills to ensure effective planning
– People management skills to manage a small team of staff and / or volunteers
– Dynamic, self-motivated and looking to take responsibility
– Natural ability for problem solving
– Flexibility with working hours, out of regular hours may be required
– Experienced with or willing to learn how to use farming machinery including tractors, rotator and hand held machinery
– Capable of conducting physical work such as digging, carrying crates of vegetables
– Open minded, flexible, adaptable to changes and willing to learn
– Aligned with My Little Farmʼs values and mission
– Natural ability with use of online platforms

Desired experience:

– Sound knowledge and practical experience of growing chemical free regenerative vegetables from seed
– Experience working with volunteers of different ages such as families with children
– Experience of growing in polytunnels and throughout the seasons
– Experience with using market gardening tools (direct seeder, broadfork etc)

Role: organic / regenerative veg senior grower
Hours: 40 hours per week
Pay: £15 per hour, with possibility to increase as the business progresses
Start date: As soon as possible.
Address: BN6 8RU

To apply, send your CV and short cover letter to

For more information about My Little Farm, visit our website at

If you are passionate about plants and have the necessary skills and experience, we would love to hear from you. Apply today to join our team as a Grower!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From £30,000.00 per year

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From £30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Free parking

Work Location: In person