FARM CREW LEADER

JOB DESCRIPTION

Pinewood Springs Farm is seeking an experienced and energetic candidate for the Crew Leader position. The Crew Leader is an essential part of our core management team and is expected to think and work like a professional, which includes the ability to identify and carry out big-picture projects, communicate clearly and confidently with other managers, maintain an upbeat attitude, and to operate with autonomy.

The Crew Leader coordinates with the Farm Manager to develop the farm’s daily plan and priorities and is responsible for implementing the day’s worklist by participating in field work while directly supervising first and second year apprentices and crew members (regularly 4-6 people with additional part-time summer help). The Crew Leader will ensure that all tasks are completed correctly, efficiently, and safely while maintaining a positive work environment for crew members. Ideal candidates for this position will be motivated to participate in hands-on daily field work alongside new and learning farmers, and will both lead by example in pace-setting and quality of work while also providing verbal instruction, encouragement, and constructive feedback to crew members.

This position requires practical knowledge and experience in vegetable production to actively participate in goal-setting and prioritization in the context of both whole-season planning and daily execution. The Crew Leader must have consistent attention to detail and strong independent decision-making capabilities while remaining flexible and adaptable to changing situations. An ideal candidate should have excellent communication skills and be comfortable holding a group accountable to efficiency and quality standards and working on or around medium sized farm equipment. The field work is physically demanding and requires someone who is motivated, has a good attitude, can tolerate working in inclement weather, and is able to lift at least 50-lbs at a time.

The Crew Leader is responsible for:

Farm Production:  

  • Bed Preparation (clearing, tilling, amending, raking), transplant production and transplanting, direct seeding  
  • Maintain planted beds – irrigating, weeding, fertilizing, trellising, thinning, pruning 
  • Harvest, process, and pack produce 
  • Ensure quality, sanitation, and freshness standards 
  • Record keeping and farm data entry support (Must be proficient with Google Sheets, Google Docs) 
  • Basic carpentry and repair work; examples include irrigation line installation and repair, fabricating trellises, installing/repairing/maintaining electric fencing 
  • Assist at least six Saturdays between April and October, and/or fill in for market if needed 

Crew Member Supervision:  

  • Provide direction and supervision to Crew Members 
  • Take responsibility for group work performance and work outcomes of work crews under their direction 
  • Ensure that Crew Members are courteous and helpful to all those on-site, immediately addressing and correcting problems 
  • Model and demonstrate excellent communication skills with other staff and participants, especially under frustrating conditions 
  • Provide verbal and written feedback to Crew Members concerning work performance and job readiness
  • Communicate any notable issues and/or successes to staff as needed 
  • Conduct farm-skills trainings for Crew Members as needed
  • Participate in activities such as motivational morning meetings, staff meetings, and performance evaluation 

JOB TYPE: Full-Time

The ideal candidate:

  • At least one season of farming experience on a small to medium scale vegetable farm, and a desire to continue to pursue an agricultural career
  • Strong communication skills, positive attitude, and desire to teach crew members and set the daily tone for the crew
  • Detail-oriented, dependable, and punctual 
  • Comfortable giving and receiving direction, constructive criticism
  • Demonstrative team leadership qualities
  • Attention to quality-control 
  • Able to work independently; self-directed 
  • Valid Georgia Driver’s License 
  • Ability to work well in all weather conditions
  • A foundational understanding of food production systems having experience with seasonality, plant propagation and seedling care, plant life cycles, scouting for pests and diseases, harvest and post-harvest handling, farmers markets, etc.
  • Ability to quickly pick up new concepts and techniques and then teach them to others
  • Ability to lift 50 pounds at a time and do physical work for 40-50 hours a week in the high season
  • Candidates with the intention to stay for more than one season are preferred
  • COVID-19: All employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please bring inoculation card to initial interview. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are not eligible for employment at Pinewood Springs Farm.

THE WORK SCHEDULE

This is a year-round position and the length of the workday varies within the season. Half hour lunch break daily.

Farmers Markets are Saturdays 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM ET (subject to change)

COMPENSATION

  • Hours: Full time, Monday – Friday
  • Supervised by: Farm Manager
  • Hourly starting at $20/hr with seasonal performance increases
  • Overtime (hours in excess of 40 hours per week) will be compensated as paid time off and can be accrued throughout the season
  • Paid vacation days accrued at a rate of one day per month worked
  • Up to six paid sick days earned at a rate of one day per month worked

To apply for any position, please follow these instructions:

Do not come to the Farm or Farmers Markets.

Send us an email with the subject “Employment 2024”, indicate which position you are applying for, (Manager, Crew, Market etc.) and answer the following:

1) Your current contact information (i.e. phone number and current address).
2) Are you of legal working age (18+ years, and you must be strong enough for physical farm work)
3) Your farming and/or physical labor experience with at least two references and their respective phone number, email address, and the dates you worked for them.
4) Your availability (dates and time) to visit the farm for an interview. Weekdays only.
5) The date you’d like to start working and the intended length of your stay.
6) Do you have a valid & current driver’s license?
7) Are you legal to work in the United States?
8) Are you able to work weekends (as needed) and do you have any prior commitments that would prevent you from working any days during the season?
9) Explanation of why you would be great fit at Pinewood Springs Farm.
10) If you know someone that currently works at Pinewood Springs Farm, please let us know who they are and your relationship to them.

Send email to work@pinewoodspringsfarm.com

Pinewood Springs Farm does not discriminate against any employee or prospective employee, in hiring, wages, benefits, or any other capacity, on the basis of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, nationality, gender, gender identity, age, handicap or disability (including HIV status), union or political activity, immigration status, citizenship status, marital status, or sexual orientation. 

Pinewood Springs Farm acknowledges the Muscogee Creek Nation, who farmed on and honored this Southeastern land before their forced removal and the dispossession of their ancestral land. To learn more and support the Muscogee Nation, visit Muscogeenation.com.