Farmer Full Time

Note: if you are interested in applying for this position, please include a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this role and Green Our Planet. If you don’t submit a cover letter, your application will not be considered. Thank You!

MUST have reliable transportation!

Do you love working outdoors? Are you ready for your work to have a lasting impact? If so, come grow with us! We are seeking a new enthusiastic team member with experience in growing crops by farming or gardening. We are a national non-profit with a team that is dedicated to providing bountiful and beautiful school gardens for students. We create and care for gardens and orchards that exceed expectations, and lead in standards for exploring and learning in outdoor education. Contribute your talent and labor to our outdoor STEM lab gardens where we foster future generations of farmers in learning how to plant and provide wholesome food in ways that utilize and respect conservation, preservation, and sustainable practices that are healthy for the Planet. Join us in connecting Students with their communities, their world, and Our Universe!

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Visit each school once per week for 1-2, occasionally 3, hours in order to monitor and maintain optimal conditions for school gardens. The average garden consists of 6-10 raised garden beds, with average dimensions of 8’ x 4’, and an orchard with 10-15 fruit trees.
• Make sure that the school garden’s irrigation system is working, beds are being watered properly in relation to what is growing, and the irrigation schedules are appropriate for the current weather conditions.
• If the school garden’s irrigation is not working, be able to make repairs to the  Drip Lines and up to the ½ : flexible line.  Report all joint or PVC repairs needed to the Green Our Planet Farmer Manager and Maintenance Supervisor so that someone can be assigned to fix it.
• Make sure that all of the garden beds are fully planted, and that the plants are healthy, disease free, and producing.
• The beds should be planted by following the seasonal Matrix, and with vegetables that are appropriate for the season.
• Make sure that soils are healthy and amended for optimal growing. Keep any compost areas maintained.
• Coordinate with the school’s garden team and the Green Our Planet school garden coordinator which vegetables are to be planted and when, so that the schools can organize farmers markets, harvest parties, chef demos and nutrition lessons on dates agreed upon by the school garden team and by the Green Our Planet coordinator.
• Take photos of the garden beds and the orchards during each visit, and upload the photos in the Farmer Reports so that they can be shared with the school garden team, School Administration, Sponsors, and other members of the Green Our Planet team.
• Take notes on the activities and results of each garden visit and submit a weekly farmer report so they can be shared with the school, the garden team, our sponsors, and other members of the Green Our Planet team.
• Keep track of what plants or other garden materials need to be purchased in order to properly maintain the gardens and have the Farmer Manager and/or Senior Farmer supply them.
• Communicate on a routine basis with the Green Our Planet school garden coordinator who has also been assigned to work with this school and who meets with the garden team once per month.
• Attend weekly one-hour staff meetings during which the on-going planning and coordination of the Green Our Planet team is discussed.
• Attend weekly one-hour Farmer Meetings during which the coordination and maintenance of the gardens are discussed.
• The Farmer should possess strong garden  management skills.
• Be willing and open to learning new techniques and natural ways of growing
• Inspect plants weekly for any pest or disease problems and work with the  Garden Maintenance Specialist and
• Manager for an action plan to treat and  manage them.
• Monitor soil health and request any resources or products needed to improve it.
• Work with the other school garden farmers and school garden farmer manager as a team so the joint team effort can deliver the best product possible to the schools.
• Help other Green Our Planet school garden farmers with less experience get up to speed with their Roles by sharing your knowledge and experience, and also by setting a good example for them.
• Assist with the care of the Green Our Planet hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics program, if needed.
• Work with the Chef/Nutrition Team to provide seasonal produce from our gardens.
• Participate in the creation of social media content related to the Outdoor School Garden Program.
• Be present for and participate in the Green Our Planet Giant Student Farmer’s Market.
• Assist with other tasks that may arise during the course of the year such as:  helping with School Garden Events and Farmer’s Markets.
• The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not a list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Qualifications/Characteristics

• 2+ years horticulture experience
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred
• Strong communication skills
• A love of collaborating with diverse audiences, colleagues, teachers and students.
• An appreciation for working in the outdoors and willingness to learn on-the-job gardening skills.
• A passion for Green Our Planet’s mission to cultivate children’s love of learning, healthy food and nature through garden-based education.
• A personal commitment to equity and inclusion so that all cultures and identities are respected and celebrated in our work.
• Experience prioritizing and managing varied projects and needs, both independently and in collaboration with others.
• Ability to prioritize and problem solve in a dynamic daily program environment, both independently and in collaboration with others.
• Ability to travel in your personal Vehicle to and from Clark County School District school site(s) on time each day.
• Ability to transport and carry Garden Tools and Cart to each Garden in your vehicle.
• Proficiency in Google Suites

Benefits

• Salary -$40,000 (plus $2,000 a year gas allowance)

Green Our Planet offers a competitive benefits package including:

• 401(k) plan
• Health/Dental/Vision insurance
• 17 days Paid time off
• 7 paid holidays + Christmas and Thanksgiving week
• Professional development assistance
• 6-weeks of paid parental leave

Summary: This is an excellent opportunity for someone who believes in the power of education to transform students’ lives and in providing them with more satisfying futures. It’s also an opportunity for those interested in hands-on community engagement and in making a positive impact on the community in terms of improving STEM education, nutrition, and conservation while working for a very dynamic and innovative non-profit that is rapidly expanding across Nevada and the U.S.

For more information, please visit: www.greenourplanet.org

For more information on our program, please watch this 12-minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg-M7JwPkOI&list=PLLoWmD3HoYpxlXLe6bxGk55_C6sTQoJop&index=11

Diversity is a core value at Green Our Planet. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all students and staff. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions. We strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA  individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

Green Our Planet is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.