Employment Opportunities

Job Title: Farm Manager Greenhouse Operations 

Reports To: Executive Director, Board of Directors, Other Farm Manager 

The Friends of Holly Hill Farm, Inc. is a nonprofit, educational farm that grows and sells certified organic vegetables, herbs and flowers in coastal Cohasset, MA, 20 miles south of Boston. Growing takes place on 2 of our 5 acres, utilizing 2 greenhouses, 2 high tunnels,  and 2 caterpillar tunnels for year-round production. Sales take place at our historic barn farm stand, farmers market and online for pickup at the farm. The Spring Plant Sale is a major source of our annual revenue. Our education department depends upon the farm providing seedlings for school gardens and our onsite education garden. The Farm Manager must make decisions that uphold the mission of the Friends Holly Hill Farm including but not limited to a commitment to regenerative no-till agriculture, our community and our environment.

Job Overview: 

The major farm responsibilities are shared between two farm managers - the Greenhouse Operations manager has the primary responsibility for all aspects of seedling propagation, post harvest management, direct to consumer sales at the plant sale, farm stand, and farmers market. In this position the greenhouse manager must make decisions that uphold the mission of Holly Hill Farm including but not limited to a commitment to regenerative agriculture, our community, and our environment. 

Responsibilities and Duties: 

• Management of all plant propagation activities including seeding and care of plants for the farm, education department and annual plant sale 
• Responsible for planning and execution of the annual plant sale 
• Support farm sales including on and offsite markets and wholesale accounts

These areas are shared with the Field Operations Manager: 

• Responsible for seasonal farm chores including snow removal, watering, and greenhouse temperature management 
• Participation in maintenance of driveways, barns and sheds, fields, woods and trails including plowing and shoveling of snow for winter access to buildings and animals
• Coordination with co-manager to create and implement a yearly crop plan and greenhouse schedule as well as the weekly development of activities and schedules 
• Participation in the farm’s community including planning meetings and events as well as coordination of weekly farm activities with Farm Owner, Executive Director, Educational Director, Farm Co-Manager, and Staff 
• Management of the recruitment, training, and supervision of other full or part-time and/or seasonal employees and/or volunteers 
• Participation in the farm’s administration including data collecting, record-keeping, and reporting required to maintain organic certification and assisting in the keeping of financial records, making of budgets, handling of receipts, etc. 
• Participation in long term strategic planning activities working towards the goals of sustainability and conservation practices of the farm

Qualifications 

Education level: High School Diploma 

Experience: 3-5 years of on farm employment 

Specific skills: 

• Familiar with the operation, maintenance and repair of basic farm machinery such as mechanized gardening equipment and tractors. 
• Skilled in all major organic and sustainable farming practices including greenhouse management and the successful growing of an extensive variety of vegetables and flowers 
• Expertise with post harvest handling of vegetables, flowers, and herbs ●
• Experience with marketing of vegetables, flowers and seedlings at farm stands, farmers’ markets and restaurants 
• Skilled in dealing with clients and the general public 
• Proficient in the use of Excel, Word, Google Suite, and the ability to adapt to new technologies 
• Supportive of and able to contribute actively to the owners’ goals of utilizing the farm for educational and community purposes 
• Capable of supervising and training other employees and volunteers and organizing their work schedules 

Personal characteristics: 

● Responsible 

● Community oriented 

● Strong work ethic 

● Self-motivated 

● Adaptable 

● Ability to work well with others 

● Ability to adjust to the seasonal demands of farming 

● Good sense of humor 

Certifications: None required however one farm manager must have taken a food safety course Licenses: Drivers License 

Physical abilities required: 

● Ability to lift 50 lbs. Repetitively 

● Ability to work in all weather conditions 

● Ability to stand for long periods of time

To apply email  meredith@hollyhillfarmo.org  Please include a brief description of why you would be a good candidate for this position and a copy of your resume.

 The Friends of Holly Hill Farm is the nonprofit organic farm and educational organization that manages Holly Hill Farm, a certified organic vegetable, flower and herb farm in Cohasset, MA. The farm serves as the outdoor classroom for thousands of children, adults, and families who visit every year for school field trips, educational workshops, community events, farm to table dinners, field trips with scouts, church, or other community groups and much more. The Friends’ mission is to educate visitors of all ages about the value of sustainable and regenerative farming principles that result in healthy food and responsible stewardship that protects the land. An outgrowth of the mission to educate on the farm is a network of partnerships with 30 local schools where the Friends provide hands-on education programs in school garden settings for students.

About the Position

We are seeking part-time Outdoor Classroom Educators who will be responsible for facilitating educational programs on the farm and at school gardens throughout the school year (including winter) and summer. The on-the-farm programs are both morning and afternoon and reach age groups of 3--13. School programs are generally located within a 20-minute drive from Holly Hill Farm and serve grades Kindergarten to six (sometimes older). Mileage will be reimbursed. Schools also visit the farm for field trips and require educational facilitation.

Time commitment will vary depending on the balance of on-the-farm and off-site programming the teacher is scheduled for. On-the-farm programming will be consistent with short breaks between seasons, whereas offsite and field trips are dependent on school needs. You can expect to work an average of 12 hours per week during the school year. Summer programming would be 20+ hours per week.

Educational curriculum on the farm ranges from such topics as basic plant parts and needs, organic farming, composting and vermiculture, and resource use to ecosystems, seasons, weather, and more. These programs are age appropriate and include many facets of science, math, language arts, and arts. Off-site lessons focus on the school gardens and the lessons happening within their own classrooms. This may include plant parts, insects, soil, and more with a series of curriculum resources that are provided.

Responsibilities:

● Follow and adapt developed curriculum to each group needs

● Prepare materials

● Coordinate and plan with teachers (farm and school) and assistant teachers

● Interact with program participants in an enthusiastic and friendly manner

● Facilitate hands-on learning

● Travel to school gardens off site to facilitate outdoor classroom school garden lessons

● Lead at least three on-the-farm programs and one offsite program, depending on schedule

● Lead at least 6 weeks of a summer camp program

● Assist with record keeping and data collection

● Help maintain the educational garden and educational spaces and materials

● Special projects and other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

● BA / BS in Education, Science, Environmental Science, or a related discipline or a combination of relevant

work experience and education

● Prior experience and knowledge of gardening and sustainable farming practices preferred or willingness

to learn more

● 2+ years of elementary teaching experience

● Experience in outdoor education setting with children ages 3-14 preferred

● Willingness to enthusiastically share knowledge about sustainable farming and gardening with students

● Positive “can do” attitude

● Ability to be flexible and function in a fast-paced work environment, working with a team of educators

as well as teach and lead classes independently

● Strong oral and written communication skills, organizational skills

● Familiarity with Google applications (Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc.)

● Must have reliable transportation and ability to carry materials to schools (plants, buckets, tools, etc.)

● Must pass CORI/SORI

Benefits:

● Opportunity to develop skills and experience teaching and facilitating outdoor education programs

● Training and ongoing support provided

● Work with a fun, dedicated team of staff and volunteers in a lively collaborative environment

● Spend time outside in beautiful farm and school garden settings

● Occasional farm fresh produce to take home and wonderful farm staff lunches & dinners

Compensation: Commensurate with experience.

How to apply:

Email Education Director, Bruce Frost (bruce@hollyhillfarm.org), or call 781-383-6565.