SUMMARY

The Urban Agriculture Program Facilitator works predominantly in the urban gardens that AFC maintains during the summer and works in the greenhouse in the off-season. The Facilitator assists the Urban Agriculture Manager with a variety of gardening and farm-related tasks, helps lead youth interns while in the gardens, provides support in completing infrastructure projects (e.g., building shelves, fences, greenhouse, high-tunnels, hoop houses) and aids in non-production activities (e.g., sales, public relations) with primary work focused on farm-related activities.

This is a full-time position, primarily working Monday through Friday, with some evenings and weekends based on need. This person will be working approximately 40 hours per week during most of the year, with the possibility of reducing to part-time over the winter season, depending on the availability of hours.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Assist Urban Agriculture Manager in leading youth interns while in the garden, creating lesson plans for youth program and providing supervision at AFC events

• Assist in leading youth interns while in the garden, providing hands on training in all aspects of urban agriculture and food production
• Transport youth from garden sites as needed using programming van
• Create lesson plans in off season to engage youth interns while in the classroom
• Provide supervision to youth at various AFC events

Assist Urban Agriculture Manager in developing and implementing annual and daily farm operations plans to achieve production and output goals and needs

• Assist in developing and implementing crop plan, planting and harvesting schedule for each season
• Help develop and implement daily, weekly and two-week farming-related goals
• Check the bulletin board and other communication tools to identify, perform work priorities and communicate task completion

Garden Preparation: Assist Urban Agriculture Manager in preparing the gardens for planting

• Remove tarps from field to expose beds
• Apply compost in spring
• Broadfork beds to aerate soil

Vegetable Planting: Under the direction of the Urban Agriculture Manager, assist with planting, growing, watering and harvesting of produce

• Plant seeds in greenhouse
• Monitor seed growth
• Repot plants as needed due to growth
• Move/transplant plants to garden in spring

Garden Maintenance: Assist in the watering of the gardens throughout the growing season

• Install both overhead and drip irrigation systems depending on site needs
• Assess and determine watering needs of each location based on the weather, day and conditions;
• Daily watering as needed
• Appropriately use irrigation systems

Garden Maintenance: Assist in maintaining the gardens throughout the growing season by hoeing, weeding, moving plants, deadheading

• Perform weeding 1-2 times per week
• Perform pest management utilizing organic methods
• Vegetable Harvesting: Under the direction of the Urban Agriculture Manager, harvest plants when at maturity
• Understand and recognize plant maturity
• Harvest items (e.g., pick, clip, crop, cut)
• Wash, weigh and bundle produce based on whether produce is sold, donated, or used for monthly farm stand
• Identify and prepare the right size boxes for the produce being harvested
• Retrieve the appropriate supplies for harvesting (rubber bands, boxes, harvesting tools etc.), and place items, as appropriate in ag refrigerator at 42nd and Dupont

Year-round support

• Assist AFC in the development and execution of year-round growing, which involves off-season work in the greenhouse
• Plant from seeds, watering, monitoring growth, transplanting, and prepping for the season
• Shovel from the door to the greenhouse
• Maintain the cleanliness of the greenhouse and urban ag room, making sure everything is organized
• Perform targeted agriculture-related research at the direction of the Manager
• Assist with non-growing infrastructure tasks, such building shelves, fences, greenhouse, high-tunnels, hoop houses
• Maintain the cleanliness and organization of the greenhouse, gardens, equipment, refrigerators and other work areas and tools
• Perform other garden-related activities (e.g., mow lawn, operate tiller, trim shrubs)

Recordkeeping

• Assist with agricultural record keeping by tracking and recording produce for grant reporting and other documentation as instructed or required
• Assist in tracking Farm Operations and data, including crop planning, harvesting log, germination rate, planting schedule, growth tracking, temperature tracking, etc.
• Assist in tracking all Deep Winter Greenhouse/ Hoophouse operations including: crop planning, germination rate, planting schedule, growth tracking, temperature tracking, etc.

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Help lead volunteer groups throughout the season
• Assist in purchasing materials and supplies for farm, infrastructure and non-farming operations
• Complete various tasks and perform miscellaneous projects and as needed

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Desired Education and Experience

• 2 or more years of experience with farming, sustainable and/or urban agriculture preferred
• Basic gardening knowledge: growing, harvesting, etc.
• Basic math skills to count produce, weighing produce, measuring various inputs (water, etc.)
• Possess driver’s license and reliable vehicle to drive to various garden sites and off-site locations on a daily basis

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills to interact with team and communicate with customers at Farmers Market
• Friendly, out-going demeanor and able to build and maintain professional relationships with buyers, local representatives, co-ops and other partners
• Able to follow directions and perform repetitive tasks to completion
• Proactive approach to work, able to identify work to be performed and completing them without direction
• Must be self-motivated and able to work unsupervised and solve routine problems independently
• Organized and detail-oriented to maintain records and written reports
• Willingness to learn new things and solve problems creatively
• Able to follow safety protocol and work safely using motorized and hand tools to prevent job accidents and injuries
• Basic computer skills
• Strong passion for the work of Appetite For Change and serving the community

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO PERFORM THIS JOB

Individual must be able to:

• Read, write and understand general and detailed instructions, including motorized safety protocol
• Continually perform garden-related physical activities to include: standing, walking, bending, twisting, kneeling, lifting and carrying large, bulky items weighing up to 50 pounds, digging, planting, using gardening hand tools, etc.
• Lift and carry at least 50 lbs., for example: bring items to/from storage, dispose of trash, break down produce boxes, carry and load produce items in and out of vans for donations, farm stands, etc.
• Manual dexterity, hand and arm strength to handle, operate and push machinery, such as tiller, lawn mower, power tools, etc. as well as to shovel, hoe, weed, and perform other manual gardening activities
• Physically tolerate working primarily outside, including in high temperatures, rain and other weather conditions
• Independently get to worksite and travel between multiple garden locations daily

PAY RATE:

$18 - 21 Per hour - DOQ

BENEFITS:

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Retirement (401k)

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Holidays

Short Term Disability (STD) Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

Incumbent must be able to use:

• lawn mower
• motorized tiller
• power tools for tree/shrub trimming
• garden tools (rake, hoe, shovel, hand tools, etc.)
• computer/laptop to track produce, enter personal HR (i.e., timesheets), perform e-mail communication

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment is primarily outdoors on multiple urban garden sites in North Minneapolis, working a in variety of weather (heat, cold, rain, etc.). Regular travel between office and garden sites. The job is mostly Monday – Friday, but some weekend work may be needed due to weather, to attend special events, etc.

TO APPLY:

Send resume and cover letter to jobs@afcmn.org

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $18.00 - $21.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Minneapolis, MN: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person