Land Steward

Land Steward Position

Are you a passionate grower, hands-on builder, and nature enthusiast who can look at a plant and know what it needs? Mother Rootz is looking for a Land Steward to help care for local garden spaces using holistic, chemical-free practices. If you love working outdoors, building simple garden infrastructure, and nurturing living soil, we’d love to have you join us!

About Mother Rootz

Mother Rootz is a boutique concierge garden service business dedicated to transforming green spaces through chemical-free, regenerative practices. We focus on building living soil, working in harmony with nature, and building strong, connected relationships with both plants and people. Note: This is an intensive, edible/native garden care role, not a traditional mow-and-blow landscaping position.

Essential Job Functions

• Routine Garden Care: Perform weekly service visits including fine pruning, natural plant feeding, harvesting, and holistic plant care using core regenerative practices. Demonstrate a soft-hands approach when handling delicate foliage, young seedlings, and transplanting to prevent transplant shock.
• Soil Building & Ecosystem Health: Active year-round soil care, including backyard composting and seasonal soil building. Perform regular in-season feedings using local liquid soil drenches and worm casting teas, alongside top-dressing with natural amendments and managing summer cover crop rotations to optimize soil microbiome health.
• Infrastructure & Handyman Support: Build, repair, and install garden infrastructure including fencing, trellising, cattle panel arches, gate framing, and custom garden support systems.
• Homesteading Practices: Apply practical homesteading principles to assist clients with closed-loop systems, water management, and garden utility integration.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Monitor pest activity and apply biological control solutions (e.g., green lacewings, ladybugs, beneficial nematodes). Zero synthetic chemical sprays.
• Client Communication & Service: Communicate with homeowners in a warm, knowledgeable, and reassuring manner. Educate clients on seasonal garden shifts without causing unnecessary alarm.
• Reporting: Complete a concise digital Garden Report following every completed service visit.
• Content Creation: Capture and post engaging photos/videos to social media during each garden shift.

Education and Experience

• Practical Experience: 1 years of hands-on experience in regenerative gardening, bio-intensive agriculture, urban farming, or homesteading.
• Formal Education: High school diploma or GED required. Coursework, certifications, or self-directed study in horticulture, permaculture, soil science, or botany is a major plus!

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay Rate: $18.00 per hour
• Schedule: Part-time (20–25 hours per week) with flexible scheduling
• Mileage Reimbursement: Paid at the standard federal IRS rate for travel between daily garden sites (commute to/from home is not included)
• Employment Type: Independent Contractor (1099)
• Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, and traditional benefits are not included. Contractors are responsible for their own tax withholdings.
• Role Perks: High autonomy, outdoor working environment, hands-on regenerative skill development, and a supportive, community-focused business culture.

Working Conditions

Working Conditions

Details

Hours of work

Part-time (20–25 hours per week) with flexible scheduling

Overtime expectations

Overtime is generally not expected or required for this part-time contractor position. Any additional hours beyond the agreed 20–25 hours must be pre-approved.

Work environment

Outdoor field work at client garden properties in varying weather conditions (heat, humidity, rain, or shine). Involves physical labor including repetitive bending, lifting, kneeling, and digging. Regular use of hand tools, power tools, fencing materials, and natural soil amendments/compost.

Home Office: Remote administrative hours at home for garden planning, communication, and preparation.

Travel requirements

Daily local travel between client garden sites during shifts using a personal vehicle. Travel time and mileage between job sites are reimbursed at the standard federal IRS rate (commute to the first site and from the last site home is excluded).

On-call responsibilities

No on-call responsibilities required.

Special conditions or requirements

Must have a reliable personal vehicle, valid driver's license, and ability to handle physical outdoor labor. Position is an Independent Contractor (1099) status; contractor is responsible for self-employment tax withholdings. Social media posting required during each shift.

Workplace Policies and Agreements

• Independent Contractor Relationship
• 1099 Status: The Land Steward operates as an Independent Contractor (1099-NEC) and is not an employee of Mother Rootz.
• Taxes & Insurance: The contractor is solely responsible for reporting income and paying all federal, state, and local self-employment taxes. No tax withholdings, workers' compensation, or health insurance benefits are provided.
• Safety, Environment & Weather Policy
• Chemical-Free Commitment: Mother Rootz operates on a strict zero-synthetic-chemical policy. Contractors must only apply approved natural amendments, biological controls, or organic management practices.
• Weather Conditions: Work takes place outdoors in varying Florida elements (heat, humidity, light rain). Service may be rescheduled in cases of severe weather (e.g., lightning, heavy downpours, severe heat advisories) with prior approval.
• PPE & Safety: Contractors are expected to wear appropriate work attire (closed-toe footwear, weather-appropriate gear, sun protection) and practice safe lifting and tool-handling techniques at all times.
• Travel & Mileage Reimbursement Policy
• Reimbursement Rate: Travel between client sites during a work shift is reimbursed at the official IRS business mileage rate.
• Exclusions: Daily commuting travel from home to the first garden site, and from the final garden site back home, is not eligible for reimbursement.
• Log Submission: Contractors must submit a weekly mileage log alongside their shift invoices to receive reimbursement.
• Media & Social Media Sharing
• Shift Content: Capturing photos or short video clips of garden progress, harvesting, or infrastructure work during each visit is a required part of the service workflow.
• Posting Guidelines: Content posted to Mother Rootz channels must maintain client privacy (no home addresses, house numbers, or identifiable personal property without permission) and reflect a positive, educational, and professional tone.
• Client Communication & Reporting
• Reassuring Demeanor: All interactions with clients must be polite, warm, and professional. Issues (such as pest activity or plant stress) should be framed constructively with clear, natural solution steps.
• Garden Reports: A digital Garden Report form must be completed immediately following the conclusion of each garden visit before leaving the site or concluding the shift.
• Remote Work & Planning Policy
• Work-from-Home Hours: A portion of weekly hours may be dedicated to home-based tasks such as garden layout planning, crop rotation drafting, material sourcing, and post-service administrative work.
• Setup & Equipment: Contractors are responsible for providing their own computer/device and reliable high-speed internet access to complete remote planning hours.
• Team Communication & Virtual Meetings
• Communication Channels: Active and responsive communication via email and virtual platforms is required for project coordination, scheduling, and garden planning.
• Video Calls: Attendance and participation in regular team check-ins, garden planning sessions, or strategy meetings via video call (e.g., Zoom/Google Meet) are required as part of normal workflow hours.
• Response Expectations: Professional and timely responses to emails and team messages are expected during normal working hours.

Evaluation and Review

• Performance Expectations
• The Land Steward is expected to operate as a self-motivated, proactive practitioner who upholds the high-touch quality standards of Mother Rootz. Performance expectations center around:
• Ecosystem Health: Consistently building soil biology and managing gardens using 100% chemical-free, regenerative principles.
• Handiness & Craftsmanship: Installing sturdy, functional garden supports, fencing, and infrastructure safely and efficiently.
• Client Experience: Maintaining warm, reassuring, and clear communication with homeowners so they feel informed and confident in their garden's progress.
• Administrative Reliability: Submitting detailed Garden Reports right after each shift, tracking mileage accurately, and creating engaging social media content.
• Active Communication: Participating promptly in team emails, virtual planning meetings, and garden design check-ins from home.
• Evaluation Process
• Because this is an independent contractor role, reviews focus on project outcomes, quality of service, and contract deliverables rather than traditional employee supervision.
• 30-Day Initial Check-In: A brief video review after the first month to discuss workflow, client interactions, field routine, and remote planning integration.
• Quarterly Project Reviews: A scheduled 45-minute virtual check-in every 3 months to review overall performance, client feedback, Garden Report thoroughness, and seasonal goal alignments.
• Ongoing Field Quality Checks: Periodic spot checks of garden sites and post-shift social media updates to ensure Mother Rootz standards are consistently met.
• Performance Metrics

The following metrics will be used to assess the quality of work and deliverable success:

• Client Satisfaction & Retention: Feedback from homeowners regarding site neatness, plant health, and the reassuring tone of in-person communication.
• Report Timeliness & Completeness: On-time submission of accurate digital Garden Reports following every service shift.
• Plant & Soil Health Outcomes: Visual evidence of successful pest balance (using biological controls), active compost health, and thriving edible/native plantings.
• Infrastructure Quality: Stability, safety, and longevity of custom structures built (trellises, cattle panel arches, gate/fencing systems).
• Communication & Engagement: Timely responses to team emails, active participation in video planning calls, and consistent social media post creation.
• Professional Development & Opportunities

Mother Rootz believes in growing together with our practitioners. Opportunities include:

• Skill Expansion: Hands-on experience with advanced ecological soil-building, native Florida landscape integration, and custom infrastructure fabrication.
• Contract Growth & Rate Progression: High-performing stewards who demonstrate exceptional client satisfaction and independence may be offered expanded hours, higher-tier project leads, or opportunities for contract rate increases.
• Leadership & Design Roles: Opportunities to take on greater responsibilities in design planning, client onboarding, and lead steward responsibilities as Mother Rootz expands its client footprint.

Pay: $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Opportunities for advancement

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Orlando, FL 32801

Salary : $18