Island Grown Initiative is a non-profit on Martha’s Vineyard that works to build a regenerative and equitable food system for our community. We operate a 32-acre farm in the center of the island, and are in the process of transitioning our field acreage to low or no-till, organic, regenerative practices. For this coming growing season, we seek two field crew members to work with us in this transition.
The position entails approximately 30 hours of work per week, May 15th-August 15th.
Join us to be a part of this exciting time in history where regenerative agriculture is healing the earth while creating exciting new opportunities for farmers and growers alike.
Field Crew Responsibilities:
- Greenhouse work: seeding, thinning, transplanting
- Fieldwork: planting, weeding, mulching, moving tarps, working alongside volunteers
- Vegetable processing: harvesting, washing, sorting, packing, delivering
Skills and Experience:
- Job experience in agriculture (vegetable growing experience a plus)
- Physically capable of manual tasks, including the ability to comfortably lift 50 lbs
- Passion for regenerative farming
- Ability to be self-motivated while functioning well as part of a team
- Willingness to work hard, while bringing a spirit of fun to the fields
Compensation:
$15/hour
We are working on housing solutions for future interns and field crew members, but are not able to provide housing at this time.
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Thank you!
More about the Island Grown farm:
Last year was the first year we prioritized the regenerative transition in our farm fields, working with eight acres to dramatically reduce soil disturbance, keep the ground covered with diverse cover crops at all times, integrate animals in the rotation, utilize tarps to prepare planting beds and suppress weeds, and trial new systems to boost soil health, including the use of wood chips, compost applications at varying rates, custom tool development for planting and harvesting, and more. The changes we’ve seen in soil health and crop productivity on this acreage have been dramatic.
In 2020, we will be expanding our regenerative acres from 8 to 14, and growing our field crew from two members to five.
The food we produce will be sold through our CSA, our discounted price mobile farmer’s market, to wholesale outlets, and will be donated to local food pantries and other food equity organizations. We prioritize growing abundant, nutrient-dense food to help feed all in our community.
Our farm is a community space, and crew members will not only assist with all aspects of food production and soil health activities, they will also get to interact with a broad swath of community members, from gleaners coming to help harvest food for donation to islanders in need, to volunteers from all walks of life, to our dynamic Island Grown staff, who work on programs from food waste capture and composting to farm to school.
Megamenu Social