Farm Manager - Citrus Paradise

It’s a pleasure to meet you.

We’re a 30-acre citrus farm in Ojai, California called Marmalade Grove (www.marmaladegrove.com) and we’re looking for a full time foreman to oversee our operations.

Who are we?

We sell over 300,000 pounds of citrus directly to consumer through our website, harvesting from over 100 acres of surrounding farms, including our own.

In the sun-drenched valley of Ojai in California, we grow a variety of citrus, part of which are transformed into delicious marmalades now sold at Bristol Farms, Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma.

Founded in 2021, we specialize in marketing, having grown 300% in 2023 alone and we are quickly on our way to continue that record.

How do you fit in?

We are looking for an experienced citrus foreman to manage our 30-acre citrus grove:

1. Train our farmhands about citrus orchard management: pruning, irrigation, weed abatement, pest management, soil amendment, fertilizer etc.

2. Manage farm activities, organizing and supervising daily tasks to help us grow the best citrus possible for our customers.

3. Schedule third party fertilizer and pest management contractors, oversee their activities and review their proposed budgets and materials.

4. Help plant new trees, working with our marketing team to decide what varieties should be planted.

5. Help farmhands with general farm activities.

6. Perform regular equipment checks and perform maintenance as needed.

7. Openness to adopt to new technology and ideas.

Who we are looking for is someone who wants to shine in a small operation where they have less bureaucracy and more opportunity to teach, experiment and grow with us.

We are open to a part time consultation position (meeting weekly at the farm to schedule tasks and review finished work) as well if you’re not local to Ojai or the nearby towns.

Ideally, we would want a full time foreman to help at the farm while our picking team is handling harvests.

Most important, we want someone who is passionate about citrus and excited about teaching our team (and our customers) how to grow the best fruit in the world.

Please apply with a resume or a brief explanation of your previous citrus farm management experience.

Skills & Values

1. Formal education in citrus agronomy preferred but not required. Please list experience in citrus farm management or education.

2. Have a valid driver's license and good driving record.

3. Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.

4. Honesty, kindness, patience and openness are core values of our team. If you're someone who is eager to teach and to help us grow the best citrus in the world, we'd love to hear from you.

5. Enthusiasm. We are a young and ambitious team of farmers and creatives looking to grow our paradise with a purpose. As proud participants of California's citrus heritage and legacy, we want your help to elevate the art of citrus farming by growing our treasured fruit sustainably while contributing to the local community.

If you are currently in school, or recently graduated from school, with a background in citrus farming, please apply.

6. Good sense of humor; have fun while staying professional.

Work Environment

1. Ojai weather goes from above freezing to three digit heat. We always stress safety but expect warm days. That said, it's gorgeous here.

2. Must be able to operate small power equipment and open to learn to operate tractors and skid steers.

3. Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

4. Additional helpful qualifications: pesticide license, experience with herbicide application, Commercial Drivers License.

5. We are a small team which means many of us have to wear many hats to get the job done. It also means we're more flexible, there's less bureaucracy and we all love to work together.

Sincerely,

Peter CEO Marmalade Grove
www.marmaladegrove.com

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Pay: $25.00 - $40.00 per hour

Expected hours: 8 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Relocation assistance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Application Question(s):

• What is your most important personal value?

Ability to Relocate:

• Ojai, CA 93023: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ojai, CA 93023