Farm Worker

Wild Coyote Farm is seeking individuals to participate and assist in many aspects of our farming operation. For vested individuals, it is a great opportunity to get hands on experience learning how to run a profitable farm business while working alongside the founders as part of our small but mighty team of 6-8. We are a Certified Organic, soil grown and pasture based farm that grows fresh produce for our 250+ custom produce box members, on-farm store, farmers markets, and some direct to retail accounts. We grow a wide variety of produce: vegetables, herbs, blackberries, cut flowers, sheep (for fiber and meat), chickens (eggs), geese, honey, maple syrup, microgreens, and nursery plants. We grow crops on approximately 10 acres each year, manage additional organic pasture/cover crop land, and 10,000sqft of greenhouses. This is our seventh season farming full-time.

Who we are looking for

The ideal farm crew member has a high level of interest in organic farming and enjoys the work. Farming is often enjoyable work, but it needs to be done efficiently in any and all weather. Therefore, the ideal candidate will be strong, eager and quick to learn a wide variety of tasks, willing to engage in difficult responsibilities, remain on task and keep busy. At our farm we place a high level of importance on quality, therefore, the ideal candidate must be able to discern when product is not of adequate quality, and do so efficiently. An ability to work at a fast pace, while still paying attention to quality is vital to the success of the farm. Experience working at a farm is not required, but strong work ethic and references are.

Farm crew applicants must be able to lift a minimum of 50lb easily (repetitively, up high, and while walking on uneven terrain), work with good body mechanics, work on their feet in various positions for full days, have a pleasant and positive attitude, and be friendly and kind. Most of the work is manual labor on foot. Workers must come appropriately dressed for work and have their own sharp harvest knife and scissors, belt, smart phone for delivery driving, Fanny pack or deep pockets, and water bottle (both tennis shoes or work boots and muck boots are recommended). Smoking, personal electronics use during work, profanity, drugs, and alcohol are strictly prohibited on the premises. We operate as a fun work environment, promoting Christian ethics as a standard of practices. Us farm owners are passionate about our work, enjoy it, and seek to have others appreciate nature’s bounty alongside us!

What we offer

As a contract worker, you will be paid by the hour weekly after electronic receipt of your invoice for your work. Pay: $12-18/hr depending on experience. We take unpaid lunch break from 12-12:30pm. Free produce and eggs as available.

Tasks and hours

We generally work as a crew from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday. Part time work is available either for 8-12am, or 1-5pm, or full days. Delivery driving work is on Wednesdays (Chicago) until about 11pm, and Thursdays (Michiana) until about 8pm, and some Mondays or Tuesday to Chicago for one drop. We like most workers to drive one delivery route per week unless we find a delivery driver specifically. Farmers market work is Wednesdays noon-11pm, Sundays 5am-5pm, and possibly Thursday afternoon/evening. Positions run roughly from May-October, with some flexibility in start and end dates.

All team members may do varied tasks including:

• Field work (typically most in May/June and then about 1-2 days per week): seed starting, transplanting (typically behind a tractor as a team of three), weeding, trellising, end of season clean up, spraying, mowing.
• Harvesting and packing custom boxes: June-October about 2-3 days per week.
• Home delivery: June-October one day or partial day per week. We distribute the delivery driving between the crew so most do one route per week. It’s best to have workers connected to the entire farm process do the deliveries and it provides a nice climate controlled break to the outdoor work.
• Animal care (depending on interest and skill in this side of the business; most work is typically done by owners outside of team work hours).
• Experience and interest in specialty areas on the farm such as flower bouquet making; tractor operating skills; are also helpful but not necessary.
• For someone interested in working on the farm but not able to perform the physical labor to the extent as needed for all tasks, we could have a position that includes lower impact activities (but still on your feet) mostly in an open building including: washing and sorting product, packing boxes and orders, labeling eggs, processing (canning/freezing) bounty for the owners, bouquet making, cleaning.

Qualifications

Courteous & professional in all interactions with customers

Pleasant can-do attitude

Attention to detail and asks clarifying questions

Responsible and reliable

Able to work with team or alone

Efficient, quick with both hands

Quick learner

Driving: care for fueling vehicles and reporting any issues or concerns to owners, smart phone to use route app during deliveries, comfortable driving a medium to large size cooler van in the city or rural neighborhoods, skilled and safe driver.

Appreciation for local organic quality food is preferred

High school level math, reading and writing skills

Apply by submitting a resume and cover letter and references to WildCoyoteFarm@gmail.com. Check us out at www.wildcoyotefarm.com and call (269) 277-3621 with questions.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract, Temporary

Pay: $12.00 - $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 8 – 45 per week

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 12 hour shift
• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Morning shift
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Relocate:

• Berrien Springs, MI 49103: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person