Grower, Windy City Harvest - Chicago, IL

Title: Windy City Harvest Grower, South Side

Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Department: Windy City Harvest

Reports to: Small Farm Business Manager

Seasonal, Full-time: Anticipated to start March 4, 2024, and end November 2024

Supervises: Lead crews of interns, apprenticeship students, corps and youth farm crew members, volunteers

Position Overview:

Windy City Harvest is committed to a continuum of job training. We value an innovative, entrepreneurial, and practical approach to sustainable agriculture and education. We hold high shared standards for all staff and participants to foster personal and professional growth. This is a hands-on farming position, providing farm production support to all Windy City Harvest farm sites and providing guidance to program participants about agriculture. This job is 60% production-focused, including maintaining accountability for a seven-day-a-week irrigation schedule; and 40% programming-focused on workforce development training using farming to develop job skills, including submitting all paperwork in a timely manner.

The person in this role is responsible for running all outdoor production aspects of the WCH Washington Park farm site; creating and implementing a crop plan for outdoor youth farm production, hoophouse planting management, ornamental areas, landscape maintenance, and keeping all farm records complete and well organized. The person in this role supports the Corps Crew leader and the Community Education coordinator by setting a clear task list, and properly training in production tasks, working side by side with corps transitional jobs and youth farm program participants; providing supervisory support as needed. The person in this role regularly supports Legends South Farm with production tasks. The person in this role supports the Apprenticeship instructor by leading apprenticeship lab days at any WCH site as requested, in collaboration with Site coordinator. The person in this role reports to the Small Farm Business manager.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:

• Implement crop plan for sustainable vegetable production to meet a designated sales goal; utilize succession plantings, integrated pest management, and season extension in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Create and implement farm, greenhouse, and landscaping area production schedules and be accountable for completing farm production tasks in a timely fashion. Forecast weekly labor management, tool, and supply needs; ask support from supervisor as needed.
• Train program participants to follow crop plan, greenhouse seeding, and harvest schedule.
• Be responsible for site irrigation and irrigation system maintenance; frequently checking that the irrigation system is working properly. Be accountable for seven-day-a-week irrigation schedule and irrigate on weekends and holidays as needed. Report issues to supervisor.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for working alongside program participants, including youth, adult learners/apprentices, and formerly justice-involved trainees in an agriculture-focused job development setting.

• Assist production team in the oversight and training of all on-site staff with production and programming tasks, including seasonal interns, volunteers, and all program participants. Provide and document productive feedback and set example for staff standards.
• Assist with lab field day portion of WCH Apprenticeship certificate program. Complete lab feedback forms in a timely fashion.
• Lead weekly farm walk with Corps Crew leader and Community Education coordinator, including program participants.
• Create a positive team environment around harvest, processing, seeding, and site maintenance with staff, program participants, volunteers, and visitors.
• Forecast weekly harvest availability, including edible ornamental plantings; maintain and provide accountability measures for weekly harvest. Send harvest availability to sales team by set deadline weekly. Coordinate harvests and inventory/restock harvest supplies weekly.
• Maintain and provide accountability measures for weekly harvest. Submit post-harvest paperwork in a timely manner. Updates sales team with any harvest changes immediately.
• Harvest and process vegetables in compliance with Good Agricultural Practices and Food Safety Modernization Act standards and the Windy City Harvest post-harvest handling guide. Train participants in proper harvesting and post-harvest handling procedures.
• Complete all logs and records in an accurate and timely manner associated with production, site safety, food safety, and sales paperwork. Keep organized in production binder and in compliance with good agricultural practices (GAPS) protocols.
• Work at all Windy City Harvest sites and programs as assigned to meet programming goals and support a six-day production schedule (work Saturdays, holidays as requested). Effectively foster a collaborative environment with fellow WCH staff.
• Meet, uphold, and be accountable for aesthetics and site maintenance as outlined in site-maintenance guidelines. Follow weekly landscaping production schedule to maintain monthly site-evaluation standards.
• Attend weekly staff meetings and any scheduled meetings as requested, ready to present information about farm production and program participant highlights.
• Be reachable by phone (call and text) and email during entire work shift. Regularly check email and reply in a timely manner. Stay in good communication with staff.
• Operate Chicago Botanic Garden vehicles and equipment in a safe and responsible way. Report any issues to supervisor immediately. Support with truck logs as requested.
• Work with Production and Sales Team to assist in the distribution of food to local retailers and markets; make produce deliveries as needed. Support with farm stands as requested.
• Safely transport supplies (tools, plants, amendments). Ensure program participant crews have drinking water on-site, and transport water as needed.

• Manage safe tool and machinery equipment use and proper maintenance, ensure all staff on-site understand and sign tool protocols. Provide clear directions on which equipment should only be used by staff and not program participants.
• Safely operate landscaping equipment, be responsible for proper maintenance, and maintain up-to-date inventory and safety logs. Report issues to supervisor immediately.
• Maintain tool and harvest supply site inventory and keep track of tool check-out log. Inventory tools regularly. Report and log any broken equipment and materials that need to be purchased to supervisor immediately.
• Ensure you are present and ready for program participants at the beginning of day, including being available to open farm site. Neatly put away all tools, supplies, and equipment, shut off irrigation, and properly lock up site at end of day. Report any site security issues to the supervisor immediately.
• Lead weekly safety talks with staff and program participants, logging each time.
• Act as a resource for program information for project partners, community members, Chicago Botanic Garden staff, and the media.
• Give scheduled and impromptu tours as needed and train program participants in leading tours.

Chicago Botanic Garden Values & Behaviors

VALUES

As an organization, we…

BEHAVIORS

As an organization, we…

Prioritize a culture of GROWTH.

We commit to remaining curious in how we approach our work.

• Create and maintain spaces for learning.
• Test new ideas and are willing to take risks to achieve our vision.
• Collaborate to strengthen our skills and impact.
• Demonstrate perseverance and humility as we work toward our long-term impact.

Seek to UNDERSTAND.

We seek to understand others from their perspective.

• Provide opportunities for input and feedback from others.
• Actively listen to all points of view.
• Consider individuals’ lived experiences.
• Advocate for and protect time for reflection especially during times of conflict or confusion.

See one another through a lens of RESILIENCE.

We believe that all individuals can experience good outcomes with support.

• Give others the space to balance work and personal needs.
• Support others and demonstrate empathy especially during challenging and stressful times.
• Seek opportunities to learn from and about one another.
• Ask questions about and anticipate the needs of others.

Build TRUST through TRANSPARENCY

We hold ourselves and others accountable by centering decision-making that honors all people.

• Communicate information in a timely manner.
• Provide clarity in complex situations with the goal of common understanding.
• Discuss both positive and negative outcomes openly.
• Evaluate the impacts of our actions.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Ability to work both independently and as a team to uphold high standards of sustainable vegetable production; builds alliances and fosters opportunities for collaboration with other members of the team
• Communicates in a manner that gains the trust and support of others at all levels
• Works effectively with others despite differences of opinion and style, has a tolerance for opposing points of view, and is welcoming of new hires
• Demonstrates a positive attitude and shows kindness in all workplace interactions. Can effectively adapt to change; can shift gears comfortably; is flexible, and embraces change with a “can-do” attitude
• Is self-aware; knows personal strengths and weaknesses; seeks feedback and is open to negative feedback as an opportunity for improvement
• Recognizes problems, constructively identifies and articulates solutions. Makes decisions appropriate for level of responsibility and is accountable for reporting any issues to supervisor
• Is cool under pressure; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; is a settling influence during a crisis
• Follows safety guidelines to ensure a safe working environment and consistently demonstrates safe work behaviors
• Picks up garbage when it is seen regardless of position
• Minimum two seasons of sustainable vegetable production on a 1/4-acre site or larger
• Possesses a driver’s license and has access to reliable transportation
• Ability to strategically plan workdays with an effective labor plan, task list, and able to work independently
• Willing and able to perform physically demanding tasks in all types of weather. Working outdoors and in an urban farm setting is dynamic
• Experience selling produce to a wide variety of markets, including walk-up customers at farm, farm stands, restaurants, small grocery retailers, and/or wholesale markets
• Experience with organic food production, integrated pest management (IPM), and farm protocols following Good Agricultural Practices guidelines
• Experience managing site tool and supply inventory
• Experience in creating and following crop plans and seasonal production schedules
• Experience projecting harvest availability, running harvests, and ability to adhere to food safety standards
• Experience training and overseeing individuals from varied backgrounds and skill levels
• Flexibility and comfort with shifting demands and schedules. Evening, early, weekend, and holiday shifts are part of this position occasionally
• Preference given to Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship graduates
• Produce Safety Alliance Grower Food Safety certification preferred

Physical Demands:

This is an urban farm setting. Staff must be able to work on feet all day in all weather conditions performing manual labor. There will be frequent lifting, standing, walking, bending, farm tool usage, machinery operation as well as speaking to public, staff, and program participants. There will also be daily use of small farm machinery and post-harvest handling equipment. Staff is required to lift, push, and pull items up to 50 pounds.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.