Production Associate - NS & POW

About Shalom Farms

Shalom Farms is a nonprofit, food justice organization. We believe that everyone deserves equitable access to nourishing food and meaningful opportunities to grow, choose, cook and enjoy that food. We grow and distribute fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant food across the Richmond region while working to confront the systemic barriers that create food insecurity. On our two Certified Naturally Grown farms, in Northside Richmond and Powhatan County, we work with thousands of volunteers each year to produce more than 100,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, shared through Mobile Markets, Produce Rx (PRx), and community partnerships.

About the Position

This position will be a blend of production farming and volunteer management. The Production Associate will work to support all of Shalom Farms’ programming, with an emphasis on work happening at our Northside and Powhatan Farms. This position will work under the direction of each site’s Farm Lead to perform farm work, both independently and while guiding volunteers and interns through daily farm tasks. Farm work includes but is not limited to harvesting, post-harvest handling in our packing barn, planting, field prep, and farm maintenance. This person will drive a Shalom Farms vehicle between our Northside and Powhatan farms for produce deliveries during harvest season.

The food grown on our farms goes directly to Mobile Markets, Produce Rx (PRx), and partner food pantries that serve families facing systemic barriers to fresh, affordable food. The Production Associate helps us grow more food, more reliably, as we scale production to meet community needs. The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable about and excited to deepen their practice of sustainable agriculture techniques and will be energized by working with, teaching, and guiding others. This person is responsible for co-creating and upholding a culture that prioritizes safety, inclusion, education, warmth and humility. We are a dynamic organization with work that changes throughout the year, and as such this position’s responsibilities will shift with the seasons and as needs arise.

This position will report to the Northside Farm Lead for overall role supervision and to the Powhatan Farm Lead for daily farm operations when on that site.

This is a season-long position that will work regularly at our two farm sites. The Northside Farm is located at 1311 Westwood Ave, Richmond VA and the Powhatan Farm is located at 2676 Venita Rd, Midlothian VA. At times, this position will be asked to work from other locations, such as our various distribution sites. The Northside farm has a bus stop within four blocks; the Powhatan farm is not served by public transit.

Key Responsibilities

Farm Production

Day to day farm responsibilities, taking ownership of certain areas of the farm.

Volunteer Management

Guiding and working with crews of volunteers and interns on a daily basis.

Planning and Data Entry

Daily, weekly and monthly planning and data entry, as well as meetings.

Cross-Departmental Duties

Meetings, cross-departmental opportunities, and other duties as assigned.

Details

Farm Production and Management

• Perform farm and field work to achieve harvest and distribution goals with the guidance of each site’s Farm Lead. This may include working alone to complete more technical farming tasks such as fertigation, direct sowing, spraying, and watering the greenhouse, as well as working alongside other staff, volunteers, and interns to complete farm tasks.
• With direction from the Northside Farm Lead, take ownership of defined areas of the farm. These may include greenhouse management, community partner communication, data entry, soil fertility, field irrigation, tractor work, and pest and disease control, among other aspects of our work. Areas of added responsibility will be defined based on the employee's skills, experience, and interests, as well as organizational needs.
• Help with the general organization and maintenance of all farm equipment and outbuildings.
• Keep work areas clean and organized.
• Drive Shalom vehicles for programmatic work and deliveries.

Volunteer Guidance and Support

• Guide and work alongside individual volunteers and volunteer groups in completion of daily farm tasks. Typical tasks include working in the packing barn, sowing, planting, harvesting, and amending soil, and may include providing task direction to volunteers working on specialized tasks such as maintenance and building projects.
• Collaborate with and provide support to other staff and interns for the purpose of effective volunteer management and completion of farm work.
• Participate in community building and gratitude for lead volunteers.
• Work with the Engagement team to consistently build and improve volunteer engagement skills.
• Contribute feedback on how to improve volunteer programming on the farm and pass along feedback from others.
• Provide general information to visitors on how to further engage with the organization.
• Lead general farm tours and provide educational orientation for new volunteers and small volunteer groups as needed.
• Uphold Shalom’s community values and participate in a culture that prioritizes safety, inclusion, education, warmth, and humility.

Planning, Communication, and Data Entry

• Perform as needed data entry pertaining to harvest logs, propagation, planting, sales, pest and disease management, greenhouse management, fertility input application, etc.
• Contribute to and participate in morning and afternoon farm planning meetings.
• Communicate with Farm Lead on an ongoing basis with updates on work accomplished.
• Stay up to date on internal and external organizational communications, including slack and email.

Cross-Departmental Duties

• Contribute to and participate in relevant committee and staff meetings, trainings, etc
• Maintain regular 1:1 meetings with the Northside Farm Lead and other Leads where appropriate.
• Assist with and/or run Mobile Markets and other distribution events as assigned.
• Assist with field trips and other educational activities as needed.
• Participate in outreach events as outlined at the start of the season.
• Availability to work both Shalom Farms events (Summer Open House and Fall Harvest Festival)
• Drive Shalom Farms vehicles for programmatic work
• Provide coverage for other staff, which may include working outside the role’s typical work hours and in other locations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualities

• Commitment to racial equity and to Shalom Farms' values: justice, collaboration, integrity, respect, and sustainability.
• Enthusiasm for engaging in work and conversation around food justice and sustainable agriculture.
• Enjoys building relationships with volunteers, visitors, and neighbors.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Can communicate well, even in stressful situations; comfortable giving clear direction.
• Detail oriented and organized, while maintaining an attitude of flexibility and a tolerance for change.
• Ability to work both with groups and alone.
• Ability to take initiative and work in a fast paced environment

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The essential functions of this role include the following, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Lifting and moving produce, tools, and supplies weighing up to 50 lbs, frequently throughout the day
• Standing, walking on uneven ground, bending, kneeling, and reaching for extended periods
• Working outdoors in heat, cold, rain, and sun, with exposure to dust, pollen, and insects
• Driving organizational vehicles between farm sites, and operating a tractor where it is part of the role

If you need an accommodation to apply or to do this work, contact hr@shalomfarms.org.

Must Haves

• At least one full season of farm or outdoor education experience, paid or unpaid (community gardens and apprenticeships count).
• One year or more of experience guiding or coordinating the work of others (volunteers, interns, or seasonal crew)
• Experience building relationships with people across differences in race, culture, age, class, faith, and place
• A valid driver's license.

Nice to Haves

• Experience (paid, volunteer, or lived) in education, agriculture, public health, social work, or community work.
• Volunteer management experience.
• Some non-profit work experience.
• Spanish language skills.

Compensation

This is a seasonal, contracted position with benefits and pay provided for the duration of the contract. You will be paid semi-monthly based on an hourly wage of $21.00 per hour. Provided both parties agree, there will be an option to review and renew this contract at the end of each year. If renewed, healthcare benefits will continue uninterrupted.

Paid leave, paid holidays, and medical/dental benefits will be provided for the duration of the contract, with medical and dental coverage beginning the first of the month after your start date. A vacation blackout for the months of July and August is required, but a paid full week off in the summer is provided. Plus lots of free farm produce!

The proposed contract duration averages 40 hours per week from March 1 through December 10 for a total of 1600 hours. While hours and scheduling will shift seasonally with the Production Associate role, this position generally works Monday-Friday with alternating Saturday mornings during part of the season. On occasion, they will be asked to work evenings and other weekend hours, including shifts for organization-wide events, covering for other staff, and community outreach.

To Apply

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter, resume, and 2-3 references to hr@shalomfarms.org with “Production Associate - NS & POW” in the subject line. First review of applications begins November 20. Applications accepted until the position is filled.

You don't need to meet every qualification to apply. If this work speaks to you and you bring related experience, whether paid, volunteer, or lived, we encourage you to apply.

For more information, feel free to email, visit our website www.shalomfarms.org, or find us on Facebook and Instagram (@shalomfarms).

All employees are required to comply with the policies and procedures contained in the current Shalom Farms Employee Handbook, and with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Shalom Farms is committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities where we work, partner, and serve. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, pregnancy, ability, work-related injury, covered veteran status, political ideology, genetic information, marital status, or any other factor that the law protects from employment discrimination. The more inclusive and equitable we are, the better our work will be.

A background check is required for this position. A conviction record does not automatically disqualify an applicant. We review each situation individually.

Medical and dental insurance, paid leave, paid holidays, a paid week off in the summer, and lots of free farm produce, for the duration of the contract.