Farm Team Member – Production

Full-Time or Part Time Seasonal, Staten Island, New York

Who We Are

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (“Snug Harbor”) offers dynamic programming in the arts, horticulture, agriculture, education and recreation for diverse cultures and all ages, on a historic, welcoming campus that is a unique oasis in New York City.  We envision being a nationally visible yet locally impactful cultural organization beloved by all who visit.  We value artistic vibrancy, stewardship, conservation, inclusion, community, communication and discovery.  Located less than 1.5 miles from the Staten Island Ferry and easily accessible by public transportation, Snug Harbor welcomes nearly 500,000 visitors each year to explore our gardens, grounds and galleries.  Our 83-acre campus features 26 architecturally significant buildings and 14 distinctive gardens, including a traditional Chinese garden and a Tuscan garden.  A vibrant cultural hub, Snug Harbor is also home to several non-profit institutions, artists’ studios and small businesses.  Founded in the 19th century as a charitable rest home for sailors, today Snug Harbor is a growing, must-see destination.

The Position:

The Snug Harbor Heritage Farm (SHHF) is looking for Full-Time and Part-Time Seasonal Farm Team Members to join us from March to November. Supervised by the Director of the Heritage Farm, Team Members will help grow and maintain our 2.5-acre production farm with fellow farmers, volunteers, and local workforce development (WFD) programs. As one of the largest urban farms in NYC, we grow over 100 varieties of crops for our 20 week CSA, as well as on-site farm stands and local restaurant clients. This role will help in all aspects of farming from starting seedlings in our green house in the spring to spreading compost and cover crops in the fall and everything in between! Experience in production farming is highly preferred but not required. This is a highly physical role. Team Members will be standing, bending, crouching, pulling, pushing, and using basic hand tools in all weather conditions (including rain and extreme heat) all while maintaining a fast and efficient pace. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Anyone who is enthusiastic to learn, has a strong work ethic and interested in working on a small team in sustainable small scale agriculture should apply.

Responsibilities:

  • Transplant, thin, propagate, direct seed, cultivate, trellis, prune, weed, harvest, and wash produce for our customers with supervision and support from the Director of Heritage Farm
  • Perform general landscaping projects such as weed whacking, mowing, and mulching
  • Perform various farm labor tasks with a constant improvement mindset
  • Drive company vehicles offsite to make purchases and deliveries to local partners
  • Communicate the vision and goals of SHCCBG professionally with the general public
  • Support processing and usage of compost as it pertains to building healthy soils community wide
  • Support Snug Harbor Staff in site maintenance and other farm and groundskeeping related duties as directed
  • Support set up and break down CSA market and other market days as needed

Qualifications:

  • Experience working outdoors with physically demanding work for extended periods of time
  • Interest in actively engaging in small scale production agriculture and the techniques used in organic, low-till farming
  • Ability to learn new tasks quickly and execute them immediately including the use of hand tools, power tools and small machinery 
  • A valid driver’s license is required for insurance purposes and to utilize organization vehicles
  • Ability to following all safety procedures including COVID-19 protocols
  • Exemplary communication skills and workplace professionalism including appropriate work attire, positive attitude, timeliness, and adaptability 
  • Enthusiasm and commitment to being an active and flexible member of a small team
  • Ability to lift 40lbs regularly and be able to stand, squat, kneel, bend, and crouch for extended periods of time in all weather conditions  

Salary:

Full time positions will work 35 hours a week with a 1-hour unpaid lunch at $15.00 per hour. Typically, the hours are 8:30am-4:30pm, but are dependent on weather and business operational needs. Full time positions will be given 2 days off in a row. Part time positions will depend on business operational need but will be required to work a minimum equivalent of 2 full days per week at $15.00 per hour. Weekend, holiday, and overtime work may be required.

TO APPLY

Qualified candidates should complete the employee application form by visiting https://snug-harbor.org/jobapplication/. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Snug Harbor celebrates and commits to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.  We value and seek the strengths of human variety across communities, in programming, with staff, the Board of Directors, volunteers, artists and visitors. Snug Harbor strives to build a culture of diversity of voice and representation, authentically inclusive spaces and equity for all.

Snug Harbor is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to the treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizenship status in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.