Please read job descriptions and complete a general application (link at the bottom). The link to our application is also on our website at https://camasswalefarm.com/the-farm/work-with-us/.
Camas Swale Farm is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity of expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.
The Team
Our current team consists of owner/operators Jonah (field management) and Amber (harvest management, admin), a field assistant, two delivery drivers, a training coordinator, and a handful of general, important, crew members who work seasonally.
Job Title
Peak Season Lead/Field Crew Member
Job Summary
All general farm crew members harvest, wash and pack produce, cultivate, transplant, prune, trellis, seed, pull row cover to protect plants and more. Depending on the person, a specialty task like seeding, CSA pack out, preparing donations, etc. may be delegated.
Reports to
Daily communication with Training Coordinator
Weekly check-ins with Farm Co-owner
Hours
Part-time
M/W/F 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM in spring and fall, with an adjustable start time of as early at 7 AM during peak season (June-September)
Unpaid 30-60 minute lunch break and two 10 minute paid breaks
PT workers average 28 hours per week. All staff have from December 21- January 30th (5 weeks) of unpaid time off.
Position Period:
May 1st, 2024 – November, 21st 2024
Classification:
Non-exempt (hourly)
Compensation:
$16 – $16.50/hr, DOE
For all positions, wage adjustments are considered after 30 days.
Benefits
Stipend for education or work gear such as waterproof clothing, shoes, etc. ($200 for FT workers and $100 for PT workers).
Access to farm produce - vegetables from the farm are abundant (especially during the peak season) and at your disposal for you and your dependent/s
0.015 PTO per hour worked (or approximately 2 hours per month for FT) up to 30 hours
Option to participate in the Rogue Farm Corp farm educational program
After 24 months of full time employment we will match your Roth contribution up to $300 per calendar year.
Our farm pays into the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), Unemployment benefit and Workman's Compensation funds and as an employee of our farm you will be eligible to apply for those programs if needed.
About us
Camas Swale Farm is a family-run, certified organic, commercial produce farm located in Coburg, OR since 2009. Our produce goes to local grocers, restaurants, food hubs and to our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) families.
We provide a friendly family atmosphere on our commercial farm. All of the work is performed on-farm which is a 15 acre heritage farm in the Southern Willamette Valley. We are bordered by two other small farms and located 15 minutes from the city of Eugene. As for our culture, we are inclusive and value great workers regardless of background. We encourage work life balance through paid and unpaid time-off, fairly regular hours, and openness to PT work. Staff have full access to surplus produce, shaded lunch space, running water and electricity in the barn to warm up your lunch or have coffee. We make time for one-on-one check ins and provide regular communication about day-to-day tasks via daily morning meetings. Staff potlucks and/or Wednesday staff lunch are common. We aim to make expectations and benefits clear during training, in our Employee Agreement, and through those check-ins and morning meetings.
About you (Minimum Qualifications)
You are a hard working, reliable, clear headed, and kind individual
You enjoy working on small team and occasionally independently
You have experience in organic produce farming or related fields such as landscaping or food industry– at least one season of equivalent experience to be considered for this position
You are able to lift and carry 50 lbs
You are comfortable working in mud, rain, and temperatures below 35 degrees and above 90 degrees
You have an interest in healthy food, teamwork, and outdoor work
You are able to commit to the time frame of the position
You are comfortable providing direction and feedback to others
Responsibilities
Basic Field Work - all employees share in the primary farm tasks listed below. You will spend the majority of your time together with other employees doing this work:
Harvest, wash, and pack produce
Cultivate crops and weed beds
Trellising tomato plants in the field or greenhouse
Transplant vegetable starts
Peak Season Leadership - for this position you will provide leadership to peak season workers for the harvest and handling of certain crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers. Leadership includes:
Learn the fine details of harvesting and handling peak season crops
Provide leadership to 3-4 temporary employees (June- September)
Report to owners on status of peak season crops
Friday inventory and donations
Other Potential Duties - interest and ability to be discussed with prospective employee (typically for those working FT)
Hand and vacuum seeding
Watering greenhouse plants
Running and fixing irrigation
General tool maintenance like sharpening, cleaning
Assist with CSA packout and pack shed maintenance
Tomato sorting
Tractor work
Further Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Excellent interpersonal skills — we are a small team with a high level of respect and kindness among the crew members and are committed to keeping safe, comfortable, encouraging work environment
Ability to discern high quality produce from poor quality produce once shown our standard; familiarity with high quality produce helps with this but you will also receive training
Ability to keep up in a fast-paced environment: We are a commercial production farm that relies on a steady pace and focus. (If your hands stop moving due to conversation, you need to decline conversation until you can work at a good pace that meets time and quality standards while talking).
Verbal and written communication skills; ability to follow instructions and to clearly express ideas in a concise and professional manner
Basic math skills including arithmetic; ability to perform and interpret basic calculations related to count, weight, time, rate, and distance
Must be able to perform physical work in a variety of positions and at various heights including bending, stooping, reaching and twisting of arms and body movement
Critical thinking and decision making skills; able to make effective decisions under uncertain/variable conditions
Ability to maintain a strong work ethic and good attendance
Ability to provide your own work clothing, boots and lunch (see “Benefits” in regards to accessing farm-appropriate clothing)
Application Process
1. Complete the general application on google drive at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMdIbTMcu7s738tGXlBqh71HC6fxBgGGATLuaNfTfecxQ/viewform
2. We will review applications and select folks for a 40 minute phone or zoom interview
3. We may then schedule an in person interview with a trial work session on the farm. The trial work session is an opportunity for us to evaluate each other while doing real work. We will compensate you in produce and/or payment for the trial work you do here.
4. Based on your interview, trial work day, interviews and references, we will offer or deny employment.
