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THE LICKING CREEK BEND FARM is seeking Full-Time Farm Staff for environmentally sustainable and pesticide free farm in southern Pennsylvania.
The Farm:
Licking Creek Bend Farm is a 60 acre mixed vegetable, fruit and Christmas tree farm in its 52nd year of operation located in the foothills of the PA's Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania right on the border of Maryland and West Virginia 2-hours from Washington/Baltimore/Pittsburgh. Beautiful farm near C&O Canal in a valley - swimmable creek. Free WiFi. Close by biking, hiking, close to Appalachian Trail. Near Berkeley Springs, West Virginia and Bluegrass and folk festivals.
We are certified Naturally Grown (CNG) which exceeds USDA certified organic standards growing over 30 varieties of vegetables, a small variety of mixed berries with Apple and Christmas tree orchards.
We strive for holistic and environmentally healthy practices with a strong focus on soil health, heirloom varieties and abstaining from any chemically-based pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. We serve a 50 member and growing CSA program, multiple farmers markets in the D.C. area and sell wholesale to a Co-op, restaurants and universities.
The farm’s philosophy is to grow quality healthy food in an environmentally sustainable way at affordable prices. We market much of our produce to mixed income communities and food insecure neighborhoods. We participate in a local DC Produce Plus and federal WIC/Senior subsidy and assistance programs and donate to food distribution and non-profit subsidy programs.
The Ideal Candidate:
We are looking to fill full-time year-round positions. Our farm market season starts in late May (weather permitting) through just before Christmas with ample work in the winter to close out the season and spring to care for the property and prepare for the coming season.
This is an entry level position and no prior experience is required. We negotiate separately with experienced applicants. We typically work 50-55 hours a week in peak season and less in the slower season.
Applicants must be:
in good physical shape
have strong energy and work ethic
able to handle rural environmental conditions (heat, cold, rain, bugs)
work cohesively and productively as a farm team
We stress that candidates
should feel confident that they can thrive in an environment where hard work, maximum effort and responsibility are expected from every staff member. Time sensitive dealines such as planting, nurturing, harvesting are a routine occurrence on the farm which sometimes means working extra hours to make sure these are met.
Due to the nature of farm work and the use of tractors, heavy equipment and power tools on the property, we have a strict zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.
Those who want to get their feet wet learning the basics of growing healthy food will want to apply. We also want to strongly encourage those who are searching for roots in this industry; and who will approach this opportunity with a deep sense of purpose.
This experience can lead to careers in nutrition, food policy, and other related fields.
Work description and learning opportunities:
Main tasks will include:
Seeding
Transplanting
Weeding
Mulching
Harvesting
Pruning
Mowing
Spraying
Weed wacking
Compost making
Trellising
Beekeeping
Other farm tasks and projects
Work at our farmers markets on a rotating basis
…and lots more
What you will learn
the basics of sustainable fruit and vegetable farming including:
Learning the specific growing techniques used for each variety of crop
Use of organic products
The composition and mechanization of a drip irrigation system
Soil health and biology
Compost making
High tunnel production
Pest and diseases control
Crop rotation
Operating small power tools
General year-round property maintenance
CSA preparation
Working Farmer’s Markets
Elementals of Beekeeping
Farm Management
Reaching out to low-income communities
…and lots more
We value education and learning, so we are happy to support any internship, college capstone project or thesis research; please share details during your interview.
This is a great opportunity for someone with no prior farming experience who wants to immerse themselves and have an introductory experience with small scale farming which can lead to farm management and other agricultural related professions.
We value education and learning, so we are happy to support any internship, capstone project or thesis research; please share details during your interview. And, we welcome your ideas.
Worker Run:
We are unique worker run farm. This means that under the leadership of the owners and manager the team is given a tremendous amount of responsibility and initiative. Employees are seen as equals and valuable members of the team who, after proper training, are given autonomy, responsibility, and trust in their opinions and decisions in how to “get the job done”. The planting, nurturing and harvesting are on the plants’ schedule, not ours. Each variety has its own growing time frame, so the planting has to get done in a timely manner, then the plants have to be weeded, nurtured and cared for during their growth, and harvested when they are ready and for each farmers market.
Candidates must be able to work maturely and responsibly with a team and have the ability to take responsibility and ownership for their role in the farm team.
Compensation:
All staff have their own room/board/utilities/wifi/internet.
●First 3 months - $1,100/mo
Raised to $1,600/mo
Second year staff start at $2,000/mo
●Minimum season commitment required (negotiable).
●Workman’s compensation
●Staff is provided with a monthly shared stipend for vegetarian food staples and produce grown on the farm.
●Health Insurance – if you don’t have your own health insurance, we will work with you to provide up to $200/month for an individual premium health plan with a local insurance provider.
Living accommodations:
All employees live on the farm.
Accommodations are:
A room in a fully modern, furnished and solar powered shared farmhouse
Or a private cabin
Kitchen and bathrooms are shared
Employees are expected to share responsibilities for the upkeep and cleanliness of the house and be able to share living space well with others.
Surrounding area:
The farm is located in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in southern Pennsylvania on the border of Maryland and West Virginia.
The property hosts:
A swimmable creek
Beautiful views, star gazing
Communal meals (team organized)
Lots of woodland and space for long walks.
Near the farm:
The spa town of Berkeley Springs
The C&O Canal
Washington DC and Baltimore are a two hour drive
Many opportunities for hiking and biking
Blue Grass and Apple Butter Festivals
County Fairs
Requirements:
Applicants need to be:
Fully covid vaccinated
US citizens
Have a valid drivers license and clean driving record
Be non-smokers
Refrain from using drugs and alcohol while at the farm
Be in good physical shape
How to apply:
Please email us and include a
●Cover Letter. Please include why this opportunity interests you, why you want to work on a farm and what you can bring to the position.
●Resume and three References
We will not consider you without this information.
Thank you and we hope to hear from you and welcome you as a part of our team.
