Farm Job in Illinois, 2013 Growing Season

Farm job available in Illinois for the 2013 growing season Plow Creek Farm (www.plowcreekfarm.com) seeks a farm assistant to join their team for the 2013 growing season. The farm assistant will assist in all aspects of crop production and marketing including (but not limited to) planting, weeding, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and selling at a weekly farmers’ market. The assistant will also help with the management of the farm’s strawberry and blueberry u-pick operations. Plow Creek Farm is connected with Plow Creek Fellowship (www.plowcreek.org), a Mennonite affiliated Christian Community located in a beautiful part of NW Illinois, about 2 hours west of Chicago. The farmland consists of about 70 acres of pasture, perennials, and tillable acres. The rest of the land is mostly wooded with a creek running through it. While not certified, the farm employs organic methods and practices and uses no poisonous herbicides or chemical pesticides.

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The farm is primarily a berry operation, with strawberries and blueberries being the two largest crops. There are also smaller plantings of raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, garlic, and potatoes, as well as a small herd of grass-fed cattle. Geese are also often raised on the farm to help with the weeding of the strawberries. About 70 percent of the farm assistant’s time will be spent working with strawberries and blueberries. Please check out the farm’s website (www.plowcreekfarm.com) for a broader view of the operation.

Season Length and Hours:

• 3-4 months, May-August 2013
• 40-50 hours/week. Hours depend on season and will fluctuate, but normal weeks will average 8 hour work days from Monday to Friday, half day on Saturdays, and off on Sundays. The Farm Assistant will also accrue one vacation day per month.

Qualifications:

• Knowledge and interest in organic farming and prior experience working on a vegetable/berry farm
• Ability to perform hard physical labor and perform repetitive, physical tasks efficiently
• Ability and interest in working in a community setting and with a team of workers, as well as the ability to work independently
• Valid driver’s license

Compensation:

• $1,000/month
• On-site housing provided
• Fruit and vegetables produced on the farm

How to apply: please send a resume, two professional references, and a brief description of your farming experience to plowcreekfarm1977@gmail.com Please feel free send any questions about the position to the same address.

Applications due by January 31 or until position is filled.