Cymraeg - This topic has 1 reply, 1 voice, and was last updated 3 weeks, 1 day ago by
NJohnson.
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Posted in: 2. Work Opportunities
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11/11/2024 at 8:18 am #86086
The joint venture Sheffield Organic Growers is a cluster of 7 independent businesses on a 20 acre site on the outskirts of Sheffield, just over one mile to the nearest bus stop. The applicant will need to find their own accommodation in Sheffield and be able to walk, cycle, drive or use public transport to get to the site.
Join our team of passionate land workers, dedicated to improving the soil, food sovereignty, bio diversity and human health and happiness in our friendly working environment. Learn and share skills that have positive impact on the land and society in our supportive ecologically focused business. The Moss Valley on the outskirts of Sheffield where we are located is surprisingly wooded and ecologically diverse landscape on the edge of the city with hares, buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawks and a whole host of small mammals and reptiles including grass snakes and the greater spotted newt being found on site and in the valley. Nick Johnson operates one these businesses, running the Sheffield Organic Growers veg bag scheme, as well as selling wholesale from June-October, see sheffieldorganicgrowers.co.uk for more details about the site.
Job Title: Part Time Assistant Grower and Delivery Driver
Contract: One fixed term part time contract with variable monthly hours, working for Nick Johnson trading as Sheffield Organic Growers. From April to October start date 04/04/24 end date is 31/10/24. PLEASE NOTE START DATE CAN BE NEGOTIATED, as April and May hours are mainly veg packing and delivery driving which we could possibly temporarily fill with another person should the applicant wish to start later.
Hours vary each month April one day Friday 8am-5pm, May-June two days per week Thursday and Friday 8am-5pm, July- October three days per week 8-5pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. One hour unpaid lunch plus twenty minute paid mid morning break.
Hours may vary due to high summer heat and you may be asked to come in up to two hours earlier, working the same number of hours as usual in high summer. The job may be extended to a permanent position for the right person.
Hourly Rate: £12.21 per hour, statutory holiday entitlement. Holiday is to be ideally taken in August or late autumn but can be negotiated if already booked or a specific need requires other months off. Overtime hours paid at the standard hourly rate. Full terms and conditions will be given in your contract upon offer of employment.
You may also be asked if you would like to attend farmers markets on weekends as part of possible overtime hours.
Two month probationary period.
Closing date: 12th January 24
Shortlisting: 13th January 24
Interviews will be held: 20th January 24
Apply with CV and covering letter by email to: nick.h.johnson@hotmail.co.uk any questions text or ring Nick on 07922595487.
Job Description:
This seasonal position at Sheffield Organic Growers is a great opportunity for someone looking to gain experience in the organic market gardening sector and learn all about the varied tasks and techniques involved in varied horticultural production, we would also be interested in people who have plenty of experience in the sector and wish to move to Sheffield a diverse and vibrant cultural city with the peak district national park right on the doorstep at the western edge. There is the possibility of extending the contract to a permanent position for the right person.
April, May and June hours will be on Thursdays and Fridays our packing and delivery days for the veg bag scheme. During the winter Nick takes on the role of delivery driver on Fridays, but as the spring starts he needs to be on site managing the crop production of the 2 acres he rents on site. Thursday morning will be spent packing vegetables and sharing delivery driving responsibilities with Dan our veg bag co-ordinator. The end of the day after deliveries and packing is over, will be spent helping prepare beds, plant beds, weed, move crop covers and possibly some propagation of seedlings in module trays. Friday will always be delivery driving in the morning and then will be followed in the afternoon by horticultural duties as described above, directed by Nick.
One day of the week will be spent on the market garden with Nick in July August and September ,tasks will mainly be in the spring planting and weeding and, harvesting and packing veg bags on the Wednesday. Summer tasks will mainly be harvesting and packing with some weeding and irrigation equipment use. There will also be other tasks you will be asked to undertake such as compost turning, some use of machinery such as a strimmer or tractor, seed sowing, watering plant modules, side-shooting and tying in poly-tunnel crops, direction of other labourers during field work, pulling out plants and broad forking, raking and preparing beds. Market gardening is physically demanding work with many hours of the day spent crouched down harvesting leaves. Whilst the tasks are varied in any given day, (we have 30 vegetable varieties to grow), the tasks themselves are repetitive and must be carried out at a fast pace to ensure profitability of the operation.
Organic vegetable growing can be a highly rewarding job, with a great sense of achievement when harvest comes around for each crop. The job of market gardening requires responsibility, initiative and hard work of the people doing it, and may not be what some people have idealised about growing vegetables for a living. Unlike many jobs in the UK, food production is a primary production industry, where the productivity of the work you do directly affects the output of the sales of the business and thus the viability of your job. Awareness of movement, and thinking through each task, in order that time not be wasted in unnecessary foot traffic back on forth around the site, are of tantamount importance in the busy work environment of a market garden.
Qualities of ideal candidate:
The ideal candidate for this job would have great enthusiasm for learning the craft of organic growing, be passionate about the principles of organic food production and have a good working knowledge as well as at least one season of practical experience growing fruit and vegetables or another land based role. A good level of physical fitness will be needed of the candidate for this role, along with punctuality, attentiveness to instructions given so that they not need be repeated and a willingness to take responsibility and initiative as part of a team. Communication skills and friendly attitude to other people working on site will also be valued highly of the right candidate for the job. A clean driving license is also highly desirable, along with experience driving vans, with the role involving delivery driving every week. UK full drivers license is essential. -
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