[Tracy Worcester]

Tracy Worcester

18/12/2021 at 9:04 am #63059

Trainee Grower (8-9 months starting Feb or Mar 2022)
Forbidden Fruit & Veg Market Garden is offering a great opportunity for a hard working individual who is passionate about organic growing and wants to train as a commercial grower. The post is for 8-9 months starting in February or March 2022.

Forbidden Fruit & Veg is a small (1.3 acre) walled market garden in Badminton, South Glos, that was originally built by the Victorian’s to feed the village and Badminton House. This project was started in 2021 with the aim of transforming the walled garden, growing quality fruit and veg for the local community and creating a haven for wildlife. As such, all the produce is grown by hand to organic standards and free from chemicals or pesticides.

The project is run by the Project Director and the market garden by the Head Grower with the support of an average of 5 WWOOFers and local volunteers at any time. We sell produce into Matter, Reg the Veg and Hugo’s Deli in Bristol, Wotton and Allington Farm Shops in South Glos and in September we opened a market stall at Hatherell’s Yard Market in Chipping Sodbury. We also sell food from an honesty stall in Badminton and supply weekly veg boxes for collection.

We are looking specifically for someone who has already had some experience as a WWOOFer on a commercial veg farm.
The successful applicant needs to have a ‘can do’ flexible attitude and be a good team player. The majority of the time will be growing, raising, cultivating and harvesting vegetables and some fruit but there will also be the opportunity to sell at the market, prepare boxes, pack and delivering veg to local shops and looking after the chickens. The post-holder will work 30-35 hours per week assisting with and learning all aspects of the business.

The post will also involve working with the Head Grower on planning, accounts, marketing, recruiting, sales and customer admin in order to get the skills needed to run a market garden in the future.

The growing team usually have lunch together and my partner and I (the Project Director) who also live on site join for dinner. All meals are provided with responsibility for cooking lunch and dinner shared on a rota system. Outside of this, the trainee grower will have access to a kitchen to to prepare and cook any additional meals required.

The package includes, weekly expenses of £60, rent-free accommodation in the main house with access to communal bathrooms, meals and washing machine etc. No energy or water bills. Access to surplus produce from the market garden by arrangement, beyond that served at the weekday meals.

Holidays will be offered during the year by agreement with the management team.

Please send your CV and a covering letter to the Project Director, Tracy, explaining why you would like this position, how it fits with your growing experience to date and your availability till November 2022. Short-listed applicants will be invited for a site tour, interview, and discussion early in the New Year. Please do include all relevant growing experience with full details of host gardens and farms.

Web: https://forbiddenfruitandveg.co.uk/
Email: Tracy@tracyworcester.org.uk
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Essential criteria
An interest in and commitment to the principles of small-scale agroecological market gardening and a desire to pursue it as a career
A willingness to do outdoor land-based work in all weathers and to participate in all other aspects of the market garden, market stall, administration, marketing and delivery
An interest in and willingness to live and participate in a small community
A commitment to conflict resolution using principles of non-violent communication
Desirable criteria
Experience of growing vegetables, preferably in a commercial setting
Experience of community-based living