This position assists the larger Morning Glory Farm effort of growing and supplying year-round flowers and food for the island community of Marthas Vineyard.
This position will assist the Greenhouse Manager to oversee the daily operations of the flower farm greenhouses, the roadside stand and all perennial beds on the property. Assist in the maintenance and care of all flower greenhouses, greenhouse crops, and perennial gardens. Keep them in constant production, free of weeds, harvested, irrigated, and fertilized. Assist in caring for the two gardens at the roadside stand, keep them in production, free of weeds, watered and maintained the entire season. Assist in all seeding and transplanting efforts on the flower farm and at the roadside stand location. Assist in running irrigation and fertilization for all field crops. Scout crops for disease and weed problems daily, reports any problems to Greenhouse Manager.
Reports To: Greenhouse and Roadside Stand Manager
Work Schedule: Year-Round/ Full Time (possible unpaid travel break during Months of January).
Hourly Wage: $17.00 - $18.50 (depending on experience)
Location: West Tisbury Flower Farm (12 miles from Edgartown farm stand location)
Duties:
- Provide support to farm manager and owner by assisting in all flower farm efforts and generally be on the look out for ways to help farm and support all staff
- Provide supervision, training and support to greenhouse and flower crew under the direction of the Greenhouse Manager
- Be knowledgeable and curious about flower farming and help in the education of our staff
- Help maintain seeding calendar and yield records
- Assist in providing supervision over greenhouse and field workers under the direction of the Greenhouse Manager
- Be knowledgeable about the stages of plant life and diseases that may occur
- Effectively manage greenhouse equipment, fans, vents, thermostats, propane, heat mats, grow lights..etc. under the direction of the Greenhouse Manager
- Help direct staff on tasks, such as the seeding, propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of plants under the direction of the Greenhouse Manager
- Responsible for daily inspections of the facility to ensure the conditions are optimal for the plants and handling any diseases or pests that may appear in the greenhouse.
- Harvest and Arrange 25 Roadside stand bouquets a day
- In slow greenhouse production months may be needed to work in or on other areas of the larger Morning Glory Farm such as but not limited to working in farm stand, kitchen, bakery, pack house or field.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- A background in Horticulture Equipment and maintenance knowledge
- A background in cut flower farming and or the floral industry
- An ability to maintain confidentiality
- Adaptable-thrives in a constantly changing work environment
- Enthusiastic, creative team member-able and willing to participate in community life
- Supervisory and management skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Solid communication and analytical skills
Full-Time
Wage
Position
Flowers Greenhouse and Roadside Stand Assistant Manager
Exempt/Non-Exempt
Exempt
About the Organization
Morning Glory Farm, started in 1975 by James and Deborah Athearn, grows about 65 acres of vegetables and small fruits on the island of Martha's Vineyard.
Small successive plantings of a wide variety of crops supply the Farmstand from May through December.
Crops include sweet corn, lettuce, carrots, beets, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, beans, squash, pumpkins, and more. Our herb garden supplies a full assortment of culinary herbs. We also raise four acres of cut flowers, and small plantings of strawberries, grapes, peaches, and beach plums.
We keep beef cows on pasture in Chilmark for which we harvest 45 acres of hay and we also produce eggs, pork and fresh, pasture-raised chickens to sell in the Farmstand. Twenty-three acres of our vegetable fields are farmed using natural practices and only OMRI certified fertilizers and pesticides. We manage the rest of our land with a minimum of pesticides and with attention to the long-term health of the soil.
The farm name grew from the vision of the sun rising over lush, green fields, cows with udders full of milk ambling past bountiful gardens and hedgerows lively with honeybees: true wealth of nature's glory.
Each year we meet a new crew of farmers, bakers, cooks, and Farmstand staff who become part of the farm family. The farm has benefited from a variety of wonderful people who have endowed Morning Glory with their own special contributions.
