Flower Crew Manager

Flower Crew Manager

The Flower Crew Manager is a strategic person in the larger effort of growing and supplying year-round flowers and food for the island community of Martha's Vineyard. The Manager will assist in educating, training, and supporting the future flower farmers of our country.

Major responsibilities:

• Manage the flower crew to ensure daily operations run smooth.
• Manage the harvest, arrange and stock flowers sold at Morning Glory Farm Stand.
• Help in the effort to produce and grow all flowers grown.
• Help plant, weed, manage all flower crops.
• Manage all florals sold at Morning Glory Farm.

Reports To: Farm Manager and Owner Robyn Athearn

Work Schedule: Year-Round/ Full Time (possible unpaid travel break during Months of January and February). Seasonal considered.

Hourly Wage: $17.00 - $19.50 (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 lookout for ways to help farm and support all staff
• Provide supervision, training, and support to flower crew
• Be knowledgeable and curious about flower farming and help in the education of our staff
• Effectively work with and maintain farm equipment, trucks, vans, tractors, gas tanks, shovels, weeders, fans, vents, thermostats, propane tanks, heat mats, wheelbarrows, grow lights etc.
• Setting an example always to all staff by caring for tools in the way required of a supervisor and manager.
• Manage staff schedules, staff payroll adjustments and problems, staff reviews and reporting of any disciplinary problems.
• Direct staff on tasks, such as the seeding, propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of plants.
• Responsible for daily inspections of the farm and facilities to ensure the conditions are optimal for the plants and notifying farm manager of any disease, pests, livestock problems.
• Daily harvest and arrange 25 farmers bouquets for sale at the Farm Stand.
• 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 during slower production months.

Position Requirements - SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• A background in Horticulture including equipment and maintenance knowledge
• Experience in cut flower farming and/or the floral industry and supervisory and management skills
• Solid communication and analytical skills. Ability to be confidential.
• Strong attention to detail
• Adaptable—thrives in a constantly changing work environment
• Enthusiastic, creative team member—able and willing to participate in community life
• Team player who can develop and manage a productive flower crew

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.

This position is currently accepting applications.