Small Farm & Urban Homestead Estate is seeking a Live-In part-time Farmscape Assistant Manager.  Position requires 30 hours a week Monday thru Thursday, 8am-2pm.

This location is minutes from Capitola Beach and an easy bike ride to shops, restaurants, coffee, or hikes. Included in this position is private accommodation with large yard, room and board (food/utilities/wi-fi), and small stipend to cover other expenses.

Job Description: 

Following restorative principals (permaculture), you would help to maintain a thriving urban farm and homestead estate just minutes from the beautiful beaches and redwood forests of Santa Cruz.

We currently care for an orchard, vegetable, pollinator, cut flower, medicinal gardens, a berry patch, edible, native, & privacy hedges, permaculture foodscapes & ornamental landscapes, ponds. We manage fertility with rotational grazing (animal care involved), compost, vermiculture, cover crop, & no till methods. We keep bees & livestock, house wwoofers, fix & install irrigation, host permaculture courses, & use greywater systems.

In the next year we will continue to care for and enhance all of the above as well as plant many more trees and edible shrubs, build a greenhouse, propagate natives, graft fruit trees, fix fences, set-up irrigation, grow annual veggies, host events, hand weed like crazy, build compost, restore, maintain and upgrade structures and facilities, begin a CSA, and more.

Duties & Responsibilities: 

The Farmscape Assistant Manager role involves working down a checklist of daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally or annually needed tasks related to all of the above. Every day is varied and most days are physical. You may also assist with training farm volunteers and guiding guests on tours. Some days are ENTIRELY weeding, cleaning tools, managing manure, dealing with pests, moving fences, or organizing sheds but the work is guaranteed to be varied over time.

Education & Experience: 

Experience and/or education in landscaping, permaculture, gardening, horticulture, botany, animal care, farming, construction or related fields are all a plus

Qualifications:

Ability to work long days in different types of weather (cold, wet, hot, etc.)
Ability to communicate clearly and listen to instructions
Ability to be self-reliant and comfortable working independently
Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve independently
Work well as a team member
Ability to learn and adapt to our best practices
Upbeat, helpful, and proactive attitude is a must

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, must be able to maneuver on uneven ground, drive tractor, often carry and lift up to 50 pounds, handle and use tools and machinery, and ability to do physical garden/farm work including harvesting, hoeing, stake pounding/pulling, large animal care, digging, & hand weeding. Many of the activities require bending over, kneeling and sitting on uneven ground during cold and hot weather conditions. Provided you are willing and able these skills can be taught. 

Additional Detail: 

A couple could be considered for a similar position. No pets, no drugs, & no smoking. 

Application Instructions: 

Please send a cover letter and resume with the subject line “Farmscape Assistant Manager (WS)” to “hedgerowofsoquel” AT “gmail” DOT “com”.