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Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

Job beginning March 2025, Food and Board included, £90/day (starting at 4 days)

We are looking for an experienced grower and project manager to work alongside and then, at the end of the season, take on from our current head grower to lead our established market garden and growing enterprise. As Head Grower you will report to the Project Director and be supported by regular ‘day’ and ‘live-in’ project volunteers, alongside another assistant grower.

The market garden was launched in 2020 and now covers the maximum walled area of 1.7 acres, including 6 poly-tunnels, a small greenhouse, small orchard, and 35 chickens. The project has grown each year and we now sell at 2-3 local markets each week, plus 3 shops in Bristol, through our small veg box scheme and on our honesty stand. The aim for the following year will be to reduce to 2 local markets and push to increase the number of box customers.

The project is supported by local volunteers and ‘live-in’ WWOOFers. There is accommodation to support up to 4-5 live-in workers and volunteers on-site at any time. Food from the garden will be grown for market with provision made to feed the Project Director, their family and the growing team. The volunteers will be provided with food and board and the recruitment and advertising for volunteers will be supported by the Project Director.

Starting in March 2025, the grower will work alongside the current head grower for 4 days a week, for the first couple months, increasing to 5 days in May through to October, before dropping back to 4 days. The current head grower will reduce in hours over summer to 3 days, before leaving later in October at the end of the season, at which point you would be leading the project.

The grower will be provided with accommodation on-site and free food. Living on-site will be very beneficial to the running of the project. The grower will be on a salary of £90 per day and will be entitled to 25 days annual leave, to be taken ideally during the quiet period ie between December and March. Applicants need to be able to demonstrate at least 2 years of growing organically through training, qualifications or on-farm experience.

The candidate should have a passion for sustainable and regenerative agriculture and be willing to manage, coordinate and train volunteers. The Head Grower, will be responsible for the market garden plan including sowing, planting, plant and soil care, harvesting and packing, also sales, advertising, marketing, distribution and accounts.

Essential:

• UK Driving License (valid and current)
• Qualification or relevant experience in horticulture growing and selling.

Application information

Please send your CV and a covering letter to forbiddenfruitandveg@gmail.com

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs