Grower Position Sussex

Organic Growers Alliance is seeking a full-time Grower for their ecological project in Kingston upon Thames, East Sussex. The role involves managing a market garden, expanding growing areas, and engaging with the community through workshops and wellbeing activities. Candidates should have at least 2 years of commercial growing experience and knowledge of organic farming. The position offers a salary of £20-23k per annum, depending on experience.
Position: Full Time Grower Position East Sussex

Full Time Grower Position – Kingston, Lewes, East Sussex

Lovebrook CIC is a new ecological and community wellbeing project, based across 33 acres in the beautiful South Downs village of Kingston. This exciting and ambitious project includes market garden, orchards and nuttery, forest garden, areas of rewilding and woodland planting, camping areas and laying hens. This multi-faceted project will serve to engage the local and wider community on many levels – including:
• Organic fruit and veg sales to local and wholesale customers
• Regular volunteer days
• Workshops & training in regenerative & permaculture practices
• Wellbeing days and retreats
• Nature based therapeutic and outreach activities
• Partnerships with local charities and organisations
• A hub for ecology, transition and climate discussion

We are a non-profit organisation, with a focus on sustainable and regenerative practices, and the wellbeing of people and planet.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and experienced grower to join us in our first full growing season, who will develop our organic vegetable and fruit growing activities and expand our market garden across 1.5 acres. It will be a varied and all-round role, with many opportunities to shape the development of the project, and put your own ideas into practice.

Lead Responsibilities:
• Managing and delivering on the already existing ¼ acre market garden, including 1 polytunnel – to include planning, propagation, crop production, harvest, packing, record keeping, sales to wholesale and local buyers
• Planning, implementing and managing new market garden and field growing areas, expanding it to 1.5 acres ready by March 2023
• Managing fertility building, soil improvement, shelter belt development and biodiversity improvement
• Managing laying hens
• Ordering/making connections with other suppliers to buy in supplementary veg if required for our planned small farm shop.
• Developing & implementing farm infrastructure
• Ordering farm supplies – seed orders, sundries, new equipment – in accordance with the farm budget.
• Maintaining equipment
• Ensuring Health and Safety practices are in place and being followed.
• Developing relationships with existing and new key partners – other growers/farms/associations/colleges etc

Essential Requirements:
• Minimum 2 years commercial growing experience
• Understanding of organic and agroecological farming principles and practices
• Very good organisational skills, including good time management and ability to prioritise
• Ability to work on own initiative and collaboratively as part of team
• Experience with budgeting, finance and farm admin
• Proficiency in using Excel
• Comprehensive knowledge of health and safety practices on a farm
• Full UK driving license

Location:
The farm is in a great location for accessing the surrounding vibrant towns of Brighton (7 miles) and Lewes (2 miles), both of which are easily accessible by train, cycle, bus or beautiful South Downs walks.

Job Details:
This is a full time position (40 hours) involving longer hours in spring/summer, and shorter hours during the winter.
It will initially be a one year contract with the potential for extension.
Salary is £20-23k p/a, depending on experience.
A personal supply of veg is available.
There is no accommodation on site.
Start date is negotiable but the successful candidate should be in position by the end of March 2022.

Please email Richard O’Brien for full job description and details of how to apply:
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