POSITION OVERVIEW:
https://www.growingplacesindy.org/careers
​
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Job Type: Full-Time

The Manager of Farm Production, Engagement & Education plays a pivotal role in fostering thriving communities by cultivating both people and gardens. The Manager is instrumental in realizing the vision of robust communities through active involvement in community farming. This multifaceted role involves not only successful cultivation of food and edible plants but also a profound commitment to engaging and educating individuals of diverse backgrounds, ages, abilities, and identities.

This position requires a unique blend of skills, as the Manager of Farm Production, Engagement & Education is expected to be equally adept at leading garden production and engaging in educational initiatives. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in realizing our vision of thriving communities through the harmonious integration of agriculture and community engagement.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIRED OUTCOMES OF THE POSITION:
Community-Centric Agriculture Management:

• Act as the liaison between garden production team and community engagement/education team, ensuring a seamless integration of efforts.

Production:

• Spearhead initiatives to cultivate food within the community, emphasizing sustainable and environmentally conscious practices that are applicable and adaptable to a variety of city-based environments.
• Plan and manage all aspects of farm production, including crop planning, planting, cultivation, and harvesting.
• Implement sustainable and regenerative farming practices, ensuring environmental stewardship.
• Oversee farm infrastructure, equipment, and irrigation systems.

Administrative:

• Manage budget for farm production and farm-based community engagement and educational programs.
• Record-keeping and data collection for grant reporting and program evaluation purposes.
• Collaborate with GPI team/board on strategic planning and organizational development.

Team Leadership:

• Collaborate with the GPI team to develop and implement strategies for garden production that align with community needs and values.
• Supervise and mentor farm staff, apprentices, and volunteers.
• Provide training and guidance on a variety of sustainable city-based growing practices and practices for community-based gardens/food production.
• Boldly foster a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with organizational vision, mission and values.
• Ensure everyone working, learning and engaging in GPI gardens has the tools, knowledge, and skills required for safe and productive growing.

Community Engagement:

• Bridge the gap between garden production and community engagement/education, ensuring a holistic approach to community development.

Volunteers:

• Provide welcoming and engaging volunteer experiences to individuals and groups.
• Maintain online volunteer platform for ease of sign-up and reporting volunteer hours for grants and program evaluations.
• Recruit volunteers through community partnerships, attending community meetings, assisting with social media content, etc.

Community Gardening:

• Demonstrate expertise in growing food and edible plants in various city-based environments, ensuring a resilient and diverse harvest.
• Provide opportunities for community members to garden together on-site at GPI farms/gardens, as well as at partner locations.
• Maintain GPI community gardening areas to ensure safety and aesthetic of spaces.
• Manage use of tools, equipment and other GPI resources/spaces in shared use by community members.
• Develop and execute community engagement initiatives, events, and outreach programs to support engagement, educational programs and produce distribution/sales.

Key Partnerships:

• Work with GPI team in identifying, cultivating and sustaining key community partnerships that advance community wellbeing through gardening.
• Attend meetings with key partners, assist in preparation of reports and lead presentations as needed to sustain and grow partnerships.
• Collaborate with local organizations to enhance community participation in garden/farming activities.

Education Programs:

• Develop and implement garden/small farm education programs for a range of experience levels and application, including but not limited to GPI city-based growing apprenticeship programs, home gardener programs, child/youth gardening programs and community gardening.
• Design and execute engaging educational programs that promote urban farming and gardening in diverse settings; working closely with individuals of all ages, abilities, and identities to create inclusive and accessible educational opportunities.
• Develop partnerships with other Indianapolis farm/garden organizations for collaborative programs.
• Develop activities and materials for garden-based educational workshops and events.
• Coordinate with schools, community groups, and partners to facilitate educational initiatives. 
• Foster a sense of community ownership by encouraging active participation in gardening and farm-related activities.
• Work with the GPI team to ensure that garden-based programming is aligned to the vision for community wellbeing, including incorporation of mind-body practices and values.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Agricultural Expertise:

• Minimum 3 years of demonstrated skill in managing production gardens/small farms using sustainable and regenerative practices.
• Demonstrated experience leading garden/STEM-based educational programs, preferably for a variety of age groups.
• Understanding of Good Agricultural Practices (as applied to gardens/small scale farming), safe food handling and farm safety practices.
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial management.

Education & Engagement Skills:

• Ability to lead and motivate teams in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to community engagement and organizational collaboration.
• Strong project management skills.
• Experience in developing and delivering educational programs.

Collaborative Mindset:

• Ability to lead and work collaboratively, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared success.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to clearly articulate the connection between production and engagement/education to achieve community-centric agriculture.
• Foster or establish networks within the nonprofit sector and community organizations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment. 
• Commitment to personal and community well-being.

Passion for Inclusivity:

• Demonstrated commitment to inclusivity, with the ability to work with people of all ages, abilities, and identities.
• Multi/Bilingualism, especially Spanish fluency, is preferred.

COMPENSATION:
Commensurate with experience, starting at $40,000. GPI offers flexible
time off, location, and schedule. Health and retirement benefits are not
currently provided.

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to [email protected]. Cover letter should clearly summarize candidates’ experience and reason for applying, aligned to the position. Applications are accepted until February 15,
2024. Growing Places Indy is an equal-opportunity employer committed to removing employment barriers and fostering inclusivity.

We are hiring for the first time in 2 years! Ideally, we would hire full time positions (40 hours a week) but are open to the right people looking for part time (no less than 24 hours a week). Experience on a production farm is not required but is definitely a plus. Consistency and an eagerness to learn are essential. We do not have on-farm housing. Nearby communities include Noblesville, Cicero, Lapel, Elwood and Anderson. Most of our current employees commute from Indianapolis. 


About us: Full Hand Farm is a four-season organic farm in Central Indiana, about 40 minutes northeast of downtown Indianapolis. We farm five acres of vegetables using a mix of mechanical and hand scale production techniques. We grow 40 different crops throughout the year and specialize in a consistent supply of salad greens. We are a year-round anchor vendor at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market and deliver to about 20 restaurants during the main season. 2024 will be our 13th year.

Accepting applications now with interviews to begin mid-January, continuing on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Read the job description here and send a cover letter, resume - or any questions -
to [email protected] with '2024 Crew' in the subject line.

St. Theodore Guerin High School in Noblesville is searching for a part-time farmer-instructor at St. Isidore Farm, its organic vegetable farm on campus. This is a part-time position from February through October. The position would average ten hours each week, with fluctuation throughout the season (and school) calendar. Start date would be February 12th, 2024.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
● Assist in growing high-quality food in an effective and safe manner, according to the sustainable and regenerative principles of the Farm’s approach. Tasks may include bed preparation, sowing & seed starting, weeding, irrigation, harvesting, and cleaning & sorting for customers
● Independently lead high school students and summer interns in various Farm tasks
● Clearly and respectfully communicate with the Farm Director about ongoing Farm operations
● Commonly do quick checks and/or water seedling trays on weekends
● Take over Farm leadership during times when the Farm Director is away
● Keep track of own hours and report them regularly

Qualifications
● Applicants should be comfortable working in a Catholic environment and must have respect for the
teachings of the Catholic Church.
● Applicants should have gardening experience and should be open to sustainable farming practices.
● Applicants should be physically able to do basic gardening tasks and should be willing to work outside in a range of weather conditions.
● Applicants should be comfortable working with high school students and volunteers, many of whom have very little gardening experience.
● Applicants should have good communication skills and be comfortable with interpreting occasional spreadsheets and task lists.
● Applicants should have a good work ethic, be self-motivated, and have attention to detail.

Mission Statement
St. Isidore Farm is a school farm business, inviting students and the community into ecological education, sustainable
food systems, and food justice.

Contact Information
Applicants may submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. The application deadline is Friday, December 18th, or until the position is filled.

Wild Pansy Farm is excited to announce the launch of 'Simply Indiana', a ready-to-eat food line made by diversified, small-scale vegetable growers like you. In this, our first year, we are prioritizing produce purchases from farmers throughout Southern Indiana. We will use your veggies in salsas, dips, sauces, and soups that will be sold to institutions and select retail locations, opening up opportunities for us all to grow our farms while feeding our communities.

Simply Indiana is buying all kinds of produce in bushel and 20-pound quantities to produce weekly batches of ready-to-eat products. If you are growing anything from the below list, we want to hear from you! 

Broccoli
Garlic
Peppers
Cabbage
Greens
Snap beans
Cauliflower
Herbs (especially fennel)
Squash
Celery
Leeks
Tomatoes
Corn
Onions
​Tomatillos

We are also buying many other vegetables, so give us a call if you want to sell a variety not listed above.

Starting in June, we will be arranging weekly or bi-weekly pickups in your community. If you are interested in bulk produce sales, please reach out soon and we can begin arranging an order from your farm together.

Call or text Sean Cox: (202) 290-5042
Email: [email protected]

​Gleaning is harvesting leftover produce after a farmer has harvested their fields. The Southwest Indiana Area Gleaning Coordinator will assist the Program Coordinator with organizing and leading gleanings in Southwest Indiana, with emphasis on Vigo, Sullivan, and Knox Counties, for Society of St. Andrew.

The NW LFPA Value Chain Coordinator will be responsible for developing and managing the NW LFPA Food Corridor. The Coordinator will be responsible for the following primary activities:
1)providing/connecting farmers with the support and resources needed for market readiness,
2) assisting the Project with establishing a virtual food hub (growing into a future satellite hub) to aggregate farmer and food products;
3) collaborating with distributors to connect farmers to
local and regional retail and wholesale markets;
4) participating in the development and vetting of a regional collaborative business or network model that positions BIPOC SDFR’s in the corridor for financial viability.

As part of the SNAP-Ed team within the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA), this position facilitates the collaboration of food system partners to develop, support, and sustain projects and programs that further the goals for an equitable, vibrant, and resilient statewide food system. The incumbent will work closely with Purdue Extension (PEX) staff to further their capacity to implement SNAP-Ed programming, specifically their policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies. This will involve providing statewide leadership and support to PEX staff who support capacity building among school food authorities, communities, and farmers to expand access to local, fresh, and nutritious foods for limited resource populations in Indiana. The incumbent will provide leadership and execute deliverables across several statewide grants that support the goals of creating equitable food environments for limited resource Hoosiers. These grants include, but are not limited to, the USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) grant project (Partners IN Food), CDC COVID-19 Health Disparities grant (I-HOPE), USDA-AMS Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools (LFS) projects, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Farm to School Formula Grant, and others as appropriate. The incumbent will be responsible for supervisory duties for at least 3 positions and will manage interns on a rotating basis.
​

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
The Seed to Feed Director is a motivated individual responsible for overseeing all of the various aspects of Seed to Feed. This includes the planning, administrating, and evaluating of all the work that goes into maintenance of the gardens, cash crops, livestock, farmer/donor involvement, and educational programing. The Seed to Feed Director will offer oversight ​