Berry Farm, Orchard & Cidery Assistant

Little Hill Berry Farm is hiring for the Berry Farm, Orchard & Cidery Assistant position in Northfield, MN. This hands-on role supports the operation's day-to-day production and care work. Reliable execution and early communication matter because the work directly affects plants, animals, equipment, coworkers, customers, or the surrounding property. What you will do • Seed, transplant, cultivate, irrigate, harvest, wash, pack, and store crops according to the farm's plan and food-safety procedures. • Use and care for assigned hand tools, wash-pack equipment, carts, and field equipment within training. • Monitor crops and communicate pest, disease, water, weather, quality, or harvest-timing concerns promptly. • Plant, harvest, prune, train, and protect blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, orchard trees, and other perennial fruit while maintaining fencing and trellis systems at the two farms. • Support cider and wine production through pressing, bottling, cellar work, cleaning, material handling, and careful movement of fruit and finished products. • Move flexibly between field, production, and customer-service assignments because both farms sell directly on site and need staff to help where seasonal workload is highest. How the work fits together Farm priorities follow crop condition, weather, harvest commitments, and customer orders. The crew checks urgent irrigation and harvest needs first, then moves through field production, post-harvest handling, accurate packing, storage, and cleanup. Each employee's work affects both crop life and the quality customers receive. At Little Hill Berry Farm, the employer also makes these role-specific priorities clear: Plant, harvest, prune, train, and protect blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, orchard trees, and other perennial fruit while maintaining fencing and trellis systems at the two farms. Support cider and wine production through pressing, bottling, cellar work, cleaning, material handling, and careful movement of fruit and finished products. Move flexibly between field, production, and customer-service assignments because both farms sell directly on site and need staff to help where seasonal workload is highest. What the employer is looking for • Prior farming experience is not required, but applicants must work hard, learn quickly, think flexibly, interact positively, and be prepared to divide their time and attention between two neighboring operations. • Ability to lift more than 45 pounds, work long days in all kinds of weather, accept some weekend work, and remain flexible about the worksite and assignment. • Dependable attendance, direct communication, and willingness to follow the employer's safety, quality, and customer- or production-care procedures. • Ability to complete the role's active, in-person work and to ask for instruction before using unfamiliar tools, equipment, products, or animal-handling methods. Schedule, conditions, and compensation From April through December, this is a full-time position working five days and about 40 hours per week, with some weekends and approximately half the time at each farm. From January through March, the employee works two or three days per week at Keepsake Cidery. Starting pay is $18 per hour, increasing to $20 per hour after a one-month trial. Applicants should confirm the current start date, regular days, mileage or travel expectations between farms, and winter hours during the interview. The employer publishes $18–$20 per hour. Applicants should confirm the final hours, overtime treatment, starting assignment, travel or reporting point, supplied equipment, and benefit eligibility directly with the employer before accepting an offer. This is an in-person agricultural production position with a small operation. Daily priorities can change with weather, plant or animal condition, equipment availability, customer schedules, and the season. The successful person should arrive ready to work, communicate early when a task or condition is unclear, follow the employer's safety and quality procedures, and leave tools, vehicles, production areas, and job sites secure and ready for the next shift. Applicants should expect active work that may include long periods of standing or walking, bending, lifting, repetitive hand tasks, noise, dust, mud, pollen, heat, cold, rain, or work around moving equipment. The exact physical demands differ by assignment. Candidates should discuss any accommodation needs with the employer and confirm the final schedule, overtime treatment, training period, travel expectations, and benefit eligibility before accepting an offer. Only compensation and benefits expressly published by the employer are included here; unpublished terms have not been estimated. How to apply Send one letter of interest, resume, and three reference contacts to both keepsakecidery@gmail.com and aaron@littlehillberryfarm.com. Include contact details, work and leadership experience, farming goals, physical ability, start date, planned time away, and why the joint role interests you.