Flower Farm Lead & Market Manager

Juniper Farm is looking for a skilled Farm Lead to become the owner's right hand on a small, intensively managed cut-flower farm in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley. The farm serves weddings, local markets, CSA customers, and wholesale outlets. This is not a desk-based manager position or a role built around delegating to a large crew. It is a high-ownership job on a tiny team for someone who wants to lead while remaining fully involved in planting, crop care, harvest, post-harvest work, and Sunday market sales. Field production • Carry out weekly plans for planting, bed preparation, weeding, trellising, and crop maintenance • Maintain quality across annual flowers, perennials, and foliage crops • Check irrigation throughout the day and recognize problems early • Monitor plant health, pest pressure, weather damage, and production timing • Prepare beds efficiently with the small-scale tools and systems used by the farm • Keep field areas, tools, and workspaces clean enough that the next task can begin without delay The Farm Lead works closely with Abby, the owner, farmer, and florist. Good communication matters because the position often works independently and needs to report what was completed, what changed, and what requires a decision. The lead may guide seasonal employees or volunteers, but success depends more on personal follow-through and sound judgment than on managing a large staff. Harvest and post-harvest quality Flowers must be cut at the correct stage, handled cleanly, hydrated promptly, and sorted to the stem-length and quality standards needed for each outlet. The lead prepares buckets, organizes cooler space, protects product quality, and loads flowers for deliveries, CSA distribution, weddings, and market. Attention to detail is essential because weak post-harvest handling can erase the value created during months of field work. Farmers-market responsibility Saturday includes harvest and preparation for the Sunday market. On Sunday, the Farm Lead sets up and runs the booth independently, represents Juniper Farm warmly and professionally, manages sales and customer conversations, tracks inventory, and records useful market notes. Applicants should be comfortable combining physical setup with customer service and accurate sales work. Qualifications Candidates should have one to three or more years of hands-on flower or vegetable farming experience. Flower production or floral design experience is helpful but not mandatory. Applicants need a valid driver's license, comfort with irrigation or the ability to learn quickly, capacity to lift 50 pounds, and readiness to work outside in difficult conditions. The farm values people who are punctual, efficient, observant, organized, comfortable alone for long stretches, and genuinely interested in soil, seasons, flowers, and craft. Schedule, pay, and season This is a full-time seasonal position, normally five days per week, including weekends. A typical rhythm uses Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as workdays, with Wednesday and Thursday off, although weather, crop needs, and weddings can change the plan. The season runs April through October with potential winter hours. Pay starts at $25 per hour and may be higher based on experience and responsibility. The farm also offers paid training, farm products, an option to grow a small personal area, and the possibility of expanded responsibility in a second year. How to apply Email juniperfarminfo@gmail.com with a resume and a thoughtful explanation of why this small-team flower-farm role interests you. Address your production experience, irrigation skills, weekend availability, independent work habits, and any background with cut flowers, post-harvest handling, markets, customers, or crew guidance.