Assistant Farmer

Summer Creek Farm is hiring for the Assistant Farmer position in Thurmont, MD. 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. • Load and run the soil-less growing-medium mixing process, then bag, label, stack, and palletize finished products while keeping accurate mixing records and clean equipment and floors. • Install and remove stakes and irrigation, dig post holes, repair greenhouses, high tunnels, machinery, tools, and supplies, and operate farm machinery only after training and authorization. • Plant, harvest, and prepare organic vegetables for sale; support production planning and scheduling; and help organize, train, or supervise interns and farm workers as responsibility develops. 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 Summer Creek Farm, the employer also makes these role-specific priorities clear: Load and run the soil-less growing-medium mixing process, then bag, label, stack, and palletize finished products while keeping accurate mixing records and clean equipment and floors. Install and remove stakes and irrigation, dig post holes, repair greenhouses, high tunnels, machinery, tools, and supplies, and operate farm machinery only after training and authorization. Plant, harvest, and prepare organic vegetables for sale; support production planning and scheduling; and help organize, train, or supervise interns and farm workers as responsibility develops. What the employer is looking for • At least some experience in machine mixing, crop farming, or a greenhouse environment, plus basic knowledge of organic vegetable production and soil science; equipment, machinery, and hand-tool proficiency is preferred. • Must be at least 18, hold a current driver's license, communicate in English, follow organic and management practices, climb ladders, use common farm tools, and lift up to 60 pounds on uneven indoor and outdoor surfaces. • 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 This is year-round work, typically Monday through Friday with at least six hours per day and longer days as the season progresses. Workday timing varies by season. Wages are hourly and commensurate with experience, but the employer does not publish a numeric range. The position document does not list housing, paid leave, insurance, or other conventional benefits. The job reports to the farmer-owner at 15209 Mud College Road in Thurmont. The employer does not publish a numeric wage range on this page, so no compensation has been estimated. 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 Email a resume and any supporting information relevant to farming, greenhouse work, mixing, machinery, tools, or supervision to farmer@summercreekfarm.com. Identify the Assistant Farmer position in your message.