Grower

**Opportunity for a HEAD GROWER to set up a CSA Market Garden in Hereford**

We are offering a fantastic opportunity for an experienced agroecological/organic grower to assist Growing Local to establish a new 16 acre CSA market garden within walking distance of Hereford City.

The market garden forms part of the development of The Southside Project transforming 35 acres of green space on the edge of the city into a vibrant community destination with sports pitches, gardens and a community hub learning space. The project is funded by Hereford’s Stronger Towns Fund.

If you are someone looking for a long-term new and exciting project to lead on, and have prior experience of setting up a market garden, or the skill set, growing experience and resources to be able to do so, then please do get in touch. We require a minimum of four years market garden growing experience and a passionate commitment to agroecological growing and the principles of community supported agriculture.

**PROJECT OVERVIEW**

Hereford Community Market Garden is being established as a Community Supported Agriculture garden (CSA), to enable local people to have access to land and to share in the joys, risks and challenges of growing food. This is a unique opportunity to build a market garden using environmentally sustainable methods of food growing to enhance the environment, local food production and to work with the local community of Hereford.

The market garden will comprise of three fields over a 16 acre site. The site has a superb south/ southeast aspect and looks out to rural Herefordshire, yet is situated on the edge of the city of Hereford at the end of a well used cycle and pedestrian pathway. Onsite will be four polytunnels, a large packing/store shed and an orchard area. There will be weekly volunteer days and regular family Saturday sessions to fully engage the community of Hereford.

The market garden forms part of the Growing Local Gardens project. The wider project includes the development of a childrens educational garden and a community hub building featuring a field to fork cook school and teaching space, community cafe and farm shop.

Growing Local CIC was established in 2009 to connect the local community with the land and offers a range of land, gardening and food based education. Until recently it operated a veg box scheme and a children’s educational garden on a local farm and continues to work with children, families and adults on food education and community cook events. The acquisition of this new site is an exciting and dynamic expansion of the organisation.

Growing Local aspire to champion a collaborative work culture of mutual responsibility, trust, sharing of skills and the facilitating of improved work/life balance.

**ROLE REQUIREMENTS: (the role will evolve over time once the garden is established)**

The grower will be responsible for the planning, marketing, production and delivery of CSA fruit and vegetables. 2023 will be used to establish the garden and develop the site ready for a full growing season in 2024. The market garden will need to fully support itself by 2025 through the production of its weekly crop shares.

**The First Year**:

- Assisting in designing the market garden
- Assisting in the procurement of key garden items - polytunnels, irrigation systems, packing/ store shed, tractor
- Developing and establishing the garden infrastructure ready for a small amount of overwinter growing in 2023 and approximately 130 crop shares in 2024. Full capacity 200+ crop shares will need to be reached as soon as possible, plus produce supply for the farm shop, cafe and cook school when operational

**Ongoing**:

- Market garden planning, multi-crop production, harvesting and managing the packing of vegetables ready for collection or delivery
- Ordering supplies i.e seed orders and new equipment in accordance with the market garden budget. Maintaining equipment in good working order
- Managing rotation systems and building soil fertility
- Assisting in running a weekly volunteer session and a monthly family volunteer session with community members. Initially the garden will be developed with more frequent volunteer days
- Assisting in the recruitment of an additional grower as and when required
- Recruitment and management of apprenticeships as and when required
- Ensuring Health and Safety practices are in place and being followed and documented
- Work with the Educational Team from time to time on schools, childrens, adults and family educational workshops and events
- Work with the Project Manager, Educational Team and Growing Local Directors providing regular updates on the market garden, attending regular meetings
- Assisting in planning and delivering market garden seasonal events, fundraisers and open days
- Regular review of operations, identifying successes and where improvements/changes are needed, reviewing finances and identifying areas for investment and budgeting

The role will be suppor