Head Grower

LOCATION: Garden Organic, Ryton on Dunsmore

REPORTS TO: Steering Committee, South Warwickshire Local Food cic

HOURS/SALARY: 4 days per week summer, 3 days winter
£12.75 per hour.
£ 17046.75 per year.

The role is salaried and the grower is entitled to statutory holiday pay and pension.

To apply please write a covering letter with your CV to info@fiveacrefarm.org.uk.

We’re a friendly bunch so if you like more information feel free to email info@fiveacrefarm.org.uk and we’d be happy to answer your questions.

We would welcome applications before the deadline of 29th December 2025.

Overall purpose

Working with other staff and engaging volunteers to manage field operations for vegetable production at Five Acre Community Farm ensuring availability of seasonal, high quality and varied produce throughout the year for member vegetable shares.

Specific Duties

1. Be fully responsible for all aspects of care for the land and the growing and harvesting crops including: effective rotations, composting, fertility building, weed control, pest and disease management and mechanisation.
2. Work from and develop the cropping plan and sowing/planting schedule, alongside growers and steering committee members. Ensuring the share is as varied and has as even a quantity of produce as possible throughout the year.
3. Work within the standards of the Soil Association and attend annual inspections.
4. Work within the business plan approved by the steering group and in particular work within the growers budget and seek consensus with any co-workers/ steering group members concerning purchases.
5. Carry out other work such as infrastructural work and general maintenance work as required by the farm.
6. Be partly responsible for taking on and managing all aspects of casual/permanent staff including recruiting casual labour where necessary.
7. Arrange the activities for the thrice weekly work parties. Engaging and managing volunteers appropriately.
8. Liaise effectively with any co-workers regarding the weekly work schedule and help arrange and attend regular growers/steering committee meetings.
9. Liaise with local shops or other outlets when excess produce is available for sale.
10. Share the responsibility of guided farm tours with any co-workers.
11. Attend steering group meetings, and report on progress, set-backs and concerns as well as seek approval for any significant changes in working practices, and accommodate suggestions from the steering group and members at General Meetings when these are feasible and practical.
12. Uphold the principles and aims of the community supported scheme and be involved with the steering group in developing strategic plans for the CSA.
13. Oversight and ensuring implementation of Health & Safety policy in day to day running of the farm.

Other Conditions

• It is the nature of work at the CSA that tasks and responsibilities are, in many circumstances, unpredictable and varied. All staff are, therefore, expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises where tasks that are not specifically covered in the Job Description have to be undertaken.
• Certain work is required on specific days, including regular Saturdays, due to volunteer mornings and collection days. The main grower can also expect to work flexible hours throughout the year due to the seasonal nature of the work. The head grower would normally be responsible for finding people to cover necessary work while they are away.

Person Specification for Main Grower

Essential (E) or Desirable (D)

Education/Qualifications

• Basic horticultural or agricultural qualification (D)
• First Aid at Work (D)

Experience

• Two years practical work on organic farm or holding (E)
• Experience wide variety veg crops and growing from seed to harvest (E)
• Experience planning cropping schedules (D)
• Experience driving tractor and handling machinery (E)
• Experience polytunnel growing (D)
• Knowledge planning, preparing and using budgets (D)
• Knowledge organic standards and certification (D)
• Knowledge of marketing organic produce including box schemes (D)
• Knowledge about recruitment casual labour and requirements (D)

Personal Skills

• High level of interpersonal managerial skills to communicate effectively with people (on all levels) (E)
• Able to lead, manage and work as part of a team (E)
• Ability to work under minimal supervision and act on own initiative (E)
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and handle changing priorities (E)
• Ability to work with and manage volunteers (E)
• Committed to organic principles (E)
• Dynamic time management skills. Prioritizing and planning the farm tasks and adapting accordingly to the changing requirements. (E)
• Committed to CSA principles (E)
• A commitment to Equal Opportunities in all work places (E)

Miscellaneous

• Prepared to undertake occasional out of hours work (E)
• An appreciation of and commitment to Health and Safety issues in the workplace (E)

Download this job description as a PDF here: Head grower job description

Download an equality and diversity monitoring form here: Equality and diversity monitoring form

Download information about us here: Who we are document

For More Details Contact: Esther Reeves, Five Acre Community Farm, email info@fiveacrefarm.org.uk, tel: 02477 360361