Floral Harvest and Pack-Out Manager

Harvest & Pack-Out Manager

About UsTreadlight Farm (est. 2015) is a certified-organic cut-flower farm and native plant plug nursery operating on 20 acres of fields at the Arrowhead Agricultural Center in Kerhonkson, NY. We grow annual, biennial, and perennial plants in our fields and greenhouses and sell cut flowers and nursery stock from March through November to wholesale customers in the Hudson Valley, Westchester and NYC.

At Treadlight Farm, we take pride in our work and believe in the responsible production of ornamental plants.

Among our highest priorities are working in ways that minimize our environmental impact, and maintaining a positive, constructive, and comfortable work environment. We value honesty, clear communication, a can-do spirit, and intellectual interest in all things plant-related. We believe that every task and every team member is important, and that every job is worth doing well.

Job Description

The harvest & pack-out manager is a Full Time, seasonal position from March through November, with the possibility of part-time, non-harvest work in the winter and low-sales months. Their role during these months is to harvest and pack out as many cut-flower bunches as possible while ensuring high quality standards.

The harvest manager coordinates the harvesting, processing and packing out of our cut-flower products from greenhouses, perennial fields, and annual and biennial fields. They work independently at times, and frequently lead a team of up to eight harvesters in our busiest months, most of whom will require training or retraining by the harvest manager. The harvest manager communicates frequently with the general managers to make decisions prior to and during harvests as conditions dictate. They have strong communication skills, are well organized, and have a drive to work quickly and efficiently.

Candidates who do not meet all of the necessary qualifications may be offered a position as an Assistant Harvest & Pack-Out Manager, beginning with a lower wage but with the goal of training into the manager’s position over time.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate Harvesting
• Scout for crop readiness
• Assess and assemble harvest materials as needed (sleeves, wrapping paper, sharpies, rubber bands, buckets)
• Perform or delegate bucket cleaning
• Delegate tasks to harvesters
• Lead by example in terms of harvest pace and quality
• Oversee the quality and pace of other harvesters, providing feedback as needed.
• Train and retrain less experienced harvesters
• Keep harvest records as per established systems
• Ensure timely transportation from harvest areas to cold storage
• Organize cold storage area for deliveries
• Pack out orders and lead crew in processing and packing out
• Keep an organized and clean processing area
• Check periodically to ensure crew members are maintaining quality and efficiency standards.
• Double check orders for completeness
• Maintain a calm, positive attitude through a physically tiring and often fast-paced work environment.

Qualifications

• Have a driver’s license, and reliable transportation to/from work
• At least two seasons of harvesting cut-flowers at production scale, or similar experience.
• Familiarity with common cut-flower crops and varieties.
• Knowledge of industry quality standards.
• Knowledge of harvest and post-harvest best practices, including harvest stage.
• Ability to harvest quickly, all day long, and in all weather conditions (providing they are safe to work in).
• We do not arrange flowers or make bouquets - bouquet-making experience is not a qualification we seek.

Compensation/Benefits

• $23-24/hour, DOE.
• Half-hour paid lunch
• Year-end bonus in profitable years (as % of total hours worked)
• One week paid vacation (to be taken from December through March)
• Free flowers
• Space to grow food crops for personal consumption outside of work hours.

Job Types: Full-time, Seasonal

Pay: $23.00 - $24.00 per hour

Expected hours: 24 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed
• Year round work

Ability to Commute:

• Kerhonkson, NY 12446 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Kerhonkson, NY 12446: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $23 - $24