Portland Edible Gardens: Home Garden Mentor

Portland OR

Description

Job Opportunity with Portland Edible Gardens Position Title: Home Garden Mentor (+Installation Assistant) Background: Portland Edible Gardens (www.portlandediblegardens.com) helps people grow their own organic food at their homes in the Portland metro area! We support our clients by building raised garden beds, and providing one-on-one garden mentorship and maintenance services. We work with a wide range of gardeners from total beginners to experienced growers supporting them with their unique set of needs and helping them meet their edible gardening goals. Job Description: Portland Edible Gardens is seeking a Home Garden Mentor to join our amazing team and to assist clients in growing organic vegetable gardens at their homes. The Home Garden Mentor will work one-on-one with clients throughout the growing season. This includes planting and tending their gardens, while also teaching clients about all aspects of organic vegetable production. The Home Garden Mentor will work with a group of clients that have monthly or bi-weekly appointments. During a garden visit, Home Garden Mentor will work with client to: assess growth of garden since last visit, maintain/harvest vegetables as needed, diagnose and treat any pest and disease presence using organic methods, discuss seasonally relevant topics, plant seeds and starts following client's planting plan, discuss what to expect in the garden until the next garden visit. Initially, the Home Garden Mentor will also spend 1-2 days/week working with our Installation Team installing raised garden beds for residential clients. Responsibilities will include: ground clearing/site preparation, grading/leveling, raised bed assembly, drip irrigation installation, installation of soil/mulch in garden area. This work will require occasional heavy lifting. As more clients are added to the schedule throughout the season, there is potential to spend an increasing percentage of hours (up to full hours), working in garden mentorship. This is a Part Time position: 24 hours/week with room for growth in hours. Job Responsibilities: - Communicate with PEG clients ahead of and following garden mentorship visits - Drive to clients' homes in greater Portland Metro Area - Plant seeds and vegetable starts following client's customized seasonal planting plan - Harvest vegetables with clients - Spring bed prep, pull old plants and mulch, dig in compost, turn on irrigation - Adjust drip irrigation systems according to anticipated weather - Instruct clients in organic vegetable gardening principles and techniques including: direct sowing, planting methods for seeds/starts, organic pest and disease identification/prevention/treatment/control, irrigation techniques for specific vegetables, drip irrigation, composting/cover cropping/mulching techniques, specialized care/maintenance for specific vegetables, fertilization and soil fertility management, harvest timing and methods and manual tillage techniques. - Maintain clear communication with PEG owner and Lead Home Garden Mentor regarding garden visits and clients' satisfaction levels - Document garden visit details in our shared system - Take photos for PEG social media accounts - Maintain tools and equipment weekly, shop for supplies/plant starts as needed - Miscellaneous office/administrative tasks Essential Qualities: - Must be highly organized, driven, and capable of managing wide range of tasks independently - Must demonstrate extensive (3+ years) professional experience and knowledge growing vegetables in pacific northwest using organic methods - Must demonstrate high level of interpersonal, social, and communication skills necessary to provide top level customer service and education to PEG clients - Ability to visit clients at their set monthly appointment times, and address rescheduling if needed - Must have clean driving record and reliable transportation capable of carrying vegetable starts and hand tools, (station wagon, pickup truck, or equivalent) - Must be comfortable with a wide range of people and skillful in adapting to different environments, making clients feel comfortable, supported, and successful - This job will require use of a personal vehicle. PEG will reimburse all mileage at the current standard compensation rate. Additional Preferred Skills: - Teaching experience - One-on-one client or customer service experience - Experience with physical labor - Garden design experience - Social media/marketing/design experience - Photography experience Compensation: $18-20/hr Depending on experience Benefits: Paid Sick Leave: Up to 40 hours per year. Begins accruing after 90 days of employment Health insurance: KP Oregon Standard Bronze Plan 50% paid by Employer Start Date: 2/7/2022 (during the month of February hours may vary depending on weather) How To Apply: E-mail a current resume and cover letter ***Please include 3 professional references with your application*** Application Timeline: We will begin to review applications and respond to qualified candidates as they are received. Applications received by January 15th will be prioritized Keywords: garden, organic, edible, sustainable, vegetable, landscape, landscaping, gardening, sustainability, veggie, horticulture