We grow organic produce at Hawkwood, our 12 acre community market garden and plant nursery, and distribute it to our own market stalls, box scheme and local restaurants. In 2015 we produced over 1.7 tonnes of salad leaves, featuring 97 different varieties of leaf.
We believe that more food should be grown organically and locally, and yet we cannot meet the demand, notably for salad. As part of our Farm Start programme of supporting new entrants into organic farming, we are looking for two people to assist with, and learn about commercial salad growing; to progress to managing their own salad rotations at Hawkwood, before graduating to their own site. OrganicLea is committed to supporting them in finding an appropriate site, and providing them with growing, marketing and next-steps support throughout the process, and for the first year of running their own salad growing enterprise.
This placement will suit someone looking to develop a food growing enterprise in East London.
Deadline for applications: 5 pm on Friday 5th February
Interview date: Wednesday 10th February
To apply: Please send a CV or employment (and volunteering) history and covering letter detailing how you meet the person specification and why you want this post to ru@organiclea.org.uk. For more information about this role please call Ru on 020 8524 4994.
Details of the role
Unpaid voluntary role
Travel expenses can be reimbursed for up to £5 per day
A seasonal, vegan, organic lunch will be provided on Wednesdays
Dates: Tuesday 1 March – Tuesday 22 November 2016
Time commitment: 1.5 days per week (Tues and Weds) until mid-June; 1 day pw mid June onwards, with optional extra ½ – 1 day.
Hours: Tuesdays from 9.00am – 5.00pm and Wednesdays 9.00am – 1.00pm
Based at: Hawkwood Community Plant Nursery
Supported by and responsible to:OrganicLea’s Production Support Worker
Main objectives
To learn about and assist with all aspects of propagation in the glasshouses
To learn about and assist with all aspects of planting and maintaining the salad growing areas of the Hawkwood site
To assist with harvesting and preparing produce in accordance with the needs of the OrganicLea stall, box scheme or other independent outlets
To provide support for the vegetable production at Hawkwood
To gain the necessary skills, confidence, contacts and support to run a successful salad growing enterprise in East London
graduating to managing a salad area, and with consultation, making decisions about the planting, maintenance and harvest schedule.
Main Activities
Growing
Formulating propagation media
Raising plants from seed
Irrigation
Preparing ground, planting and maintaining salad crops, green manures and companion plants
Organic weed, pest and disease management
Harvesting schedules and techniques
Winterising salad beds
Undertake other activities in support of OrganicLea, as appropriate
Harvesting
Cutting/picking produce to the agreed methods, ensuring quality control
Preparing produce according to ‘product descriptions’
Weighing, packaging, sealing, labelling and organising dispatch
Person Specification
Essential
Interest in sustainable food production and the desire to put that interest into practice
Some experience of growing
Happy to work mainly outdoors throughout the year
Ability to carry out shared tasks and work within a team
Ability to work on own initiative, prioritise tasks and work to deadlines
Commitment to and understanding of the aims of OrganicLea
Organiclea Community Growers ‘Food growing on London’s edge’
www.organiclea.org.uk 020 8524 4994 (Hawkwood Plant Nursery site)
020 8558 6880 (Hornbeam Centre)
GROW and LEARN: Hawkwood Plant Nursery, 115 Hawkwood Crescent, Chingford E4 7UH
Volunteering Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
Open day last Sunday of the month.
Support local food production, get skilled and receive food growing advice, training and project support.
COOK and EAT:
Join our box scheme for fresh, local fruit and veg.
Enjoy local produce cooked for you in the Hornbeam Cafe (Tuesday – Saturday 10-5) and visit our Saturday market stall here, 10-3. Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe St, Walthamstow E17 9AH
Comments