Sustainable Estate Gardener Job in MA

 

This family estate includes over 20 acres of woodland and formal gardens surrounding a historic estate located on a picturesque hilltop in Concord, MA. This is a special spot, a favorite haunt of Mr. Henry David Thoreau himself, and a unique opportunity for the ecologically minded gardener. The views from the gardens are some of the best in the Boston area. Our goal is to become an inspirational model for sustainable, productive landscapes on the home scale.  Already we produce a surplus of renewable energy power through solar, solar thermal and geo-thermal solutions.  More personally, we would like to provide a beautiful, educational environment for our friends, visitors, and family, especially our young children and their peers.  

 

We are looking for a person with gardening, land management, and facility upkeep skills to help develop and maintain our home gardens and transition our estate into an increasingly ecological and agriculturally productive landscape. The 2018 focus is establishing and running our annual gardens and establishing an on-site kitchen compost and landscape compost system. We are in need of a knowledgeable caretaker to manage production and perform daily gardening and landscape management tasks. We intend to direct excess production to charitable purposes and local farm stands.  

 

In addition to annual garden planning, maintenance and recordkeeping, daily tasks for the Sustainable Estate Gardener Job may include a wide variety of outdoor upkeep including, pruning, beekeeping, establishing mushroom log production, managing fruit tree care, repairing fencing and raised beds, mowing, mulching, harvesting, and maintaining the tennis court and a small network of walking trails. As we expand our agricultural endeavors this role will include responsibilities such as orchard and perennial vegetable establishment and maintenance, installation of water catchment systems, and the production of value added products for sale and home consumption. This person will also be involved in long-term garden and production planning, mediating our contract-based landscaping crews, and working with a team of ecological designers. 

 

This Sustainable Estate Gardener Job will be a full time (37.5 hr/week), 9-month position from March - November but may be extended to a 12-month position for a person with more facility management experience. This position requires the ability to work outdoors in all weather; to walk, stand, sit, bend over; and occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds, and to operate hand tools and light machinery.

 

The ideal candidate for the Sustainable Estate Gardener Job has these qualifications:

- Organized self-starter, with excellent communication skills

- Confidence in organic vegetable, small fruit, mushroom, and orchard management

- 3-5 years’ experience managing organic vegetable gardens

- Permaculture design certification

- Basic carpentry and plumbing skills

- Experience operating small tractor equipment

- Comfortable/interested in working with small children

- Personal vehicle, and lives within daily commuting distance of Concord, MA

 

Compensation:  $20 - $30/hour, commensurate with experience

 

Please send a letter of interest, resume, and three references to Kelly Escobedo at kelly@bluehaveninitiative.com. Position will remain open until filled.