Historic District Development Corporation (HDDC) is looking to hire two (2) part-time Farm Managers for an upcoming Sweet Auburn-based Urban Agriculture pilot of the Sweet Auburn Green & Equitable initiative. This pilot includes two to three garden sites that will be comanaged by two skilled and passionate Farm Managers in close collaboration with Sweet Auburn neighbors.
The ideal candidates will have experience in sustainable and regenerative farming practices, community engagement, and/or garden-based program development. The selected Farm Managers will be responsible for co-leading the design, implementation, and maintenance of a micro ecosystem of connected, climate-resilient gardens that support regenerative and organic food justice within the Sweet Auburn community. It is likely that one farmer may be more skilled in land and food cultivation, while the other farmer focuses on community engagement. Both will work closely with local residents, farmers, business owners, organizations, and the HDDC Program Director to increase access to fresh produce and foster community-led garden programming. Currently, these positions are funded for one year with the goal to secure additional funding pending pilot success.
HDDC’s mission and vision is to passionately set the standard for strengthening, revitalizing, and preserving the identify and history of our communities through equitable and inclusive development by creating the standard for how a historic community preserves its cultural integrity and maintains and equitable quality of life. We believe in non-displacement and place making/setting, historic preservation, and sustainability.
Responsibilities:
● Co-design and implement a micro-ecosystem of connected gardens that support regenerative, culturally relevant, and organic food justice within the Sweet Auburn community.
● Lead the maintenance of the gardens, including planting, harvesting, recordkeeping, budgeting, and crop rotation.
● Collaborate with local residents, farmers, business owners, and organizations to increase access to fresh produce and enhance community connectivity.
● Foster community-led garden programming which may include (but not limited to): launching pop-up farmers’ markets, oral and digital storytelling, and celebrating Black foodways through farm-to-table tastings with neighborhood chefs and home cooks.
● Host garden-based events that facilitate intergenerational neighborhood dialogue about urban agriculture, health and wellness, and the larger SAGE initiative.
● Collaborate with agri-food related- neighborhood organizations to reduce food work redundancies and maximize pilot potential.
● Explore and foster new farm-to-table relationships with local restaurants.
● Create a long-term partnership with Sweet Auburn Market to increase access to fresh produce and promote sustainable food practices.
DESIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
● An agricultural or horticulture degree in an accredited program or a minimum of two years of agricultural experience on a sustainable vegetable production farm.
● Capacity to physically work outdoors for long periods of time, in variable conditions; can lift 50 lbs.
● Demonstrated experience working with various communities, prioritizing racial equity and inclusion, and aiming to create safe spaces for all.
● Capacity to manage other employees/groups to succeed at various tasks.
● Experience or capacity to create and enact dynamic educational programming.
● Strong organizational skills including multi-tasking, prioritizing, planning, followthrough, and effective time management.
● Self-motivated and able to work both independently and collaboratively.
● Ability to speak in front of groups of people.
● Aims to maintain a positive attitude and encourage crew members - farming is hard work, generally made easier by laughter!
● Engages in clear communication - looking to address and resolve issues of all kinds when they arise.
● Punctuality and flexible availability - potential for working some evenings or weekends.
● Willingness to engage compassionately and nonviolently with all community members, in particular, the unhoused neighbors in Sweet Auburn.
● Passion for helping develop a more sustainable and just local food system.
● Knowledge of community resources available to low-income areas regarding nutrition and gardening/farming
● Ability to understand and empathize with the needs and concerns of others; ability to establish rapport with stakeholders.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee may also be asked to perform other reasonably related job duties as assigned. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed. Please submit your resume and any questions to April Campbell: acampbell@hddc.org.