Farmyard Educator with Land's Sake

Organizational Overview:
Founded in 1980, Land's Sake is a nonprofit community farm whose mission is connecting people to the land to build community and inspire lifelong stewardship.  We grow fresh produce using organic practices, sell our produce through our CSA and at our Farmstand, and donate at least 20% of what we grow to local hunger relief organizations.  Our education department provides a wide variety of year-round farm education programming for all ages, from after school programs and school field trips to community events and summer programs. Throughout all that we offer, we seek to create positive outdoor experiences. To learn more about this unique nonprofit, please visit: www.landssake.org.
Open Farmyard Program:
Open Farmyard is a free, drop-in program for young children and their caregivers at Land’s Sake Farm.  It targeted specifically for youth ages 3 - 7 years old, but all ages are welcome!  Open Farmyard runs on Thursday afternoons from 3:00 - 5:00 pm and on Saturday mornings from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm during the 20 weeks that our CSA is open from June through October.  Open Farmyard engages young children in life on the farm through activities such as planting, harvesting, and eating food from the Education Garden, visiting farm animals, nature crafts, storytime, and other seasonal activities.
Farmyard Educator Position Summary:
The Farmyard Educator’s primary goal is to deliver high quality educational programs for the Saturday Open Farmyard program.  Each Saturday for 20 weeks, they will lead groups of young children (with their caregivers present) in a variety of introductory farm education activities.  Examples of activities include: planting seeds, weeding beds, watering plants, and harvesting vegetables in the Education Garden; meeting and feeding the farm animals; and nature crafts and stories.  As a drop-in program, the number of participants in Open Farmyard could vary from 2 to 30 participants at any given time, so it is essential that the Farmyard Educator is flexible, welcoming, and enthusiastic!
The Education Manager will communicate with the Farmyard Educator weekly to let them know what changes have taken place week by week in the Education Garden as the growing season progresses, and the Farmyard Educator will use that information to plan and implement two hours of activities and programming.  The Farmyard Educator works collaboratively with other staff to effectively manage the inherent risks of working on a farm, maintain our unique farm aesthetic, and teach and follow best management practices for sustainable food production.
The core hours of this position are Saturdays from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm.  The ideal candidate would also be available to work occasional additional weekend hours to help lead other farm education programs, such as birthday parties, farm tours for visiting groups, and/or farm events.
Sometimes the Saturday Open Farmyard may be cancelled due to weather.  The Education Manager and Farmyard Educator work together to make that decision.

This is a seasonal, part-time, at-will position and will be supervised by the Education Manager.
Responsibilities:
● Plan and lead the Saturday Open Farmyard program at Land’s Sake for 20 weeks from June 8 through October 19, 2019. 
● Create safe and fun opportunities for outdoor exploration and active play.
● Communicate effectively with Open Farmyard participants, fellow staff members in all farm departments, farm visitors, and parents/caregivers of participants
● Gather weekly feedback from participants and caregivers
● Help with social media updates as needed
● Assist with management of the Education Garden
● Assist with management of a variety of livestock (chickens, rabbits, sheep, and goats)
● Assist with other related farm or education tasks as needed
● Work with children of all genders, from diverse cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and from diverse family structures
● Create a physically and emotionally safe and inclusive space for summer program participants and fellow staff
● Optional: Lead other weekend farm education programs if interested in more hours, such as birthday parties, farm tours for visiting groups, and/or helping with farm events

Qualifications:
Above all, must enjoy working with kids and being outdoors! But also must:
● Be available to work Saturdays from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm from June 8, 2019 through October 19, 2019
● Have experience teaching at a camp, school, after school program, or other youth program
● Have some sort of hands-on gardening or farming experience
● Be comfortable working outdoors in all weather
● Be comfortable working with a variety of farm animals
● Have the ability to remain calm, patient, and upbeat around groups of energetic children
● Have professional character that is consistent, responsible, self directed, well organized, flexible, personable, and is able to maintain composure and a sense of humor in a changing environment
● Be comfortable with public speaking and networking
● Have effective written and verbal communication skills
● Have access to a car and valid driver’s license
● Be able to pass CORI / SORI check
● Hold current First Aid and CPR certifications valid from June 17 - August 23, 2019
● Knowledge of second language a plus
Essential Functions:
● Must be able to maintain visual and auditory awareness of a group
● Must be able to negotiate various types of terrain on the farm and in the
forest
● Must be able to communicate (both written and verbal) clearly and effectively
with staff, participants, and other constituents
● Must be able to lift and carry up to fifty pounds

Salary & Benefits:
● Salary: $13/hour
● Free organic produce and flowers grown on the farm
● Paid sick time, in accordance with MA law

Equal Opportunity Policy:
Land’s Sake is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a multicultural organization. Diversity and inclusion is an ongoing organizational practice and a core value of Land’s Sake, with the goal of having culturally competent services, materials, resources and programs. Our hiring practices are informed by an appreciation of the strengths offered by differing cultures, races, religions, ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, physical capacities, and age groups.
To Apply:
Please email a resume and cover letter, detailing how your skills and experience
meet the qualifications of this position and stating how you heard about this
opportunity to education@landssake.org. Deadline: March 31st, 2019.