To be a successful Champlain Peony Company farming associate a candidate must have a passion for outdoor work in all weather conditions and enjoy the challenges of crop maintenance year-round. The FA is essential to our horticultural success, and despite the seasonal nature of the crops we harvest, work continues throughout the year. The Company’s FAs are truly the stewards of each plant they tend and their positive attitude and stamina for painstaking care and nurturing of the plants is paramount to sustaining this venture. Because the FA is often the first person a visiting customer or client sees and interacts with, they are integral to the customer care we stake our reputation on. The FA reports directly to the Supervising HG
Responsibilities of the FA:
- Safety is your primary responsibility, both for yourself and for others;
- Learning the care and cultural requirements of the crop material they are assigned to work with;
- Performing manual and machine-enhanced tasks as assigned by their supervisor to promote optimal crop success;
- Operating heavy equipment to prepare for planting, cultivation, harvesting, or other season care;
- Planting seeds, bulbs, roots and potted plants with sufficient expertise to ensure proper growth;
- Maintaining crops by mulching, weeding, watering, fertilizing, applying IPM measures, protecting from the elements, harvesting, and winterizing;
- Expediently moving freshly-cut plant materials to staging areas in preparation for cold storage;
- Lifting and moving bulky materials;
- Facilitating repairs and maintenance of buildings and structures, irrigation systems, roads and byways, and other facilities infrastructure;
- Informing the HS of the conditions of each crop they work with and being able to recognize potential conditions that may negatively impact production;
- Ensuring all tools and equipment used during a shift are cleaned and in good repair, stored, and accounted for at the end of each shift;
- Engaging the public on topics within their field of expertise, referring clients to others more suited to engaging their needs, or assisting in making a plan to address a client’s inquiry at a later time;
- Assisting any customer who is in need by focusing attention, expertise, and genuine interest in our products and services to facilitate a positive transaction;
- Carrying out the goals of their supervisor by prioritizing and multi-tasking projects to achieve continuity of production and business functions.
