Job Vacancy: Head Grower, full or part-time, to commence from mid-July 2026 or later.
Forbidden Fruit and Veg is a 1.7 acre Market Garden which includes outdoor beds, an orchard, six polytunnels, and a small greenhouse in a walled garden with a packing shed nearby, and about 35 chickens. We sell wholesale to a local pub, shops in Bristol, 2 farmers’ markets, an honesty-box kiosk, and via delivered and collected veg boxes.
Due to the present head grower leaving on July 19th, we ask the head grower, who will be supported by the present experienced trainee, to commit to at least 5 months with the option to renew if both parties agree.
The engagement will be to manage the market garden and provide leadership and support to the trainee and volunteers (woofers).
The candidate(s) must have at least two years’ experience of organic/agroecological growing, preferably in a commercial setting, with a strong theoretical and practical experience in edible horticulture. A full, current driving licence is required. The freelance salary will be £90 per 7-hour day. Days worked will be 5 days per week.
We are willing to offer a full-time head grower a bonus of 75% of end of year profits made by the business.
For a full-time head grower we offer free accommodation and free organic food prepared in my house in a rota by the head grower, woofers and the trainee. You will be able to choose between a room in my 6-bed house, or a room in a detached 5-bedroom house 120 m across the quiet road (with a contribution towards your share of utilities) shared with the community of woofers and the trainee.
- Interviews: immediately
- Job starting date: 13th July
Annual planning:
- Rotation
- Cropping plan
- Sowing plan
- Infrastructure plan
Purchasing:
- Seed order
- Equipment & tools
- Consumables
Practical work:
- Crop production
- Harvesting
- Sowing and plant raising
- Infrastructure, maintenance and repair
Routine admin:
- Recruiting and managing Wwoofers
- Sales lists: collating and distributing by email, updating web lists, box planning
- Prepping pick lists
- Processing Ooooby sales (boxes & others)
- Enquiries
- Ordering bought-in veg
Promotion & publicity:
- Social media
- Stalls
Packhouse work:
- Packing
- Deliveries (organising drivers)
Human Resources:
- Trainee mentoring
The Market Garden head grower will:
- Work with the trainee and woofers to attend to all aspects of care for the land and the production of crops, including soil preparation, sowing, planting, weeding, harvesting, pest and disease management, compost production.
- Work with the trainee and woofers in packing and organising delivery of wholesale and individual orders around the local area.
- Work with the trainee and woofers to carry out infrastructural work and general maintenance;
- Be flexible in working hours to suit the needs of the garden where necessary, such as early starts on busy harvesting mornings, and helping cover routine duties for example on the weekend watering / tunnel-opening rota with irregular work will be prearranged according to need and availability;
- Work flexible hours throughout the year due to the seasonal nature of thework;
- Help promote and market the business such as helping run stalls at local events;
Application information
To apply, email your CV and cover letter, or any queries to tracy@tracyworcester.org.uk and forbiddenfruitandveg@gmail.com
Tracy Worcester
Director, Farms not Factories and Forbidden Fruit and Veg
Mob: 078 909 717 21
The Cottage, Kennel Drive
Badminton, South Glos
GL9 1DJ
About Forbidden Fruit & Veg
Forbidden Fruit and Veg was established in 2021 in a 1.7 acre walled garden, built by the Victorians to feed Badminton House and the wider estate. The market garden is run by the Head Grower, supported by ‘live-in’ project WWOOFers and volunteers. The garden has 6 large poly-tunnels and a small greenhouse and supplies veg to local markets, farm shops and businesses, as well as running a veg box scheme and honesty stall.