About Heckfield Estates
The Heckfield estate, set across 438 acres, contains a certified biodynamic market garden, organic farm, woodlands, ornamental gardens, and pleasure grounds. The market garden and farm, known as Heckfield Home Farm, grows produce and flowers for its sister companies Heckfield Place, Spring, and Wildsmith Skin, along with produce sales held on the farm. The mixed livestock and arable farm is home to a herd of beef cattle, flocks of sheep, saddleback pigs, hens, and a dairy herd of Guernsey cows, whose milk is processed on site in the dairy processing unit.
Heckfield Estates provides a range of services within its wider Group, offering opportunities to work across the following areas:
- Food and flower growing
- Gardening and arboriculture
- Warehousing and logistics
- Project management
- Grounds maintenance
- Facilities maintenance
- Safety and security
- Office management and administration
Heckfield Estates partners with local schools and community organisations, welcoming learners of all ages to explore the farm, understand sustainable agriculture, reconnect with nature, and discover the numerous career paths in this sector.
Working with FuturePlus to further their practices around sustainability, Heckfield Estates has implemented many policies and initiatives to improve their sustainability and impact in the community. FuturePlus provides a framework for sustainable growth, managing and measuring sustainability scores in five key themes: Climate; Diversity and Inclusion; Social; Economic; and Environment.
We are now looking for a Market Gardener to join our growing team. We grow a wide and interesting range of seasonal flowers, vegetables and fruit providing the two restaurants at Heckfield with delicious ingredients. The many stems of beautiful flowers adorn the rooms and dining areas of the hotel throughout the year. We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for growing exceptional produce, someone with an understanding of horticultural practices and is interested in following our organic and biodynamic approach. Some previous experience in a similar position is required.
This is a physical role based outdoors throughout the seasons therefore the ideal candidate must be comfortable working in all weather conditions and be physically fit.
Some of the duties you will be involved in will include:
- Contributing to the development and maintenance of crops
- Strimming and mowing and keeping the Market Garden tidy, so it can be enjoyed be the hotel guests
- Helping out at our bi monthly produce sale from time to time. Usually once a month.
- Planting and aftercare of crops
- Ground preparation
- Propagation from seed, cuttings or division
- Harvesting, cleaning and packing
- Operating machinery (where required & if trained/certified to do so) Training can be provided
Only candidates with the Right to Work in the UK should apply.
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £30,011.63 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid volunteer time
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Hook RG27 8LT: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Growing: 1 year (preferred)
Work Location: In person
