Seasonal Farm Crew

oak spring garden foundation is now accepting applications for three full-time seasonal farm crew members to work on our biocultural conservation farm. These positions will begin early march 2026 through november 2026.
application review will begin early january, so interested applicants are encouraged to apply early.

the selected individuals will work at the oak spring garden foundation’s biocultural conservation farm (bccf) to assist with the production of vegetables to be used on‑site for our small community supported agriculture (csa), and to be donated to local food banks. These positions are ideally suited to those with a passion for food and farming and who are looking to gain hands‑on experience with small‑scale, ecological farming practices.

Previous experience working on a farm for this position is preferred but not required.

schedule:

full‑time (40 hours/week) with some weekend and evening hours to begin in early march 2026 and end in november 2026

pay rate:

$20/hour; paid holidays and approximately one week of pto provided

please note – preference will be given to local candidates who do not require onsite accommodation. However, if housing is available at the time of hire, it may be an option for non‑local candidates.

location:

upperville, va; the oak spring estate is located in rural northern virginia, 15 minutes from the nearest town and approximately 1 hour west of dc.

to apply:

applicants are encouraged to apply early as we will begin reviewing applications in early january. to apply, please email a resume and cover letter to hr (link sends e‑mail) with the subject line “bccf 2026 farm crew”. Please describe your experience with farming/agriculture, what this position would mean to you and your future goals.

please note – applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

the 700‑acre oak spring estate is located in upperville, va – which is nestled in the virginia piedmont, between the blue ridge and bull run mountains. The foundation’s mission is to support fresh thinking and bold action on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens, and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well‑being. Our biocultural conservation farm (bccf) plays an important role in fulfilling this mission.

Established in spring of 2019, the bccf’s current objectives are rooted in food production, conservation and education.

to date, the bccf has donated more than 160,000 lbs of fresh produce to several food banks and initiatives in our community. Additionally, we run a small csa program over 24‑weeks from may‑november in which customers pick‑up a curated share of fresh vegetables once a week on the farm. The bccf also works closely with our onsite chef to provide our visiting artists and scholars in residence, as well as short course and workshop guests, with access to produce grown on the farm during their stays here.

due to our unique geographical location and the agro‑biodiversity and cultural foodways that exist within this region, we are very interested in growing and preserving heirloom crops that have a cultural and historical significance. In addition to the high‑intensity, ecologically grown vegetable production on the farm, we also have several plots dedicated to production of seed as well as plants used by humans for natural dyeing, paper making, fiber, medicine, and more.

Most of the work week is focused on intensive annual food production, however, farm crew should expect to spend a small portion of their time in the seed saving/natural dye/fiber/medicinal herb gardens – harvesting and processing materials, planting, weeding, etc.

although our original goals for the bccf were deeply rooted in shaping a farm around biocultural conservation, we felt strongly about meeting the needs of helping to feed our community first and foremost. The covid pandemic highlighted these needs in ways that we could not have originally planned, so the bccf pivoted and has focused primarily on building our production‑based systems to focus on increasing annual donations to our local food banks and pantries.

The bccf has…