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Grower - Kitchen Gardener

Employer
Mount St John Estate
Location
North Yorkshire
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
22 Feb 2020

A really exciting opportunity has arisen for an entry level hands-on kitchen gardener at a privately-owned historic estate in North Yorkshire, which supplies vegetables and fruits to an internal group of award winning Provenance Inns restaurants.

Our walled kitchen garden was restored and brought back to life and in 2004, together with a beautiful cut flower garden. World renowned landscape architect Tom Stuart Smith was then commissioned to redesign the gardens and grounds surrounding the main house. This design now creates a contemporary terraced setting for the eighteenth century house and newly built wing. A large part of the design was completed in 2006 with the valley garden construction and planting commencing soon after and the garden and landscape continues to grow, expand and improve year on year.

Our friendly and highly skilled garden team are collectively responsible for all aspects of the maintenance and improvement of the gardens and work to the highest horticultural standards.

In the hands-on position, the new kitchen gardener will be responsible for productive growing of all the fruit and vegetables in our beautiful walled garden and flower production in our cut flower and soft fruit garden; the areas of responsibility also encompass a raised bed and ring culture system in our poly-tunnel, and micro herbs under glass.

The Kitchen Gardener will also manage volunteers on certain days to give them additional help, there will also be assistance from the existing team on cropping days and from ‘seasonal’ harvesters.

The Kitchen Gardener works closely with our ‘Provenance Inns’ group of restaurants and both our team of chefs to achieve a delicious seasonal menu and range of special dishes, with a strong focus on unusual and choice varieties.

Candidates for this position should have a passion for growing fruit and vegetables and will be supported to ‘grow’ their career with us, they should be be keen to exemplar their enthusiasm and talent in productive horticulture and want to make their mark, ideally you would have an RHS Level 2 qualification and would possess or be keen to take on board a good working knowledge of biological control practices.

The applicant would want to look to develop their career by leading or taking part in tours and getting involved in workshops, talks and events, this is not immediately essential but should be thought of as one of the future requirements of the position.

Reporting to the Head of Gardens, this position should have the following skills and experience:

Enthusiasm and passion for productive horticulture and the desire to manage a successful kitchen garden.

The candidate will be a hands-on, hard-working, energetic person extremely well organised and with excellent team working skills and the ability to communicate across all levels and to adapt their style to meet individual needs.

Ideally some horticultural experience with evidence of appropriate academic qualifications.

Be familiar with numerous types of garden machinery including rotavators and compact tractors.

Adequate IT skills for implementing efficient management systems and records are an essential requisite.

Full and clean UK driving license.

This is a full-time permanent role with a very competitive salary in line with experience and a workplace pension offered.

Hours of work are 40 hours per week. Statutory training costs, professional membership and reasonable professional development will be covered by the employer.

Holiday entitlement is offered at 28 days per annum including Bank Holidays.

This is a fabulous opportunity for someone to join our friendly and highly skilled team, it is a position offering huge scope and variety, you will be working in a beautiful estate and be able to play a key role in developing the potential of the kitchen garden going forward.

How to apply:

If you feel you are a suitable candidate for this role please click on the 'Apply' button on this advert send a CV and covering letter to Head of Gardens & Landscape

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