How We’re Professionalizing Farming For a New Generation
Matthew Geldin
Before I joined Farmscape, I felt stuck. That was over 10 years ago now. I was an underpaid part-time gardener at a public garden waiting for grant funding to arrive that just never came. I was studying landscape architecture at Cal Poly Pomona and knew I wanted to build a life that blended my fascination with being outdoors with my love of plants and good food, while still being immersed in city life. I loved my work, but it didn’t feel anything like the start of a career.
At Farmscape, I became part of an organization that felt transformational. Not just for me personally, but for the emerging profession of urban farming. Previously, I had only known this work as volunteer hours at community gardens and odd jobs I found on message boards. Now, I was working full time and getting paid one and a half times as much as my previous job, with annual reviews and opportunities for a raise every year since. Not to mention healthcare and paid vacation.
At Farmscape, one of our core values is to respect and professionalize farming and landscaping for a new generation of farmers by creating jobs that provide a fair wage, benefits and a great work environment for our staff. That commitment starts with creating jobs that prioritize full-time employment and offer competitive salaries that match or exceed horticulture and landscaping industry standards. We recognize not just the physicality of farming and gardening, but the organizational and planning acumen and the earned knowledge that it takes to be successful in this field.
But to nourish the fertile ground of growing a career, it’s also necessary to provide meaningful benefits that support the well-being and development of our staff. All of our full-time employees have access to health insurance, 401k matching, mileage reimbursement, paid vacation and holidays (including a full week between Christmas and New Year!), cell phone reimbursement and even a media stipend for audiobooks or music — a small but mighty perk since we all spend a lot of time on the road and in the field.
Creating a great work environment is at the heart of what we do. We foster a culture of respect and integrity, and we work diligently in our hiring process to build collaborative and cohesive teams. We provide consistent support to our staff, including field training, service manuals and collaborative troubleshooting on tough farming challenges. Whether it’s through regular team meetings, on-site training sessions or casual get-togethers, we want everyone to feel valued in their work and committed to our shared goal of expanding urban farming in California.
We’re proud to professionalize urban farming, making it a viable and attractive career choice for a new generation of farmers and gardeners. By offering fair wages, excellent benefits and a nurturing work environment, we’re planting the seeds for a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
Learn more about our mission here.