About Us:

Cicada Calling is a 2-acre diversified vegetable and cut flower farm in Southeast, Louisiana run by Becks Hilliard & Sierra Torres. As two young farmers from Louisiana we believe farming in the Gulf South is an act of resistance towards a disappearing community that has been ravaged by climate change and the petrochemical industry. With climate change threatening our community’s ability to be food sovereign, we hope to invest in and help develop better farming practices for our area as well as support our community with fresh, healthy foods grown without synthetic chemicals or fertilizers. For us, this is not just a business, it’s an intentional decision to invest in a future for Louisiana and create alternative economies, structures, and systems to support, heal, and nourish our community.

Young people in Louisiana are told their whole lives that this land won’t exist in 50 years (if your from here, the“Louisiana loses a football field of wetlands per hour” is likely engraved in your brain) and that the only way to make money in our State is to go into the oil and gas industry. Although confronting and working to develop strategies to handle the displacement that will ultimately come due to climate change and coastal erosion, we also believe that it is equally important to flip these narratives and ask ourselves, what could Louisiana look like if we did not rely on these destructive industries and instead invested in our community? What would it look like for there to be equitable jobs that help build up our environment? What would it look like for people to have access to fresh healthy food grown in ways that supported the beautiful biodiversity of this land vs destroying it? That’s what Cicada Calling means to us. We all deserve to have a joyful and prosperous future in Louisiana—  today and 50 years from now. For us farming is a calling: an act of self care and an act of community care.  

We are excitedly seeking a passionate and hardworking individual to join our team as a Floral Operations Crew Member. Spring is an incredibly bountiful and splendid time to be a part of our farm crew! 

Our farm is a low to no-till farm focused on regenerative farming practices such as:

• investment in soil through intensive cover cropping, mulching, and some compost 

• growing without synthetic herbicides and pesticides and using IPM practices such as introducing beneficial insects 

• minimizing use of plastic by soil blocking, mulching with organic matter, and tarping

• interplanting and integrating vegetable and cut flower production to provide best farm ecosystem for pollinators and soil biome

Field Crew Member

(4 days a week)

Job Type:

Part-Time/Seasonal, Room to develop for more hours

Job Overview:

The Field Crew Member position is split into two categories of work: harvest (Tuesday or Wednesday, and Friday), field work (Thursday), and market sales (Saturday). Our farm is also broken up into two major crops: vegetables and cut flowers. In this role, candidates can expect to interface with both the harvest and maintenance of cut flowers and vegetables. As a Field Crew Member at Cicada Calling Farm you will be responsible for harvesting and variety of flowers on our farm, ensuring that they are cut, sorted, and prepared for delivery or sale. Processing flowers includes bunching varieties for wholesale orders as well as working fast and efficiently to make bouquets for market and retail sales. Vegetable harvest is similar; packing for wholesale orders and harvesting for market and retail sales. 

This is a hands-on, physically demanding role that requires attention to detail and the ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced, outdoor environment. After the initial training period, this role will be more independent in nature and we are looking for a candidate who is self motivated and diligent. This role will also have farm work days built in for seeding, transplanting, weeding, and general maintenance of the farm, giving candidates a breadth of experiences in this role. 

Hours/Schedule: 

Tuesday or Wednesdays

Fall 7-3pm**

Harvest flowers and vegetables , pack orders, make bouquets, farm work 

Thursdays

Fall 7-3pm**

Farm work days; seeding, weeding, planting, maintenance

Fridays

Fall - Early Spring 7-3pm**

Summer 6:30 am - 2:30 pm 

Harvest vegetables and flowers, process and pack for market, make bouquets

Saturday or Sunday Farmers Market

Tangi-based candidate: 5 am - 2 pm

Non Tangi-based candidate: 6 am - 1 pm

Pack market supplies and product, market set up and break down, sales

See bottom of application for details ^

*Start times are subject to change based on weather conditions*

Key Responsibilities:

• Harvest flowers, following proper cutting techniques to maintain plant health and maximize bloom quality.

• Harvest vegetables, ensuring all food safety requirements are met and followed.

• Make bouquets for restaurants and coffee shops.

• Pack wholesale vegetable orders for restaurants.

• Sort, count and group flowers by type, size, and quality for packaging or further processing.

• Inspect flowers for damage or disease, removing any unsuitable blooms.

• Assist with the packaging and prepping of flowers for delivery to customers or markets.

• Maintain cleanliness of harvesting tools and work area.

• Able to work solo and/or closely with the other crew members to ensure timely and efficient harvesting schedules.

• Adhere to all safety guidelines and protocols.

• Maintaining fields: including seeding, weeding, managing irrigation, etc. 

• For market days: picking up products and market supplies, driving to and setting up market booth, selling and marketing products, breakdown and returning unsold product and supplies to farm.
  

Qualifications:

• Previous experience working on a farm or in a similar outdoor environment is a plus.

• Ability to work in fast-paced environment

• Ability to focus on quality with attention-to-detail while performing repetitive tasks

• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions (i.e. in rain or high temperatures).

• Physically capable of performing tasks that require bending, lifting, and standing for extended periods.

• A positive, team-oriented attitude with a willingness to take direction.

• Must be able to work independently and manage time efficiently.

• Ability to drive Ford van on highways and in cities 
  

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with small-scale/sustainable and/or organic farming.

• Knowledge of flowers, flower care, cutting and handling techniques.

• Awareness of physical demands: we work fast during flower harvests but are aware of safety involving our harvesting tools and within ourselves. We encourage stretching in the mornings before start time to maintain limberness and prevent injury. The ability to know your body and limits and to take breaks is essential given that working outside in our climate can be difficult and sometimes uncomfortable. 

• Tractor, walk-behind tractor, mower and other small tool proficiency highly desired! 

• Irrigation fluency, including expertise on flow rates and awareness on how to set up different irrigation systems.

Living on the North Shore: Residents of the North Shore / Tangi area are preferred. We are located in a rural setting, 15 minutes from Hammond, LA. Because there are no public transit options, this role requires a reliable car to and from the farm. Non-Tangi based candidates should still apply— we will consider all applications!

Reliability:

• We are looking for candidates who are reliable and consistent in attendance. Punctuality is critical in ensuring the smooth operation of our harvest schedules and delivery timelines. We start harvesting depending on the heat and daylight, so it’s incredibly important in this role that you consistently arrive on the time we set for that week. 

• Reliability is essential — with a small team, every crew member plays a critical role; when someone doesn’t show up, it puts extra strain on others and can delay important, time-sensitive tasks. We understand that illness and planned time off happen, but clear communication and consistency are key to keeping the farm running smoothly.

Physical Requirements:

• Must have your own insured and reliable vehicle, and possess a valid drivers license

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

• Ability to work in outdoor conditions, including high temperatures, insects, and varying weather conditions.

• Ability to bend, kneel, and stand for extended periods.
  

Compensation:

• Starting wage is $17 / hour; candidates with production farm experience will be considered at higher hourly rates. Opportunity for yearly raises

• Gas during deliveries will be covered with proof of receipts

• Additional benefits such as access to farm produce, farm flowers, discounts, etc.

Trial Period

The first two weeks of employment will be a paid trial period to ensure that the worker and farm are a good fit. At the end of this trial period, we will sit down to discuss if expectations are being met on both sides. We want to make sure this is a fit for all of us! 

Farmers Market Crew Member

(1 to 2 markets a week)

Job Type:

Part-Time/Seasonal, Room to develop for more hours

Job Overview:

We are looking for multiple fun and motivated people to work the Baton Rouge Farmers market or Hammond Market on Saturday mornings as well as the Crescent City Farmers Market on Sundays! This will be a required shift for the Field Crew Member position. Additionally we are looking for one or more people to work at any of the farmers markets above on a weekly basis. 

 Working the market can be such a rewarding experience. Interacting with the community and sharing the fruits of our labor can be fulfilling and joyful. Because this is more public facing and requires sales skills, we are looking for someone who would be excited to represent the farm and create community with customers. Folks who are based in Tangiapahoa and who can work the full market shift (picking up market supplies and products from the farm at 5 am and returning them after market at 2 pm) will be highly considered for the position.  

Market set up is from 5 am - 2 pm (or 6 am - 1 pm if you are not based in Tangipahoa). Crew Members will be responsible for going to the farm (1 hr from BR and NOLA) and loading up with market supplies and produce/flowers. Generally we get to the farm between 4:45 am - 5 am to load up. The commute is 1 hr from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Market runs from 8 am - noon. Breakdown generally takes 30 - 45 min. If candidates would like to work both a Saturday and Sunday market, we would love to find an individual who has the passion and excitement around sales and connecting with the community! 

Hours/Schedule: 

Saturday Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge, 8 am - noon market hours

Tangi-based applicants: 5 am - 2 pm

Non Tangi-based applicants: 6 am - 1 pm

Saturday Hammond Farmers Market in Hammond, 8 am - noon market hours

Tangi-based and non-tangi applicants: 5:30 am - 1:30 pm

Sunday Crescent City Farmers Market in New Orleans, 8 am - noon market hours

Tangi-based applicants: 5 am - 2 pm

Non Tangi-based applicants: 6 am - 1 pm

Note: Candidates who are based in Tangipahoa are highly encouraged to apply and will be prioritized based on market schedule. If you are based outside of Tangi, please still apply and we will consider your application. If you are NOLA based, it is more likely that one of our team members based in Tangi would deliver you the products for Market on Sundays. It is our hope to find someone to work markets from start to finish including picking up product from the farm and dropping off supplies at the end of the market, but we encourage all applicants to apply and we will do our best to puzzle piece together a schedule that works for everyone! 

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about flowers, enjoy working outdoors, and want to be part of a small, supportive farm team, we encourage you to apply! Please fill out this form and submit your resume! Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role by mid-September. 

To download the Job Descriptions in PDF Format, click here.