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About Avena Botanicals in Rockport, Maine

Avena Botanicals is a small, woman-owned business that has been providing high quality herbal products from seed to bottle for nearly 40 years, using fresh, organic & Biodynamic® herbs. We believe that these vital plants and a sacred connection to place promote wellness of the body, mind, and spirit and encourage humans to be mindful and loving stewards of the Earth. Our herbs are hand-harvested in the spirit of joy and immediately hand-crafted in our on-site production facility in Rockport, Maine. We carefully tend to the balance between this joyful practice and our commitment to quality and adherence to regulations (GMPs). After nearly four decades in business, we remain committed to offering the highest quality, traditionally-crafted, artisanal herbal products. 

A Nurturing Place
Our mission is to create the highest quality herbal products while nurturing plants, people, and pollinators. We have fewer than 15 employees who form a collaborative team. Some of us were born and raised in Maine and others moved here because of the beauty and quiet of the natural landscape that surrounds us. We are herbalists, gardeners, healers, professional artists, writers, teachers, parents, hikers, meditators, yoga practitioners, beekeepers, local food enthusiasts, and more. Because all our artisanal herbal products are made in our on-site production facility, mostly with herbs freshly grown and harvested from our own biodynamic, organic gardens, every team member is able to experience the beauty of the full seed to bottle process. Staff often bask in the tranquility of the garden during breaks, visit local hiking trails or beaches after work, share music and tea together, and co-create personal enrichment workshops together. We are passionate about environmental and social justice issues, working actively as a community to drive positive change; we welcome job applicants of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities, and encourage BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals to apply to join our team.

Our team members enjoy benefits that include paid time off, paid holidays, a generous product stipend, and a beautiful, unique work environment. Staff have access to our peaceful gardens, personal enrichment workshops, and a variety of free herbal classes when they are offered through our sister non-profit, The Herbal Classroom. Whenever feasible, we offer each team member the option of a four-day work week to ensure a harmonious work-life balance.  

Everything we do is done by hand, from seed planting, to pouring our liquids and salves, to shipping our packages. Our hands keep us directly connected to serving plants, people, and our planet. We prioritize connection, not large-scale manufacturing.

Since our inception in 1985, we have used no chemicals, additives, or solvents of any kind in our herbal products or in our farming practices. Our on-site production facility is free of toxic paints, finishes, and synthetic scents and we use only 100% biodegradable cleaning supplies. Maintaining a toxic chemical free workplace contributes not only to the purity of our products, but to our team members' enjoyment of a healthy work environment.

Integrity is a value that remains constant in our thoughts, words, and actions. We care about the health and well-being of the people and plants we serve, as well as each other, and take extra care as we collect our herbs and create our products.

Lead Production Gardener

The gardens at Avena Botanicals and their creator Deb Soule joyfully put out a call for the 2027 summer season Lead Production Gardener. For 30 years, these 3-acre gardens, situated on 32 acres of field and forest, have served as a sanctuary for medicine plants, pollinators, and people, as a living classroom, and as the source for most of the herbal preparations that are made in our apothecary. We now seek the next special person who is called to care for these gardens in a leadership role. You will work and learn in close collaboration with Deb to gain intimacy with the rich ecosystem of beings who live here, and with the gardening practices that help this place thrive.

The right person for this role is an experienced, sturdy farmer who has deep respect for the sacred work of gathering and making medicine with plants.

Essential skills are:

• An ability to see the "big picture" on a farm: the arc of a season, recognizing priorities in the gardens, delegating tasks, managing a greenhouse, herb drying rooms, harvest rhythms, safety, and interpersonal dynamics. A minimum of 3-4 years of farming experience is a must.
• The ability to lead a garden crew.
• A strong interest in medicinal herbs.
• Being well-organized and maintaining good systems.
• Confidence in record keeping and garden mapping, particularly in terms of sustaining compliance to the requirements set by MOFGA, Demeter, and the FDA.
• Taking good care of tools, supplies, and work spaces.
• An eye for garden aesthetics along with "production."
  

Desired qualities for this role are someone:

• Who is grounded in Earth's wisdom and extremely observant of the natural world. You recognize that gardening is a spiritual practice, one that embodies reciprocity, gratitude, and humility.
• Who enjoys physical labor, and is able to do vigorous work with their body in an ongoing way. Your vigor and pace set an example for the rest of the crew. You see what needs to be done, and you make sure it happens.
• Who humbly recognizes that they are part of an ecosystem, and respects all beings, human and more than human. Particular love and respect for pollinators, especially hummingbirds, makes you a resonant candidate.
• Who is eager to be part of a community centered around contemplative and sacred relationship with plants. We seek people with an established personal spiritual practice, and commitment to inner well-being, however that is for you.
• With a deep commitment to racial justice and participation in indigenous sovereignty movements— someone who seeks to recognize and embody their (and Avena's) role in the cultural healing that is needed at this time.
• Who is eager for intergenerational learning, ready to work closely with Deb to receive her insights and knowledge about the plants and pollinators and rhythms of the gardens.
• Who is a problem-solver, who sees what needs to be done and does it.
• With good leadership skills, who prioritizes clear, easeful, kind communication.
• With a background or interest in Biodynamic agriculture, and a readiness to deepen that study and practice.
• With a background in organic farming practices.
• Who is a good listener and collaborator, who takes and gives feedback with grace. You move with compassion, empathy, and care.
• Who may be ready to explore the possibility of putting down deep roots as a long-term steward of this Sanctuary.

This role is 4 days per week (around 32 hours) plus a rotation of weekend chores in the height of the season, May through the end of October. In April and November, the commitment is for approximately half-time hours to tend to garden records, pre- and post-season activities. Pay range is $24-25/hr DOE.

To submit your cover letter and resume for consideration for any job postings or for when future opportunities arise, please email hiring@avenabotanicals.com. No phone inquiries, please.