Role: The Root / Lead Practitioner of the Land
Commitment: 6 Hours / Day (Seasonal / Flexible).
The Mission: You are the master practitioner of the Agape Crete ecosystem. This is a pivotal building role where you work directly alongside the Founders to bring their land strategy to life. Your mission is to be the expert “hands” for the establishment of our Food Forest, Orchards, and Water Restoration systems, while simultaneously working with the Operations Manager to conceptualize the future “Agape School” for agricultural students and interns.
Key Responsibilities
- Founder-Led Land Implementation: You work by the Founders’ side to physically establish the Food Forest and Orchards. You are responsible for the masterful execution of the planting, irrigation, and daily care of these systems as designed by the Founders.
- Conceptualizing Future Internships: While we do not have students yet, you will collaborate with the Operations Manager to design and conceptualize our future university partnership programs. You will help define what an agricultural internship at Agape looks like, establishing the learning milestones and “Agape Standards” that future students will follow.
- Support for Water Innovation: The Founders are pioneering water-resilient landscapes using methodologies like Water Stories. You will assist in the implementation and daily monitoring of these systems, as well as trials for experimental solutions like Fog Harvesting.
- The Olive Journey : You will work with the Founders to move from raw harvests toward a high-standard, repeatable process, executing the tree care and harvest cycles required for our future Agape-branded Olive Oil.
- Mediterranean Mastery & Adherence: You possess the deep local knowledge required to execute the “Agape Methodology.” You ensure every task respects Crete’s extreme heat and water scarcity. You strictly follow the Founders’ aesthetic standards and do not make permanent landscape changes without explicit approval.
- Technical Training & Supervision: You supervise what is done in the field. During “Morning Breakouts,” you provide technical training for current volunteers and residents, ensuring the project’s vision is executed with precision.
- Visual Documentation: You capture high-quality footage of the building process for The Voice (Communications) to share our “Foundational Year” with the world.
Who You Are (Requirements)
- Mandatory Regional Expertise: You must have proven, hands-on agricultural experience in the Southern Mediterranean (or equivalent arid, high-heat, and water-scarce zones).Note: Experience in Northern European climates, alpine regions, or temperate zones is not sufficient for this role. You must understand the specific stress of Cretan heat and our high-velocity winds.
- Program-Building Mindset: You aren’t just a farmer; you have the “systems thinking” required to help conceptualize educational programs. You can translate physical tasks into educational curriculum for future interns.
- The Master Technician: You find professional pride in “Masterful Execution.” You are an expert who loves the process of building and thrives in a partnership role alongside visionary Founders.
- The Step-Up Spirit: You lead by example. When land tasks are low, you are a communal leader who steps up to support the tribe in other building or community needs.
- Languages: Good English is required. Fluency in Greek is a great advantage for local agricultural networking and coordinating with local nurseries and farmers.
Living in Community (Residency)
- Physical Presence: This is a full-time residential role. You are required to live on-site at Agape Crete. You cannot support the foundation of a land project if you do not live upon it.
- Beyond the 6th Hour: While your professional shift is 6 hours, your life at Agape is 24/7. You are an active neighbor who participates in community rituals, shared meals, and the social fabric of the tribe.
Technical Stack
- Digital Literacy: Proficiency in Google Workspace and Trello for logging yields and land updates.
- Documentation Skills: Ability to assist in documenting soil health data and help draft the framework for future agricultural internships.