Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

About Us

Denton Reserve is a 2,500-acre estate near Ilkley, home to a beautifully restored 2-acre walled garden now entering its third season of production. We grow high-quality vegetables, herbs, and fruit for our own restaurant and local businesses — all chemical-free, with a focus on soil health, biodiversity, and heritage varieties our chefs love to work with.

We’re looking for a seasonal Assistant Grower to join our small, dedicated team and get stuck in with all aspects of production across the growing season.

Key Details

Duration Late March/Early April – November 2026 (9 months)

Hours 2 days per week (ideally Monday + Tuesday or Wednesday)

Pay £14 per hour

Location Denton Reserve, Ilkley, LS29 0HH

What the Role Involves

• Working alongside our Head Grower to plan and prioritise weekly tasks

• Propagating, bed preparation, planting, weeding, and watering

• Harvesting and processing produce to high quality-control standards

• Delivering to our restaurant and local customers

• Working mainly with hand tools and limited machinery

• Supporting and working alongside volunteers and supported interns from a local organisation

This is a hands-on, physical role in a small team. You’ll spend around one day a week working independently, so confidence and self-motivation are a must.

What We’re Looking For

• At least 1 year’s experience in vegetable production

• Good knowledge of plants, pests, diseases, and chemical-free growing principles

• Understanding of taking produce to point of sale — harvest through to quality control

• Practical, hard-working, and happy in all weathers

• Accurate record keeping

• Full UK driving licence

Why Denton Reserve?

This is a chance to grow genuinely exciting produce in a stunning setting with real purpose — feeding a kitchen that cares deeply about provenance, quality, and flavour. If you love getting your hands in the soil and want your work to end up on the plate, we’d love to hear from you.

Application information

Please send a cover letter and CV to beth@dentonreserve.co.uk

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs