Black Dirt Farm
Job Description - Crops Manager
Farm Description
Black Dirt Farm is an integrated, diversified family farm in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Our five enterprises dovetail one another to follow the carbon cycle with the intent of energy and ecological efficiency, while also allowing us to develop an economy of scope, rather than one of scale, as a farm. We operate a year-route food scrap collection route and collect discarded food from our community. Food scraps are then blended into a compost mix which provides forage for our flock of 1200 laying hens. We then make compost and worm castings with the excess food and manure. Finally, we use the resulting products to nourish our soils and crops. Crops include hay, salad greens and other loose leaf greens, tomatoes, and a small number of row crops. Our farm is firmly based in regenerative agricultural practices and the creation of sustainable food systems. Since 2014, we’ve diverted over 17 million pounds of food scraps from the landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of not burning 708,545 gallons of gasoline and capturing enough nitrogen to fertilize over 1,165 acres of mixed vegetable crops.
Black Dirt Farm is an environment that is both caring and efficient. The farm requires creative and driven individuals who can work as part of a dynamic, and often, fast paced team but also be individually responsible for managing their own tasks with professionalism and quality. We cherish a highly collaborative, supportive and inspired crew culture that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable, where all Crew Members, volunteers, and customers—of all genders and gender-identities, races, ethnicities, national origins, ages, sexual orientations or identities, educations, or abilities—feel valued and respected. We are committed to equal opportunity for employment and advancement, and believe the farm as a whole will thrive when all those involved are thriving and able to contribute their full selves. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages, and work to create an environment where these contribute to a more vibrant working community. Black Dirt Farm does not tolerate marginalizing behavior of any sort.
Job Description
The Crops Manager is a critical part of daily and seasonal operations of the farm’s crops operation. The Crops Manager is charged with managing the Crops Sphere of Responsibility and in order to do this for our small but intensive operation, they must manage their schedule and execute tasks with exceptional time management and organization.
The crops operation on the farm includes 3000 square feet of semi-heated greenhouse space, 4000 square feet of market garden, an acre of row crops, and 45 acres of hay. The produce aspect of crops is focused on salad and other greens, tomatoes, miscellaneous crops for the farm stand, and a couple wholesale crops.
We specialize in a variety of greens that have high turnover rates and require routine and regular harvesting and seeding, including adjusting seedings to scheduled changes in production goals and adapting schedules to reflect on-going changes throughout the season. Specifically, the Crops Manager is in charge of the routine aspects of the produce operation, including executing daily chores, such as watering crops and opening and closing greenhouse, stocking and rotating the farm stand, and overseeing seasonal help. Weekly tasks include seeding, weeding and harvesting, as well as washing, packing and delivering orders. Seasonal tasks include soil preparation, pruning and trellising, potting, purchasing seeds and amendments, tool maintenance, and irrigation and greenhouse maintenance and repair. Additionally, the Crops Manager is in charge of harvesting and putting up hay for the year, as well as miscellaneous projects and tasks as needed.
This is a physical job often requiring the lifting and movement of substantial weight, as well as bending over. Each enterprise on the farm is small and therefore requires the operator to be committed to working at a good pace, utilizing existing organizational and operational systems and contributing to their improvement, and focusing on efficiency.
Reports to: Farm Manager
Hours per Week:
February – March: 20 hrs/ wk
April – September: 40 hrs/ wk
October – December: 12 hrs/ wk
Total hours per year: ~1300 hrs/ yr*
*Increased hours available depending on your capacity for us to expand production and sales
Job Tasks/ Sphere of Responsibility
Crops
Crop planning, and management of task schedule and execution, including managing seasonal help associated with these tasks
Water, ventilate covered crops
Soil and Bed Preparation
Seeding (starts, and weekly direct seedings of various greens)
Weeding
Harvest
Pruning and trellising tomatoes and cucumbers
Compost Tea Brewing and on-going fertility management
On-going professional development and systems improvement
Time tracking and task refinement
Tool care and organization
Misc irrigation, greenhouse and garden bed repair and maintenance, string trimming, etc.
Planting, pruning and amending perennial fruit and nut crops
Wash and Pack
Prepare crops - Wash and dry greens and other crops, grade tomatoes
Pack Orders
Maintain wash and pack area and equipment
Time tracking and task refinement
Food safety
On-going professional development and systems improvement
Farm Stand (June – Sept)
Open and close stand
Cull and rotate produce, restock
Tidy and clean
Reconcile cash box
Update products and pricing lists
Maintain farm stand flower bed and window boxes
Job Requirements
Hardworking and focused
Experience operating tractor
At least two years experience in vegetable production, preferably in a management role
Basic carpentry and plumbing experience (ie comfortable with a drill and skill saw, plumbing fittings, etc)
This job requires the Employee to:
o Lift 50 pounds safely.
o Execute semi-repetitive tasks over time.
o Operate outdoors, in variable weather and temperatures.
o Bend, stoop, and climb stairs.Willingness and experience in managing tasks, including planning, problem solving and repair
A desire to master tasks and make excellent products
Excellent communication skills and emotional maturity
Demonstrated Experience of superior time and task management skills
Experience in team environment and comfortability with providing and receiving constructive feedback. Genuinely eager to help build the farm, and a desire to be a part of a co-creative process with a thriving farm as our shared goal.
Appreciation of hard work and how farms work; comfortable with changes in seasonal hours and willingness to work late to complete tasks as needed
Comfortability with busy work environments and following schedules and standard operating procedures
Personal commitment to undertake the on-going work of dismantling personal bias and all forms of supremacy
Appreciation for the value of organizational systems and a willingness to utilize and improve them. Equal willingness to do planning and management tasks, in addition to working with plants/ outside, to support on-going organization and efficiency.
Appreciation for the importance of efficiency in operating a small-scale farm and the necessary requirements to keep tasks as contained as possible.
Compensation: Competitive wages commensurate with experience.