Hi all,
Below is a listing for a job with a farm that is currently in the planning process. Please contact us at
jobs@appleseedpermaculture.com if you have any questions.
Best,
Russell
Job Description: Farm manager(s) to develop a diversified permaculture farm in Duchess County, New York. This is a great opportunity for an experienced young farmer who is looking to holistically manage land and build her/his experience in business development.
Start-date: March 2015
Summary of Position: In collaboration with landowners, develop a diversified permaculture farm on over 50 acres of fields, forests, and springs. Potential ecological/organic enterprises include annual and perennial crop production, livestock, forestry and agroforestry.
Responsibilities: The farm manager has three primary areas of responsibility: business development, land management, and in-house education. Specific tasks for each area include, but are not limited to the following:
Farm Development
• Use prior farming experience to contribute to the development of the Grape Hollow farm vision and business plan.
• Work alongside landowners on various farm/ business development and management tasks.
• Supervise planning, planting, harvesting and marketing of the primary and secondary farm enterprises.
• Oversee integration of farm enterprises with overall permaculture design and holistic vision for the property, cycling nutrients, increasing biodiversity, and building soil every year.
Farm Management
• Manage farm apprentices or other potential farm employees.
• Ensure general upkeep of property, including but not limited to: daily animal care, haying & mowing, annual/perennial bed upkeep, maintenance of trails and farm roads.
• Maintain equipment and machinery, ensure necessary supplies and parts are available for operation and repair of all equipment.
• Develop and track farm’s budget, seeking profitability in multiple forms of capital (financial, living, social, etc.).
• Guarantee all local and NY State health regulations are met for handling of produce and other farm products, follow NY state agricultural guidelines and Federal ‘Good Agricultural Practice’ standards
In-house Education
• Support landowners to build their skill sets as small-scale organic farmers and land managers. Work with the entire family to understand and build proficiency in growing crops, animal care, and other aspects of farm enterprise management.
• Maintain clear, honest, and beautiful relationships with landowners and the local agricultural community. Requires consistent written & spoken communication about the physical, financial, and emotional health of the farm and human landscape.
Required Qualifications:
• 2-4+ full seasons of organic farming experience, ideally with a variety of enterprises (annual crops, perennial/tree crops, animal husbandry etc.).
• Farm management experience, including financial budgeting and accounting.
• Enthusiastic willingness to learn new agricultural enterprises and an ability to manage complex interrelationships on the farm.
• Familiarity with basic agro-ecological or permaculture concepts and strategies.
• Routinely perform hard physical labor on a regular basis.
Compensation & Tenure: Annual salary of $30,000. Position starts in March of 2015 with the potential for on-site or locally provided housing. Initial position length is one year with the potential to extend to a longer-term tenure agreement after the first season. Preference will be given to those applicants that express an interest in developing deep and meaningful relationships with both the land and the landowners.
Interested parties, please complete and submit this application (
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x80rkw440ivqq7k/ASP_Application_V13.doc) to
jobs@appleseedpermaculture.com
