Company description

Mountain Roots is a local food systems initiative located in the beautiful Rocky Mountain community of Gunnison-Crested Butte.  We manage four community gardens, run a county-wide Farm to School Program, lead food security programs, organize a multi-farmer CSA, and operate a Community Farm that models and teaches sustainable agriculture.

Our mission is to cultivate a resilient food system by enhancing healthy connections between earth, food, and community. Fueled by community support and volunteer power, we are working toward social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
Education, engagement, and environment are cornerstones of our work.

You can read more about our programs and projects on our website.

Job description

Farm & Gardens Manager

 

The Community Farm & Gardens Manager is responsible for day-to-day operations of perennial/annual crop and pastured poultry production on a newly established diversified farm located in the rural mountain community of Gunnison-Crested Butte, coordinating educational and outreach programming for the farm and community gardens, and training and managing a team of young agrarians.

 

The farm manager serves as a local food ambassador and ensures that the daily farm operations will uphold the values at Mountain Roots: modeling and teaching regenerative agriculture, providing fresh, healthy food for the community, and providing farm/garden-based community and educational activities to new/emerging farmers, community members, and youth as a key part of our overall local food systems initiative.

 

The successful candidate brings experience to the project and is able to spearhead the growth that is needed to take our farm and gardens to the next level and to teach others seeking to learn more about sustainable agriculture. In addition to bringing this farming knowledge /skill to the project, you will need to be self-motivated, results-oriented, and possesses excellent communication skills with the ability to work in a dynamic environment that moves between field and office. This position requires commitment to and skill with working collaboratively with people from many backgrounds, the ability to empower your team and others to accomplish goals and advance positive change, and creativity in managing the unique challenges of a newly established community farm in a non-profit environment.

 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the steward for environmentally, economically, and socially viable farm. Model and teach regenerative agriculture as part of a sustainable food system. Work with community partners /land owners to maintain conservation goals / holistic land management goals.
• Business development, customer relations, employee development, systems development, and field and food safety.
• Field work: active in all aspects of perennial and annual crop production, from crop planning, to seeding in greenhouse and hoophouse, to transplanting, growing, harvesting, washing / packing, etc.
• Hire, train, and manage the crew, including seasonal interns, graduate students, AmeriCorps members, and volunteers, in our start-to-finish growing season. This position supervises 4-6 team members.
• Monitor and improve soil fertility, manage and improve irrigation systems for responsible water usage, integrated pest management, season extension.
• Greenhouse and hoophouse management and maintenance.
• Manage and expand multiple food distribution programs including a 75-member CSA, wholesale accounts, food pantry, farmer’s markets, and alternate channels such as Backyard Harvest, our food rescue/home delivery donation program.
• Empower team members to build our network of community gardens that nourish, and are nourished by, the community. Design and participate in community engagement activities.
• Pastured poultry production.
• Maintain farm tools, fences, pumps and other systems, including small engines.
• Monitoring and reporting, including accurate data collection, maintaining crop logs, harvest logs, volunteer and program participation, grants management of current grants for outcomes and deliverables.
• Help secure future funding for Farm & Gardens through grant writing, soliciting business sponsorships, donor engagement, and events.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function and be willing to take on new roles as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and 3+ years of leadership/farm management (perennial and annual crop production) using sustainable agriculture practices
• Track record of execution in the position description’s requisites
• Strategic, creative thinker with an entrepreneurial and start-up mind-set. 
• Experience managing day-to-day farming activities, training and managing personnel required;
• Good management of farm budgets;
• Ability to manage farm assets resourcefully
• Experience with irrigation systems (ditch/flood, gravity-fed, drip) and management;
• Experience operating and maintaining tools and farm equipment;
• Ability to help with projects (design and innovation) such as: new irrigation systems, well/pump repairs, new crop development, introduction of new animals
• Knowledge of and interest in the unique and complex aspects of community-driven urban agriculture and community gardens;
• Experience working with a wide range of diverse or underrepresented groups and individuals;
• Valid driver’s license, clean record;
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, young, and growing organization;
• Computer skills required to develop budgets, communicate with colleagues, use software to plan and track farm operations;
• Ability to work collaboratively when designing plans, strategies, and community-based efforts, then to work independently to carry them out;
• Willing to work weekends and evening hours during peak growing season;
• Commitment to mission and values of Mountain Roots, including social justice and health equity;
• Physical Requirements: the ability to work outdoors in all weather, including cold, hot, windy, rainy, as needed; the ability to operate machinery and small engines; the ability to lift bags and farm supplies (50+ pounds repeatedly).

 

Preferred Qualifications

• English proficiency required; Spanish helpful.
• Interest and commitment to establish and maintain relationships with all staff, representatives of local and state agencies, other community organizations and individual community members;
• Working knowledge of organic farming standards and techniques; experience in permaculture;
• Basic carpentry and mechanical skills;
• Excellent oral and written communications skills; customer service and problem-solving skills;

• Flexible to changing priorities and responsibilities;
• Self-motivated worker with the ability to problem solve and demonstrate initiative

Compensation:  $26,000 contract from Jan 15 – Nov 30 annually (December off). Abundant fresh food. Housing options may be discussed / negotiated.

 

 

Compensation

this position is: salaried, less than 50k

Application instructions

Deadline

November 21, 2018