This job expired on February 04, 2024

Farm Manager

Higher Ground Farm

Date Posted December 06, 2023
Location Boston, MA
Category Agriculture / Education
Job type Part-Time

Company description

Higher Ground Farm works with institutions to design on-site farms and gardens that provide fresh, organic food as well as educational, team building, and community benefit opportunities. We manage Boston Medical Center's two rooftop farms. We also offer consulting services to institutions to ensure that they make the most of your growing space. Our team are experts in sustainability, institutional food service and operations, farm and garden education, bee keeping and agriculture.

Job description

The Boston Medical Center (BMC) Farm Manager will be responsible for all growing activities on the two BMC rooftop farms including, seeding, transplanting, harvesting, soil management, and pest management. The farm manager will also be responsible for running a weekly farmers market with the potential for a second farmers market at the new farm. The farm manager will support the Farm Education and Community Outreach Coordinator & assist them in the larger visioning of programs and community outreach.

This position is for an experienced grower with excellent communication skills who can represent the farm to the public and to the media. This farm is highly productive and therefore needs someone with experience in production farming, not gardening. This includes experience in successional crop plan for continued yields throughout the season. The farm manager will report to the Director of Support Services and work under the guidance and support of Higher Ground Farm, the managing body of the farms.

Responsibilities:

Produce an annual crop plan for BMC’s farms in accordance with BMC’s food pantry, farmers markets, teaching kitchen and retail food service needs.
Prepare and monitor annual farm budget
Utilize organic farming practices, including fertilization and pest management, to grow

produce.
Grow all Spring seedlings and continued greenhouse seeding throughout the season.
Provide regular management of the farms for consistent, quality harvests including seeding,

transplanting, harvesting, irrigation, pruning, and pest management.
Oversee soil fertility and soil testing.
Manage irrigation and fertigation systems and irrigation scheduling.
Maintain farm tools and equipment and ensure a clean, safe, and organized space.
Dispose of plant and crop refuse responsibly via the on farm composting system.
Manage farm labor performed by the Farm Education and Community Outreach Coordinator, 2-3 interns, and volunteer groups.

Maintain records of harvests for each farm by item and by weight.
Run weekly lunchtime farmers market in hospital mid June-mid Sept.
Communicate with the hospital’s support services department, food service and food pantry

staff as needed.
Create and share end of season report to Higher Ground and the hospital.
Participate in monthly meetings with Higher Ground Farm.
Participate in Social Media events and postings for BMC upon request.
Maintain a BMC email account.
Support the Farm Education and Community Outreach Coordinator as needed on classes, events & outreach.

Hours: This is a 3/4 -time position averaged out across the year at 25 hours per week. During the growing season (April-November) the hours vary from 25-45 per week. In the off season (December-March) the average hours are 1-5 hrs per week .

Wage: Salary $50,000-$55,000 depending on experience.

Benefits: Health care, 401k matching

Compensation

this position is: salaried, 50k-75k

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