Farm Director
- Date Posted August 28, 2024
- Location Brunswick, ME
- Category Agriculture / Education
- Job type Part-Time
Company description
Growing to Give was founded in April 2017 by a group of people who came together around the idea of growing organic vegetables using climate-friendly methods, and donating them to local people struggling with food insecurity through food pantries and other food access sites.
These vegetables would be grown on land that Patty Carton and John Newlin had moved to, with their two young sons, 15 years earlier. For thousands of years, of course, this land and all surrounding land “belonged” to the Abenaki people, and Patty and John wish to explicitly acknowledge that fact. Starting in 2002, Patty and John began developing what was basically a hobby farm on this land in their spare time, while they worked non-farm jobs and raised a family. They also began hosting what might be called “neighborhood” farm parties, usually held two or three times a year, often around the change of seasons. The farm gradually became thought of, by many, as somewhat of a community farm.
In 2013, John retired from his career in education to focus on the climate-change issue, initially focusing on policy work. But by 2015, John was primarily focused on increasing vegetable production on their hobby farm while using climate-friendly farming methods, and Patty and John officially named it Scatter Good Farm. John also enlisted the help of a dear friend, Theda Lyden, a recently retired chef and former organic market farmer. In 2016, the farm received organic certification from MOFGA and doubled its vegetable production.
Also in 2016, Theda, through her Master Gardener volunteer work, became aware of the Merrymeeting Gleaners, a non-profit group that harvests excess farm and garden produce for donation to food banks and pantries. In the fall of 2016, Rebecca McConnaughey, a lead Merrymeeting Gleaner, came to Scatter Good Farm to pick up some excess peppers (that had already been harvested) so they could be taken to a local food bank. Theda, Patty, and John met Rebecca at the farm, and learned about Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, which was then about one year old. To put it mildly, they were strongly drawn to the idea of donating Scatter Good Farm’s beautiful, organic, fresh vegetables to local food pantries. This led them to learn more about food security programs in Maine and elsewhere, such as Veggies for All, and Mainers Feeding Mainers, but it was their meeting, in January 2017, with Sara Cawthon of Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, that convinced them to move ahead with this idea.
At that point, they figured they had just enough time to get launched for the 2017 growing season, and with the help of many others, they co-founded Growing to Give, a nonprofit organic grow-for-donation farming operation at the farm that would use climate-friendly farming practices to help address the issues of both climate change – a major concern of nearly everyone now, and food insecurity – long a major concern of all three of them, and a career focus in John’s family for generations.
Job description
FARM DIRECTOR
Growing to Give (G2G) is a non-profit, organic-certified, no-till farm in Brunswick, Maine which grows vegetables for donation to people facing food insecurity. Since 2017, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, we have grown, harvested, and donated 100,000 pounds of organic vegetables while modeling, teaching, and promoting climate-friendly farming practices.
Position
G2G seeks a Farm Director willing to make a medium- to long-term commitment to directing and managing all aspects of G2G’s farming operations to fulfill the organization’s mission of using regenerative farming practices to grow organic vegetables for donation to food pantries and other food access sites. G2G grows 29 species and 86 varieties of vegetables and herbs annually on approximately 1 acre of land. The farm is also the site for G2G’s educational programs related to climate-friendly farming, food systems, and nutrition.
The Farm Director models G2G’s values, leading by example with a strong work ethic, passion for sustainable farming, and a hands-on, inclusive management style. Responsibilities include: establishing priorities for whole-season planning as well as daily execution of tasks; training and supervision of staff, interns, and volunteers; ensuring food and workplace safety; and maintaining standards set by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and Real Organic Project (ROP) certification.
Growing to Give does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors and clients.
Responsibilities
Crop Planning and Production
● Plan and execute climate-friendly production of organic vegetables, including strategies for: crop selection, rotation, and interplanting; timing of seedling propagation, planting, and harvesting; application of under crops, cover crops, and tarping; and ongoing soil health enhancement.
● Manage preparation for 3x-weekly food deliveries including harvesting, washing, weighing, boxing, recordkeeping, and volunteer supervision.
● Fulfill Good Shepherd Food Bank’s “Mainers Feeding Mainers” contract with G2G to supply certain types of vegetables to pre-designated access sites and track deliveries throughout the growing season.
● Monitor and manage potential threats to food production related to extreme weather, soil health, crop nutrient needs, and pest/disease issues.
● Stay current on developments in organic, climate-friendly farming practices.
Communication and Team Management
● Communicate with partner organizations (e.g., food banks, gleaners, distributors) regarding preferred vegetables and gleaning/pick-up schedules.
● Work with farm staff, Education Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator to coordinate schedules and manage assignments for field volunteers, interns, students, and business groups.
● Supervise, train, and mentor farm staff, interns, volunteers, and Farm Skills Training Program participants to ensure coordinated, safe, and productive teamwork.
● Welcome volunteers, orient them to the farm, confirm completion of liability waiver and photo consent paperwork, and direct them to appropriate tasks based on skills and physical abilities.
● Work with G2G board members, committees, and Managing Director to create an annual farming budget (for which the Farm Director will primarily be responsible), manage farm staff and intern recruitment, and other organization-wide tasks.
● Participate in G2G staff management meetings (2x/month).
● Write Farm Report (blog) - 1-2x/month during growing season.
● Lead farm tours.
● Participate in G2G’s outreach activities (workshops, etc.)
Farm Maintenance
● Maintain meticulous records in accordance with MOFGA and ROP standards to maintain organic certification.
● Coordinate seasonal set-up/maintenance/breakdown of irrigation system and deer fencing with farm staff and facility volunteers (Fix-It Team).
● Set irrigation schedule and regularly monitor irrigation needs during growing season.
● Oversee maintenance and repairs of farm infrastructure, equipment, and facilities, including coordination of Fix-It Team and Mowing Crew schedules and tasks.
● Conduct regular farm walks with farm staff to monitor crop progress and identify issues requiring attention.
● Maintain inventory of equipment and supplies, place orders, and submit records.
Desired Qualifications
● Passionate and knowledgeable about sustainable and organic vegetable production.
● At least three years of experience managing organic, no-till farming and crop production in a supervisory role (staff and volunteers).
● Excellent leadership skills with the ability to manage a diverse team.
● Ability to make decisions and tackle issues in a dynamic environment.
● Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for recordkeeping and resource management.
● Clear written and verbal communication skills
● Physical ability to perform manual labor and work outdoors in various weather conditions.
● Working knowledge of Google Suite.
● Willing to make a commitment of three to five years.
Hours
● March-November – Average 40 hours/week over five days, including Saturdays.
● December-February – Average 8 hours/week (includes planning, ordering supplies, and ensuring MOFGA and ROP organic recertification). More winter hours might be an option depending on experience in other areas (e.g., grant writing).
● Some evenings are required to report to board meetings (6x/year), support events, etc.
● Annual average ~32 hours/week
Pay
● Hourly basis, $25-$28 per hour, paid monthly, estimated $45K-$52K annually (depending on experience and hours)
Compensation
this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $25.00 - $28.00Application instructions
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