Company description

The Farm at Our House's mission is to to grow fresh produce sustainably and provide work development opportunities for young people.  We are  located in Brookeville, Maryland, 15 miles north of Washington, DC. We grow certified organic small fruits and vegetables, raise pastured hens on 6 acres and manage an additional 11 acres. The farm is located on 140 acres owned by Our House www.our_house.org , a residential job training center for young men ages 16-21.  We do not own the land we farm on, but have farmed the land for a decade and have a license to the land for an additional 10 years as a result of our collaborative relationship with Our House Inc., the owner of the land.  We currently gross $100,000/ year, manage a 100 member 26-30 week CSA, sell at 3 local farmers markets, and to local restaurants and grocers; however, this season we are scaling back.  Our House residents have the opportunity, should they choose and comply with our work expectations, to work on the farm, earn income, and develop job skills to prepare for adulthood.   

 

Job description

The current owner of the The Farm at Our House seeks a motivated self-starter who is willing to make a significant commitment to manage the production, development, marketing and sales of organically certified mixed vegetables, small fruits, pastured eggs and limited shitake mushrooms on and off the farm. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to farm full time in Montgomery County, Maryland.  

The Farm Manager will play a critical role in working with the existing owner, who is also a full time high school teacher during the school year,  to lead the farm management team and provide oversight of full time employees, college interns and Our House residents who work on the farm and with the co-owner's help, high school volunteers in the summer and shape the future of the farm. The Farm Manager must be willing and able to collaboratively oversee the entire farm operation.  
 
The farm is seeking to fill this position quickly.  After December 15th the opportunity will disappear.

Responsibilities:

• Management- supervise and lead 1 other farm management team member, 1-2 college interns, Our House trainees and seasonal high school interns.
   
• Production—lead and perform field work, including supervision of staff: planting, cultivation, irrigation, harvesting, packing of crops, and care of laying hens; assist with mushroom production, equipment maintenance/repair, capital projects, and care of 10 acre field.
   
• Marketing—possibly represent farm at one weekly farmers markets and on farm CSA pickup site; ensure delivery of produce to wholesale customers; manage produce allocation among markets, wholesale and CSA; contribute to newsletter, website, and marketing materials.
   
• Administration—play a lead role in budgeting, crop rotation planning, crop/variety selection, capital project planning; coordinate with Our House leadership and staff; communicate with CSA members; ensure work is documented and organic certification requirements are met.
   
• Business Development- Help develop a long-term business strategy, share fiduciary responsibility for the farm’s continued existence and future development.

Estimated Time Allotment:

Open to negotiation, but might look like the following:

Production and on-farm supervision: about 60% of time

Marketing: about 20% of time

Administration: about 20% of time
 

Required Qualifications:
Minimum of two years of farming experience, basic tractor skills, seed starting and propagation, direct seeding experience; excellent communication and organizational skills.

 

Desired Qualifications:
Experience working with at-risk young people preferred; administrative and supervisory experience; marketing and branding experience; small fruit expertise; understanding of tractor implement maintenance, use and capability; soil fertility management and crop rotation planning knowledge.

Compensation:
Farm manager earn between $325 and $400/ week based on experience.   Possible housing stipend.  Incentive based bonus.  Ownership opportunities down the road.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, less than 50k

Application instructions

Deadline

January 08, 2017