Company description Sweetland Farm is a diversified family farm in Norwich, Vermont owned and operated by head farmer Norah Lake. Started in 2012 on conserved prime agricultural soils on the banks of the Ompompanoosuc River, Sweetland currently crops 8-10 acres of sustainably grown vegetables. Our vegetable production supplies a 200-member CSA, a weekly summer farmers' market, and several restaurant wholesale accounts. The rest of the 200 acres of farmland consist of actively managed hay fields, pastures for livestock, a young orchard, and perennial fruit and vegetable crops. The mission at Sweetland Farm is to feed our community and our soil, and to be stewards of this beautiful farmland. We hope you’ll join us!

Sweetland’s CSA offers weekly shares of delicious, fresh, sustainably grown produce. In addition to growing, harvesting and carefully washing over 100 varieties of vegetables for our shareholders and restaurant accounts, we offer a beautiful pick-your-own flower and herb garden, access to our fields and trails for self-guided visits, and annual shareholder events like potluck dinners in the barn, music in the fields, and educational farm tours. Our shareholders receive produce from Mid-May through Mid-October, for a total of 22 weeks. Our goal is for Sweetland to be a hub of food, fun and learning in the local community. 
 

We refer to ourselves as a "thinking farm" when it comes to a label; a farm where we strive to look at all of the angles of the complex idea of "sustainability." We build our soils using compost, rotational grazing, cover crops, and soil amendments. We grow our vegetables without the use of synthetic pesticides, but sometimes resort to organic sprays. We practice low spray integrated pest management in our young fruit tree orchard and asparagus. Our animals are raised on pasture and are fed non-medicated grain. We fertilize our hayfields with calcium lime, conventional fertilizer and manure from our pastured livestock. We LOVE to discuss our growing practices and the multitude of factors that shape them with our customers, our crew, and other farmers.

Sweetland farm is a thriving, diverse family farm in the Upper Valley. We are dedicated to maintaining a working landscape that sustainably integrates vegetable production, pastured animals, pollinators, perennials, and natural ecosystems. Our fields and pastures produce fresh, healthy, nutritious, naturally grown vegetables, fruits, and meat for our local community. We are seeking a Vegetable Production Manager to join our team and add skills, knowledge and energy to our toolbelt.

Job description

We are seeking a highly motivated and responsible individual with significant farming experience who will work closely with the head farmer on the wide-ranging tasks typical of a mid-sized diversified farm. The Production Manager will take a lead role in greenhouse work, direct field seeding, transplanting, cultivation and harvest of vegetables for our CSA. The production manager will be responsible for training and supervising a field crew of 3-5 individuals. In addition to their primary work with vegetable production, the Production Manager will assist with other aspects of our diversified farm as needed throughout the season, including animal care, pasture management, chicken slaughter, orchard care, and hay production. The Production Manager is an essential part of our core farm team and is expected to think and work like a professional farmer; attention to detail, an efficient and strong work ethic, the ability to identify and carry out big-picture projects, the skills to operate and maintain a range of tractors and implements, an inquisitive nature about improved methods, great communication skills, and the capacity to operate with autonomy or effectively lead a small crew are essential attributes.
 

Job Details and Responsibilities

The Production Manager is responsible for a working knowledge and supervisory/lead role of the following:

• Greenhouse care; mixing potting soil, making soil blocks, seeding/potting on, watering, fertility management, pest scouting, organization, hardening off, record keeping
• Field seeding & transplanting; prepping beds (rototilling, laying plastic, spreading fertilizer, laying drip tape), use of 1-row Jang or Earthway hand seeder, handling/planting fragile seedlings, use of waterwheel transplanter, watering in, record-keeping
• Cultivation; hand (scuffle hoes, hand-weeding) and mechanical (basket weeder, flame weeder, tine weeder, sweeps).
• Tractor work; equipment hookup, adjustment and use (disc harrow, chisel plow, rotovator, basket weeder, tine weeder, sweeps, bucket/forks on loader, etc)
• Fertility analysis and implementation of nutrient management plan (includes use/application of fertilizers, compost, and seasonal cover crops)
• Pest management; scouting and identifying damage to crops, use of floating row cover, fencing & other physical barriers, and applying organic-approved pesticides when numbers exceed acceptable levels
• Harvest, wash and pack & display; proper handling of harvested crops in field, maintain standards of cleanliness for produce safety, appropriate use of washing equipment (greens spinner, root wash, spray table, dunk tanks), attention to detail, quality control
• Training, overseeing and motivating field crew, volunteers and interns

 

Qualifications

The Production Manager must have familiarity with the fast-paced environment and production-oriented mindset of a mid-sized diversified farm. Minimum 2 years experience of vegetable production, including tractor driving and implement use. Crew leading experience is a must. Proficiency in basic mechanical and carpentry skills are a plus. Strong organizational and problem-solving skills. Must be able to lift 50 pounds and drive a manual transmission.

The successful Production Manager will embrace the varied and intense work of a diversified farm, have an insurmountably positive attitude, communicate well with a small, close-knit team, work closely with the head farmer to implement the production plan, and be able to manage production pressure and crew dynamics during the height of the growing season.

Compensation this position is : hourly, varies DOE, $13.00 - $15.00 Application instructions DeadlineDecember 01, 2018