Q Farms is a pasture-based protein farm in the hills of northwestern Connecticut's Housatonic river valley. We are located just 2 hours from New York City.  In the current 2019 season, we expect to raise approximately 12,000 pastured meat chickens, 750 pastured layer hens, 100 pastured pigs (breeding stock and feeders), 60 grass fed Dexter and Devon cattle (breeding stock and feeders). We also have ~15 honey bee hives, 2000+ tree walnut, hazelnut and chestnut orchard and potentially will expand to grow some non-meat sources of protein including heirloom beans.  We breed pigs and cattle.  The pig breeding program is year round and the cattle breeding program is targeted to achieve spring and fall offspring.
 

Our goal is to provide people a diverse, healthful, and regionally appropriate way of meeting their protein needs. We believe that a sustainable lifestyle requires us to have a diverse range of protein sources to meet our health needs while protecting the environment and respecting the plants and animals that provide these nutrients to us. We believe that when an animal has healthy food, clean water, pastures to roam, and thoughtful husbandry, they will thrive and produce the highest quality meat. 
 

We do not use any chemicals on our farm - no synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or non-therapeutic antibiotics.  This compels us to have a diverse group of animals and plants that ensure that there is a depth and breadth of diversity to replicate what nature does best.  We seek to create a vibrant ecosystem on our farm that allows all our plants and animals to thrive.
 

We are impassioned by husbandry, and care deeply of the well being of our animals from birth to processing.   We are committed to humane processing, and work with other facilities that hold the same values for animals we can't process here.  
 

Together, with our community, we believe we can build a sustainable, viable farming business.

Q Farms is offering the opportunity to be part of an 8 member team passionate about, and dedicated to, regenerative agriculture and humane animal husbandry.

Q Farms is hiring a full-time, year-round Farm Crew team member position. This position will offer the opportunity to be part of an emerging trend in sustainable agricultural. Our farm is in its fourth season and has grown each year. This position offers advancement opportunities as the Farm continues to grow. This Team member will take part in all aspects of the Farm, and the responsibilities will include raising and caring for the Farms’ livestock and performing other tasks as needed. A major focus of our operation is pastured poultry, so applicants can expect to work the majority of their time with our poultry enterprise. Team members become very experienced in all aspects of running a pastured poultry enterprise.

Responsibilities:
- Moving all the animals to fresh pasture– pulling egg-mobiles that house laying hens, bumping chicken tractors that house broiler chickens, moving grass fed cattle and weekly rotation of pigs
- Daily chores:  giving animals food and fresh water, setting up and taking down fencing to manage pasture rotation, maintaining clean brooders for new chicks, , stocking the farm store and, protecting animals from predators, loading animals for processing, and a lot more.
- Washing & packaging eggs
- Working farmers markets in NYC
- Monitoring the health of all animals
- Monitoring breeding cycles of cattle and pigs
- Driving to customers for weekly deliveries
- Maintaining bee hives & spinning honey

Required skills
o Previous experience in farming preferable, but not essential.
o Share the teams’ vision of sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, and support the Q Farms mission.
o Being proactive, energetic and flexible, and able to work independently as well as being a member of a small team.
o Developed communication and interpersonal skills.
o Tractor and Dump truck operation experience area plus, but not required.
o Ability to lift a 50lb. bag.
o A positive attitude is a must. We enjoy our day-to-day work and want to find a coworker who can work hard and be efficient while still having fun working in a beautiful environment.
o Must have a valid drivers license.

COMPENSATION:  Compensation for this position is $12 per hour PLUS fully furnished communal living with the other team members which is comfortably furnished and has a large well-equipped kitchen and pool.  All utilities are included.