This job expired on January 17, 2020
Field Manager Ivy Creek Family Farm
- Date Posted December 04, 2019
- Location Barnardsville, NC
- Category Agriculture
- Job type Full-Time
Company description
Ivy Creek Family Farm grows vegetables, flowers, and shiitake mushrooms using organic practices. Located 25 minutes from Asheville in the Big Ivy valley, we sell our produce to several large restaurants, at two tailgate markets, to our CSA members, and at our farm stand. We are a for-profit, family farm. Anna and Paul Littman began the farm twelve years ago, bringing backgrounds of landscape architecture, nonprofit management, and plant and mushroom study to their farming goals.
We work with a skilled team of three to four people to farm our six-acres of produce and to process the vegetables post harvest. We utilize two Kubota tractors, a disc harrow, a spader, a bed raiser, plastic mulch layer, and other tools to prepare our fields and beds. In addition to producing field crops, we grow in high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels. Our expansion plan includes building more caterpillar tunnels on our farm in 2020 and 2021.
Several times a year we give tours to chefs who buy our produce. On these culinary tours, chefs take inspiration from the tomatoes growing in the hoop houses and herbs that have gone to flower. We stock our farm stand daily. Neighbors tell us that they don’t plan their meals until they stop at our refrigerator to see what's fresh. We have donated thousands of pounds of produce to those in need. We are proud to have restored a piece of land that we use to bring fresh produce and authentic experiences to our community.
Katie Button of Curate describes our farm saying, "As a restaurant owner and chef, I am heavily dependent on the local agricultural economy, as are my counterparts across the region. The Ivy Creek Family Farm team is exemplary in their farming practices, ethos and leadership abilities within our community, setting new standards in how relationships are built between the farming community and our local dining establishments." Job description
We work with a skilled team of three to four people to farm our six-acres of produce and to process the vegetables post harvest. We utilize two Kubota tractors, a disc harrow, a spader, a bed raiser, plastic mulch layer, and other tools to prepare our fields and beds. In addition to producing field crops, we grow in high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels. Our expansion plan includes building more caterpillar tunnels on our farm in 2020 and 2021.
Several times a year we give tours to chefs who buy our produce. On these culinary tours, chefs take inspiration from the tomatoes growing in the hoop houses and herbs that have gone to flower. We stock our farm stand daily. Neighbors tell us that they don’t plan their meals until they stop at our refrigerator to see what's fresh. We have donated thousands of pounds of produce to those in need. We are proud to have restored a piece of land that we use to bring fresh produce and authentic experiences to our community.
Katie Button of Curate describes our farm saying, "As a restaurant owner and chef, I am heavily dependent on the local agricultural economy, as are my counterparts across the region. The Ivy Creek Family Farm team is exemplary in their farming practices, ethos and leadership abilities within our community, setting new standards in how relationships are built between the farming community and our local dining establishments." Job description
Ivy Creek Family Farm seeks a passionate and dedicated individual to join the current farm team. The field manager will work with the farm owners to manage field production. Our 2020 team will consist of a total of three to four skilled individuals working together to farm with intelligence, grace, and dedication. We occasionally bring in volunteers or harvest crews to help with harvest days.
Position Details:
This is a full-time position. Start date is February 1, 2020, with opportunity to begin sooner for the right individual.
Work with farm owners to:
- Implement plant propagation and crop production plan (laid out by farm owners) for continual harvest throughout season. Oversee and ensure success of plantings.
- Monitor and control pests and disease organically, with regular and scheduled actions.
- Use farm tractor and implements (spader, bed raiser, mulch layer, transplanter) for field cultivation, cover crop integration, planting, and field management.
- Harvest, wash, and pack produce for market.
- Maintain planting, feeding, and pest mitigation records.
- Provide accurate estimates of field crops for harvest.
- Manage and maintain irrigation system and irrigation needs.
- Ensure timely clean up of fields after crop harvests.
- Manage hoop house tomato production.
- Lead staff in farm work.
Required qualifications and attributes:
- A minimum of 3 seasons of organic growing experience in a climate similar to Western North Carolina.
- Demonstrated market farm credentials.
- Strong organizational and multitasking skills, high attention to detail.
- Proactive mindset; calm and resolute problem-solving.
- Heavy-lifting as needed; applicants should be able to lift and carry approximately 50 lbs comfortably and safely.
SALARY + BENEFITS
- Salary is commensurate with experience, and starting pay will range from $22 – 28k annually with opportunity for growth as the business + position expands.
- We do not currently offer benefits, but would gladly provide a stipend to contribute to a North Carolina Marketplace health care plan.
- Farm food.
This job expired on January 17, 2020
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