New Village Farm is a diverse educational farm located in Shelburne, Vermont. The small raw milk cow and goat dairies, poultry operation, gardens and wilderness areas form an extensive outdoor learning space where people of all ages are invited to actively participate.

Our primary focus is creating opportunities of participation and belonging for youth, as well as fostering connections with the earth, plants and animals. The farm hosts a summer camp, adult and family workshops, farm school, and other year-round programming. Our basic philosophy is that healthy lives and actions are founded in healthy relationships to ourselves, to each other, and to the natural world. Our vision is to create a space where all are welcome, and we can embrace the richness of working the land together.

Our daily curriculum is dictated by the challenges presented by the land, the seasons, the plants, and the animals. Our agricultural practices are earth centered. Our approach to education is immersive, and restorative. We believe that trust, responsibility, and freedom are essential to growing moral, resilient, and confident children.

New Village Farm is seeking a Market Garden Manager for the upcoming and future seasons.  

We are looking to hire an experienced grower with the ability to grow nutrient-rich food in heavy soil. Our farm’s biggest commitment is to education and we envision a productive and vital garden that is designed to welcome visitors, children, and volunteers. Our gardens produce food for our campers, students, staff, farm stand customers, and CSA members.  We are looking for someone who shares our passion for engaging our community in farming.

The ideal candidate is confident in their ability to build soil health and grow food, and has management-level production experience.

The vegetable growing operation at NVF is approximately 1-1.5 acres (with space to expand). The land consists of two fields, a 30’ x 96’ greenhouse, a 12’ x 48’ hoop house, and a perennial garden. We are not certified Organic, but we use Organic and biodynamic practices.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Operational experience in key aspects of organic vegetable farming, including:  building soil health, diverse vegetable production, disease and pest control, equipment operation, enterprise budgeting management.
• A minimum of five years of farming experience, and two years crop planning and management experience
• The ability and willingness to do hard physical work in all weather conditions, and work weekends – as needed
• The capacity and desire work with visitors of all ages
• The interpersonal skills and patience to harness the energy and curiosity of our campers, volunteers, and customers to support vibrant gardens
• The organizational skills and the drive to manage tasks, solve problems, and work through challenges

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Planning and propagation of a diverse mix of vegetable varieties
• Planting, weeding, harvest
• Wash, pack, storage, and display in the farmstand
• Cover cropping, adding nutrient amendments, and bed preparation
• Irrigation management
• Integrated disease and pest management 
• Operating on-farm vehicles such as the tractor, farm truck, rototiller, and gator
• Managing and maintaining perennial gardens for production and biodiversity
• Incorporating education into the production system
• Creating a welcoming growing space for children, staff, and volunteers 
• Managing our traditional boxed CSA and PYO CSA – including crop planning, communications with members, coordination of pickups, etc.
• Managing the budget and marketing of the vegetable production

We are looking for someone who can plan the garden, organize tasks, communicate, and delegate work to volunteers, children and staff daily. We are looking for someone who does not see working with less experienced gardeners and children as a burden, but rather as an opportunity.