Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a nonprofit environmental science education organization. Since 1968, ACES has inspired a life-long commitment to the earth by providing innovative and immersive programming for all ages. We have three locations: Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and Catto Center at Toklat. Our programs focus on ecological literacy, regenerative agriculture, forest and ecosystem health, land restoration, and environmental leadership. Through this, ACES meets our mission of educating for environmental responsibility.

Rock Bottom Ranch

Located mid-valley in Basalt, CO, Rock Bottom Ranch is a 113-acre site which dedicates approximately 70 acres to natural wildlands and about 35 acres to pasture-based, rotationally grazed multi-species livestock systems and intensive low-till vegetable production. Rock Bottom Ranch also serves as an outdoor classroom for summer camps, school groups, and community education programming to engage visitors and staff alike with questions about how humanity interacts with and impacts our ecosystems through a lens of nature-based scientific exploration and food production.

The  Agriculture Program aims to spark a community of food-educated citizens through the demonstration of forward-thinking, environmentally, socially, and climate-aware agriculture and land stewardship practices. We seek to educate farmers on profitable, scalable, and replicable agriculture systems. Our livestock production raises sheep, laying hens, cattle, broiler chickens, turkeys, rabbits and bees. Our vegetable production grows 50+ crops on our ⅔ acre of intensively spaced outdoor production and in our four season extension structures. Rock Bottom Ranch’s livestock and vegetable products are featured at our summer dining events, weekly farmers’ markets, vegetable CSA, and on-farm sales. 

Our production farm and educational site is open to the public five days a week during the summer and offers farm tours, youth and adult programs, and dining events. Agricultural staff are primarily involved in the diverse array of production agriculture operations, but have the opportunity to become involved in customer service, event, and educational experiences.

ACES seeks a mission-driven professional to support our regenerative agriculture program as the Livestock Crew Lead for the 2023 season at our Rock Bottom Ranch (RBR) site in Basalt, Colorado.  Rock Bottom Ranch’s livestock and vegetable products are featured at our summer dining events, seasonal farmers’ markets, local restaurants, and on-farm sales.  

Rock Bottom Ranch’s vegetable and livestock production is inspired by natural systems and is continually working toward more regenerative and sustainable practices. The 113-acre site dedicates approximately 70 acres to natural wildlands and 35 acres to pasture-based, rotationally grazed livestock systems.  To maximize production and extend the growing season at our mountainous 6,400 feet elevation, our 2/3 acre of outdoor vegetable and cut flower production is supported by four season extension structures (a stationary hoop house, mobile hoop houses, and a passive solar greenhouse).  We grow around 60 different crop varieties.

Our production farm and educational site is open to the public six days a week during the summer and offers daily farm tours, youth and adult programs, and food events.  Agricultural staff are given the opportunity to become involved in a diverse array of agricultural operations in addition to numerous customer service, event, and educational experiences. 

 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:  

1) Livestock Production 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Assist and oversee the daily care of cattle, sheep, goats, guardian llama, laying hens, meat chickens, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, and bees;
  • Daily care includes: providing feed and fresh water, creating electric fencing paddocks and moving animals through a multi-species rotational grazing system, mucking out stalls and houses, collecting and washing eggs;
  • Rough production numbers are typically: 15 cow calf pairs, 90 sheep, 500 laying hens, 1000 broilers, 100 turkeys;
• Participate in humane, on-property animal harvesting of chickens and turkeys;
• Assist with sales of produce and meat at local farmers’ markets and at the ranch;
• Assist and lead with lambing season (February-March);
• Daily observation of livestock;
• Care of sick or injured animals;
• Assisting and oversee flood irrigation; 
• Pasture management;
• Assist with weekly deliveries;
• Maintain production records (including herd health checks, grazing records) and organize to share with the entire team.

2) Agriculture Administration and Customer Service 

• Contribute to the execution of ACES Farmer Training Program;
  • Lead and mentor apprentices
  • Help create and lead FTP presentations or workshops
• Develop content and contribute to website and digital online resources; 
• Support on-site needs including farm tours and covering on-site responsibilities, as needed; 
• Provide a welcoming and educational environment to all guests;
• Assist in hiring Livestock Apprentices and Agriculture Stewards
• Liaise with Ag Leadership team to support leadership goalsS
• Serve as an ambassador for ACES on and off the farm.

3) Site Maintenance 

• • Mowing and weed whacking

• Fence repair, trail repair, event preparation, cleaning, or other site duties as needed

Qualifications:

Candidates must embody the following characteristics:

• Strong work ethic and understanding that farm work is rewarding, yet physically demanding.
• Enjoy working outdoors in varying weather conditions.   
• Able to lift heavy items. 
• Ability to work with a sense of urgency. 
• Friendly, inviting personality and positive attitude. 
• Respect for farm products, fellow crew members and ACES staff. 
• Strong willingness and desire to learn. 
• Minimum of two seasons of livestock production.

Preferred but not required, candidates will have the following: 

• An interest in pursuing farming as a career.
• Bilingual, particularly conversational Spanish.
• Able to drive manual transmission and comfort with towing large trailers.
• Construction/woodworking skills.
• Culinary and/or food service experience.

Reporting Relationship:  This position reports to the Agriculture Manager. 

Location:  This position is located at ACES’ Rock Bottom Ranch site in Basalt, Colorado.  

Work schedule: 5 days per week, 8 or more hours per day, 2 consecutive days off per week. This is a full-time, exempt position. We value a healthy work/life balance and farming has peak demands and occasional times of unpredictability where we will be challenged to work through physical and mental exhaustion.   

Position Dates:  Mid December  – November 30, 2023.  Flexible start date.