Farm Educator New Village Farm
- Date Posted August 14, 2023
- Location Shelburne, VT
- Category Agriculture / Education
- Job type Full-Time
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.
A primary focus of ours is creating opportunities of participation and belonging for youth, as well as fostering connections with 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 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.
Farming in the company of children and community can be chaotic. Flexibility and comfort working in the gray areas, trust in ourselves and in others, and a willingness to grow are essential characteristics. Our curriculum and systems are constantly evolving in relationship with the animals, the land, and with each other. We prioritize building community around the farm and allowing our animals to live out the essential expressions of their species over meeting specific production goals.
If this sounds exciting to you, and our values align with your own, we look forward to hearing from you.
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.
We’re looking to hire a full-time, year-round Farm Educator. The position begins in late August/early September. Weekly hours will be spread between our Farm School program, After School program, visiting & regular school groups, and livestock & vegetable farming.
Required Qualities:
- Relevant educational or childcare experience
- Prior farm experience, in livestock or veg, is preferred but not required
- A passion for the outdoors and the work of farming and gardening
- A passion for fostering nature awareness, mindfulness, wonder, and creativity
- The ability to direct and support farm chore times for a mixed-age group, so that they experience satisfaction and competence
- The ability to support kids in pursuing healthy, self-directed projects and interests
- Exceptional group management skills
- A “Behavior = Communication” approach to discipline, familiarity with restorative practices
- Professional and compassionate interpersonal skills
- Exceptional intuition and judgment, and willingness to use it
- Reliable transportation (car, bus, or ability to coordinate carpooling with other counselors)
- A personal cell-phone for inter-staff communication
Responsibilities include:
- Managing the rhythm of the programs, including farm chores (goat, chicken, and bunny chores, pasture management, garden tasks, etc.), crafts, games, and downtime.
- Teaching daily project/handwork skills (weaving with cattails & grapevines, shelter building, plant-ID, needle felting, origami, leaf printing, carpentry, wool work, clay, etc.)
- Leading morning and closing circles
- Mediating challenges within the group using restorative practices
- Teaching and practicing safe farm boundaries
- Co-leading with other farm staff
- Managing verbal communication with parents
The hourly, non-exempt, wage is $17-20 dependent upon experience. Please note that on-farm hours will decrease in the month of January. Compensation this position is : hourly, $15-20/hr Application instructions