Company description

Esoterra Culinary Garden is a bio-intensive no-till market garden growing specialty produce year-round for restaurants in the Boulder/Denver area. Our chef collaborations allow us to develop production models for vegetables, herbs and flowers not often found in the wider market, as well as churning out amazing greens and roots and fruits throughout the year. We build our soil with the extensive use of worm castings, healthy compost, mineral amendments, and fertigation with biological cocktails, as well as keeping living roots in the ground throughout the year, and no bare ground. Our 3 acres of permanent garden beds- 1/4 acre under field tunnels- and continually expanding perennial plantings are nestled into 100 beautiful acres of farmland bordering the Boulder creek wildlife corridor, where we work with our partners to cut hay and graze livestock. The farm is a frequent destination for the culinary community in the area to broaden their knowledge of what's possible in designing a local and seasonal menu for their customers. The array of flavors, colors, and textures that can be cultivated and gathered on a small piece of land fosters wonder and connection to nature and the land which provides our nourishment.

Job description

The Production Manager will be responsible for managing all areas of food production including four season crop planning and production for vegetables, garnish greens and edible flowers, pest and weed management, soil health, and maintaining production goals. The Farm Production Manager will provide leadership, motivation, and management for the farm production team. They will work closely with the Farm Director and Harvest Manager to ensure the day to day success and efficiency of the operation.

The Production Manager needs to be a motivated individual with a passion for local food, sustainable agriculture and no till systems. The ideal candidate will have a strong sense of time and resource management and an ability to balance production needs with the constant list of ongoing tasks.

This position would be ideal for someone who has strong field experience and management in farming. An individual who is ready to commit to an extremely unique and productive farm operation in the long term and take their career to the next level. Interest in multi-year commitment may provide opportunity for growth and further development of farm business skills.

This is a full time salaried position from Mar/April-Dec, with potential for year-round employment. ($70k yearly salary prorated for the 2025 spring start date)

Benefits include 1 week PTO and bonus tied to production targets.

Reports directly to the farm director.

Target Start Date: March 15 - April 1

Primary Duties:

-Develop, maintain, and manage annual crop plan with input and guidance from the Farm Director

- Supervise and provide daily instruction to the production team with enthusiasm and a positive attitude throughout all production areas.

-Guide staff in greenhouse seeding and ensure planting calendar is met and seed inventory levels are maintained

-Manage the development and implementation of the farm’s fertility and pest management plan

-Supervise and provide guidance to production team to ensure efficient function of irrigation and field infrastructure

-Maintain basic upkeep and function of farm equipment and tools

-Manage inventory of materials, supplies and equipment needed for production

-Coordinate with team to create bi-weekly harvest availability list

-Work closely with the Harvest Manager to create an understanding of what is happening in the field and how this will affect the week’s crop list

-Work in challenging physical conditions, with the ability to kneel, bend, and lift 50 pounds repeatedly and perform repetitive tasks in challenging weather

Desired Skills and Experience:

-Minimum of 3 years vegetable farming experience (some no-till experience preferred)

-At least one year of management experience

-Ability and eagerness to use spreadsheets (google cloud suite) to organize and record data

-Likes the challenge of managing intricate and complex systems (crop production for over 300 different plant species)

-General positive approach to the everyday puzzle of farming - respect of the subtle energetics of the land and the people tending to it.

-Strong communication skills

-Ability to receive feedback and constructive criticism without getting defensive - (It’s not about you! Its about the success of the farm!)

-Enjoys the lifestyle of farming-with dawn to dusk hours in the main season and shorter days in the winter.

-Being a team player focused on the success of the whole farm and supporting fellow managers and team members.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $50,000 - $75,000

Application instructions

Deadline

January 31, 2025