Company description

The Killeen Crossroads Farm is a market garden in Shelburne, Vermont that focuses on food production and meal preparation. As a farm-to-kitchen model, we strive to grow novel and delicious herbs, roots and vegetables for home cooks and chefs alike through crafted CSA shares and a modern farm stand. We rotationally graze a small herd of beef cattle and pasture-raise laying hens, chickens, and turkeys. Located among a corridor of impressive farms in the Burlington, Vermont area, we strive to encourage healthy soils through ecologically-based growing methods on terraced and irrigated production beds. Through our specialized CSA shares and modern farm stand, our goal is to provide community members with unique, ethnically-diverse and nutrient-rich ingredients and instruction for home meal preparation.

Please note that our farm is not accessible by public transportation and access to a vehicle is necessary due to our rural location.

Job description

The Killeen Crossroads Farm seeks an experienced and collaborative farmer that is also passionate about food preparation. As the Assistant Market Gardener, they should be knowledgeable of, and committed to, sustainable farming practices that improve the health of soil and water, and a desire to manage a ~2-acre vegetable and flower farm. Our ideal candidate knows how to create the well-organized market gardens that they admire, the neatly arranged rows, the multitude of colors, and the vibrance of heirloom vegetables. They love to photograph bountiful harvests, drool over baskets of rainbow-colored eggs, and know the pleasure of hard work and bounty that makes people feel full—inside and out. Our ideal candidate also looks forward to spending time getting to know the various residents of our flocks and herd, and will take an active part in helping them flourish. The Killeen Crossroads Farm is located along protected pastoral views in Shelburne, and the design and operation of the farm must contribute to the area’s beauty.

This is the farm’s fourth growing season, and the Assistant Market Gardener will play an integral role in the establishment of essential production systems and goals, with a keen eye on long term soil and water health. Our ideal candidate seeks to build upon their market farming experiences, by joining a farm dedicated to regenerative agriculture through no till/low till farm practices. The candidate will demonstrate an understanding and commitment to the farm-to-kitchen mission of the Killeen Crossroads Farm, and the linkage between the food they grow and the meals people will eat.

This candidate will be involved in harvesting and conditioning vegetable crops for sale through a CSA community, wholesale, and point-of-sale farm stand. The market farmer should have experience working with high tunnel and greenhouse crop production. The candidate has demonstrated experience working on a farm through New England weather conditions or in similar climates.

Working alongside and under the mentorship of Market Garden Manager, this position will assist in all aspects of farm production from propagation, to soil amendments, cultivation, harvesting and sales.

RESPONSIBILITIES

-Assists Market Garden Manager in vegetable, herb and flower production, including propagation, soil fertility, planting, cultivation, harvesting, packing, etc;
-Assists in preparation of terraced production beds including weed suppression, soil amendments, fertilization and irrigation;
-Assists in daily care and management of poultry flocks, tasks include collecting and preparing eggs for the market, preparing and packaging meat for the market, and coop upkeep;
-Serves as primary lead for conditioning and packing crops for sale and maintenance of farm stand;
-Aids with management of farm stand, online store, and wholesale orders;

REQUIREMENTS

A successful candidate will have demonstrated experience with the responsibilities listed above, including at least:
-Two or more growing seasons of experience on a sustainable production farm - largely focused on vegetable production and management or 1 or more years of such experience and a degree in sustainable agriculture and food systems (or a related degree).
-Experience in greenhouse culture management, propagation, direct and potted seeding, and climate control.
-Experience in harvesting, storing and packing vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
-Experience tending to livestock (beef and/or poultry) preferred.
-Demonstrated experience with and commitment to participate in a physically intensive work environment.
-Friendly disposition and willingness to engage with community members and farm customers.
-A valid drivers license for use of farm trucks.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time position during the growing season of April through November (40 hours per week). Work is organized around a largely 7:00am-3:00pm schedule, Monday through Friday inclusive of a paid lunch break. Early starts and longer days are anticipated ~2x per week during the heavy harvest season and heat of the summer. Employment through shoulder seasons will be negotiated. The salary range starts at $17-$19 per hour, commensurate with experience. In addition: Compensation includes vacation days to be identified in collaboration with the farm owners. The employment contract will include a probationary period of 6 weeks.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline