Keely Curliss has been our tireless Farm Manager for the past two seasons. We are sad to see her transition, but we are so excited about her plans! Keely will be sharing more information about her transition in the coming weeks.
But for now, we are looking for a new Farm Manager to join the six of us (the four of us on the Farm Crew, the Executive Director, and the Program Coordinator).
The Full Job Announcement is sharable in a PDF Here, as well as below. All questions can be directed to movementgroundfarm@gmail.com. Please help spread the word.
FARM MANAGER JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
About Movement Ground Farm:
Movement Ground Farm (MGF) is a non-profit farm committed to anti-racism and exploring a new model of community driven agriculture. 2022 is our seventh season growing vegetables and raising meat and eggs, but only the fourth season on our permanent site in Tiverton, RI. We hope to attract candidates who believe in our vision, have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and queer liberation, and most importantly, are excited to help lay some important foundational building blocks to move MGF forward during our next stage of growth!
Movement Ground Farm’s mission is to recultivate the central role of food and land in nourishing our bodies, strengthening our communities, and growing a more just world. Too many communities have been uprooted through land theft, slavery, war, gentrification, poverty and environmental destruction. Movement Ground Farm is premised on the vision of a world where all people are sustained and grounded by an intimate connection to land.
The farm is on a beautiful, 10 acre property that gently slopes toward Nonquit pond and is <5 minutes from the beach in Tiverton RI. The executive director and his family live on site and much of our farm infrastructure is built out from their home. We typically have around 2.5-4 acres in vegetable production and another 3+ in cover crop/pasture. There is a greenhouse for propagation as well as two high tunnels in year-round production. We have an 130 person weekly CSA, 1-2 farmers markets, and a few developing wholesale accounts. We raise a few hundred meat birds each season, have a small laying flock, and are raising sheep for the first time in 2022. We have a small-but-growing staff and an extended community of committed workshares and volunteers to make it all happen. We are excited that in 2022, we’ll have six returning staff members (including our executive director, farm crew, and program staff), and are entering the new year equipped with a plan born of our first-ever staff-directed annual planning process. We are not certified organic, but do our best to follow those standards and generally be loving stewards to the earth.
Job Summary:
The farm manager’s role is to oversee vegetable production alongside a team of four experienced farmers. In particular, we are seeking candidates with a depth of knowledge in the following areas: crop planning, tractor work and exceptional machine maintenance, field and bed preparation, soil fertility management, irrigation (system design), disease and pest control, and cover cropping.
The farm manager will need to hold the big picture of the farm in mind, and collaborate with the farm team and executive director to ensure that the vegetable operation functions smoothly.
We are moving towards a collaborative style of management within our team. It is essential that the farm manager has the ability to both delegate/collaborate, and hold responsibility for the success of the vegetable operation. Our ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about teaching and sharing their knowledge with the other farmers, and about moving towards a cooperative model, in which management is shared amongst multiple farmers.
As a farm, we are in a transitional moment. Although MGF has been growing food for communities for 7 seasons, this is only our 4th season on this land, and this year will contain many new beginnings. From moving our water source from farm house to well, to the addition of new vehicles, new animals, and even potentially setting up to break ground on a barn build towards the end of the year, the farm manager will play a key role in building up new systems and infrastructure, and improving old ones.
Pay/Salary: $42,000 – 45,000
Benefits: $300/Mo Health Stipend, 10 Paid sick days, 24 Paid days off (16 off season, 8 peak season). Produce & Eggs throughout the season as available.
Requirements: Valid Driver’s License, Tractor Experience, Ability to lift 50+ lbs repeatedly, Reliable transportation
- Five-years’ minimum experience working on farm, management experience preferred
- Significant experience supervising staff or a team of staff is strongly preferred
- Strong knowledge of routine farm processes: plant growth, pest management, harvest and post harvest handling, crop planning, maintenance, field and bed preparation, soil fertility management, irrigation (system design), disease and pest control, and cover cropping.
- Tractor familiarity, exceptional machine maintenance, basic carpentry and construction skills preferred
- Excellent communication skills, including writing and computer skills; ability to take and give clear directions as well as to ask for clarification and receive feedback
- Flexible, creative problem-solver with a sense of humor
- Able to work independently and stay on task, see the big picture, and develop daily task lists and workflow
- Honest and direct communication skills and ability to navigate conflict
- Skill at building a team that works efficiently and effectively together
- Personable and passionate about creating teaching and learning opportunities for all farmers
- Ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender (including nonbinary), sexual orientation, class, and religion
- Life experience living and working in low-income/low-financial-wealth communities preferred
- QTBIPOC and/or farmers of color and food justice leaders are strongly encouraged to apply
Desired Passions or Skills:
- Experience with integrated crop/livestock systems
- Sales and marketing of farm products
- Multi-year commitment and investment in farm and community growth
- Passionate and experienced with developing farm organization systems for a relatively new, emerging operation
- Knowledge or enthusiasm to grow crops that are culturally relevant to the communities that we are connected to (e.g. Cambodian, Dominican, African American, Latinx, Indigenous, and other BIPOC communities in Providence, Dorchester)
Schedule: 5-6 days a week during main growing season (April-December) 50-60 hours a week, and 20-30 hours a week during the rest season (January-March). Hours should average to 40 hours per week on an annual basis.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Manage all aspects of the farm production work: crop planning, greenhouse and high tunnels, field prep, soil amendment, bed preparation, seeding, transplanting, irrigation, weeding, disease and pest control, soil fertility management, and cover cropping.
- Supervise and support the farm team who will be coordinating different aspects of farm production to ensure high standards in cultivating, processing, and distributing of all produce
- Keep an inventory of supplies, including tools, seeds, fertilizers, packaging, harvest materials, and any other things that keep the farm operation running. Play a key role in ordering, submitting receipts, and overseeing the yearly farm production budget.
- Execute farm sales plan and ensure that all distribution outlets, including farmers markets and wholesale, meet annual sales goal
- Collaborate during the off season as needed with the executive director on grant applications, annual report, and organizational goal setting as it relates to the farm.
- Prioritize communications with and gather feedback from ED, Board, and community stakeholders during the off-season to create a transparent picture of what is happening on farm.
- Report to the Executive Director through monthly or as needed one-on-one check-in meetings, and periodically to the board of directors
- Maintain tidy and clean workspaces/wash/storage/supply areas
- Conduct periodic tractor and implement repair and maintain excellent machine health. Train farm team how to use machines safely and skillfully.
- Collaborate as necessary with the Livestock team around rotational grazing and animal wellness. Act as a fill in and back up for chores.
- Represent the farm professionally in a way that is affirmative of the vision, mission, and values of Movement Ground Farm to customers, CSA members, visitors, worksharers, neighbors, and other stakeholders
- Conduct and schedule annual mutual review/evaluation with supervisor and supervisees
How To Apply: Send resume and cover letter to our executive director, Kohei, at movementgroundfarm@gmail.com. Questions about the position can be directed to the same address.
We will be accepting applications until November 15.
Desired start between January 3-14, 2022
