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Youth Garden Project Farm Manager Job in Moab, Utah - 2021
The Youth Garden Project cultivates healthy children, families, and community through educational programs and the profound act of connecting people with food from seed to table.
Youth Garden Project Farm Manager Position Overview:
The Youth Garden Project Farm Manager will provide leadership of YGP growing operations, soil health, and crop production. This position is a key staff on the admin team of the organization that exhibits leadership, supports YGP in its events and ongoing growth and development. This is a full-time, year-round, benefitted position supervised by the Executive Director. Target Start Date: January 6, 2021.
Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong work ethic, excellence in self-directed and collaborative work, skillful prioritization of tasks and time management, and will represent YGP’s mission of cultivating healthy children, families, and community through the process of connecting people with food from seed to table.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities at the Garden & Site
- Supervise a 1.5 acre educational farm with approximately 70 garden beds.
- Oversee crop production and manage soil health.
- Organize annual plant sale; including ordering seeds and supplies, creating germination schedules, germinating seeds, transplanting, and coordinating with other growers.
- Manage annual and long-term crop planning, materials organization, and garden infrastructure.
- Maintain irrigation systems.
- Maintain a high standard of site appearance by weeding, mulching, pruning, and coordinating repairs to structures.
- Collaborate with the Outreach and Development Coordinator to facilitate the volunteer program.
- Implement approved plans for improvements to growing spaces and systems.
- Identify and develop new production space on site.
- Supervise/engage Seed Crew (youth development and employment program for 14-18 year olds) at least 10 hours per week on the farm over 9 weeks of the summer program.
- Work collaboratively with the Produce Manager to effectively harvest and distribute produce to Community Supported Agriculture shareholders, the community, and other YGP programs.
- Prioritize daily farm tasks and labor, work in partnership with and guide the Produce Manager to complete them.
- Assist Produce Manager in value-added product preparation.
- Implement a detailed plan for meeting produce sales budget goals.
- YGP will contract labor for orchard management. It will be the responsibility of the Farm Manager to assist Farm Yard as needed, and get to know the orchard manager and the YGP orchard space.
Other Responsibilities
- Collaborate consistently with the Youth Programs Director on the intersection of youth and the farm. Including growing produce for programs, integrating students into farm happenings, and working with Seed Crew during the summer to help teach sustainable agriculture skills.
- Provide leadership for and be a part of a team to carry out fundraising events such as Garden Dinners, Annual Plant Sale, and Harvest Festival.
- Work with the Executive Director to meet income and expense budget goals.
- Be an enthusiastic representative of the Youth Garden Project at all times.
- Several evenings and approximately 1 weekend day per month for YGP events will be required during the growing season.
Desired Skills and Experience
- Previous leadership experience on a farm/garden using organic growing practices.
- One growing season on a farm/garden in the southwest (or a similar climate elsewhere in the world) is preferred but not required.
- Diverse knowledge of irrigation systems, organic pest control methods, season extension, and composting techniques.
- Strengths in time management, prioritization, and multi-tasking.
- Ability to communicate effectively and positively with staff and community members.
- Working knowledge of plant families, varieties in organic cultivation, and optimal growing conditions.
- Experience with crop planning and scheduling, seed germination, soil health management and nutrient monitoring.
- Strong interest in working at an educational garden and furthering the mission of the Youth Garden Project.
- Enthusiasm for learning and working collaboratively internally and in the community.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office software and G Suite.
- Baseline knowledge of greenhouses, hoop houses, and other season extension techniques or structures.
Benefits
- Annual salary dependent on experience and paid twice monthly
- Paid sick leave (accrued at 8 hrs per month) & vacation (10 days to start plus Dec 24-Jan 1)
- Option to enroll in small group insurance plan (75% of premium company paid)
- 3% matching simple IRA program
The Youth Garden Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
To Apply
Send a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Executive Director, Kaitlin Thomas, at Kaitlin@youthgardenproject.org