Start date: Flexible, preferred Jan. - early Feb. 2025
Rate: $52,000
Benefits: 75% cost share for Health New England health insurance, 403(b) retirement benefits with Company match up to 4%, 10 days of PTO in first year, 40 Hours of Paid Sick Leave, 11 Paid Holidays,1 paid week company closure end of December-January 1, $500 yearly gear stipend, $1000 yearly PD stipend, paid staff trainings.
Schedule: Varies based on season, 40-45 hrs a week in the summer. We value staff time and follow a year-round schedule. Some evening, weekend and holiday hours will be necessary for this position.
About Greenagers: Greenagers is a non-profit organization based in South Egremont, MA that provides local youth aged 14-24 with paid employment opportunities in jobs that connect them to the outside world. Greenagers envisions a culture of community where young people work together to restore forests and fields, grow food, and build spaces that support natural systems and sustainability.
About April Hill: Featuring a historic house dating to 1744 and barns dating to the mid-19th century, April Hill Education and Conservation Center serves as the headquarters for Greenagers and a resource for community gatherings and education. April Hill Farm is the primary stewardship enterprise on the nearly 100 acres comprising the property. Conserved in perpetuity, April Hill has nature trails, vegetable gardens, orchards, pastures and hayfields, and abuts the Appalachian Trail–linking it to the Berkshire-Taconic range and beyond.
Position Overview: The Farm Manager is part of the core farm team at April Hill Conservation and Education Center working closely with the Farm Director and other farm staff who fluctuate based on seasonal needs. The farm team manages approximately 1 acre of low-till, hand-scale annual vegetables, herbs, and flowers. In 2025, we have the opportunity to expand our production space. The produce grown is distributed through organizations in Berkshire County working to relieve food insecurity and through a staff produce share. During the winter months the Farm Program aides in managing a Community Firewood Bank, providing heating assistance to those in Berkshire County. In early Spring, the Farm Program manages Front Lawn Food, working with local high school students to install raised garden beds in the community.
The Farm Manager position requires a sense of flexibility in decision making and task management. Based on the natural systems surrounding us and involved with our work the Farm Manager must be able to make quick, effective, and safe decisions dependent on weather conditions and crew capacities. The primary demographic of our constituents are 14-24 year olds, the Farm Manager must be open and supportive of these individuals with their daily tasks on the job, and in their broader well-being as seen fit.
Position Requirements: Much of the work of the Farm Manager can be physically demanding, including lifting and carrying heavy totes, standing for extended periods of time, and bending over and working close to the ground. Accommodations can and will be made to make the working environment more accessible when needed.
Common tools and equipment used by April Hill Farm staff: Various hand hoes, broadforks, silage tarps, shovels, wheelbarrows, paper pot transplanter, Jang seeder, Kubota tractor, BCS walk-behind tractor, log splitters, hand mauls, wood boiler, various vehicles including passenger vans and a dump truck. We will train staff on anything needed, but the ideal candidate will have some fluency with the above.
April Hill Farm regularly hosts partner organizations, community groups and collaborates with Greenagers Education Program to host field trips and service learning for local schools. The Farm Manager should be comfortable with some amount of public interface as part of this position.
This is a great fit for anyone with a minimum of 3 years experience farming who is looking for more management skills and has an interest in farm education. Effective communication, decision making and delegation skills are all necessary to carry out this role. There is potential for longer-term commitments and growth within this role.
Farm Manager position responsibilities vary based on the season as follows:
Spring: Coordinate Front Lawn Food (FLF) calendar including installation for 30 raised beds. Communicate as needed with the Development team the updates on FLF season for social media and website posts.
Opening and closing greenhouse chores including: watering, opening/closing sides, loading wood furnace.
Participate in all field related activities including bed prep, seeding, transplanting, weed management etc.
Coordinate daily tasks with farm crew (2-3 staff)
Summer/Fall: Participate in weekly field walks with the Farm Director to coordinate farm tasks in real time throughout the season.
Participate in all aspects of farm work including direct seeding, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, crop maintenance, pest management or other field-related tasks.
Maintain daily field records with support of farm staff, updating field plans in real time throughout the season.
Supervise weekly harvest days and organize distribution pack-out with crew members.
Coordinate daily tasks for Summer Youth Crew (5-6) throughout their 4-week work session.
Make decisions pertaining to the Summer Youth Crew in order to contribute to a safe and productive work environment for all participants.
Foster a healthy, positive and inclusive work environment on the farm.
Participate in weekly Farm Program meetings and monthly all-staff organizational meetings.
Winter:
Collaborate with Farm Director on crop planning (greenhouse and field), seed orders and general farm organization and maintenance.
Coordinate daily tasks with farm crew (2-3 staff).
Maintain timely invoices and schedule cord deliveries for participating Community
Firewood clients.
Coordinate crew workdays for firewood processing, in collaboration with Trades and
Conservation Programs.
Interested applicants: Please send resume and cover letter or introductory email to the Farm Director: sarah@greenagers.org. Applicants will be asked for 2 professional recommendations after the interview process.
Due to the volume of applicants, we will only be responding to those we are interested in interviewing.
Job Type : Full-Time