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[Karryn Olson-Ramanujan <karrynolson AT gmail.com>]

Applications still being accepted!

Help us find our future farmer!  Send a resume and cover letter by  July 31st, 2016 to: youthfarmproject AT gmail.com, attn: YFP Director

 

Youth Farm Project, Inc.

1013 Martin Luther King Jr St/West State St

Ithaca, NY 14850

Position Title: Assistant Farm Manager/ Harvest Manager

Reports To: Lead Farmer/Youth Farm Project Director

 

Hours per week: 25-30 hrs/week average    Hourly Rate: $14 per hour

Position Start date: August 1st, 2016 position will extend throughout the growing season with possible extension into the off-season.

Benefits: This temporary position is not benefits-eligible, except for the mandatory benefits (NYS short-term disability and workers’ compensation insurance coverage), as required by law.

Summary Job Description:  The Assistant Farm Manager is responsible for assisting with all aspects of managing a 10-acre production vegetable farm. This includes operating tractor equipment for primary and secondary tillage for field preparation, setting up irrigation and fencing, seeding/maintaining vegetable transplants, and direct seeding/and transplanting about 3.5 acres into vegetable production.

The position is also responsible for harvesting produce and managing the various market channels of the farm operation. These responsibilities include: record keeping of produce harvested and produce sold, sales, and post-harvest handling protocols to ensure a top quality product.

During the YFP summer program, the scope of the AFM’s duties expands to incorporate helping facilitate the summer program, and includes: being a role model for youth crew leaders and youth, assisting in teaching organic farming skills, facilitating and assisting with the organizational flow of the program. During the summer program, the AFM will continue to assist with day to day farm operations as listed above.

 

About Youth Farm Project:

The Youth Farm Project’s (YFP) mission is to empower youth across social and economic backgrounds to be integral participants in building equitable local food communities.

 

In this, YFP is dedicated to healing our food system through an anti-racist lens as well as bringing together youth to explore environmental and social justice within the food system.  

We believe that through critical thinking and openly learning about these issues, we can begin the healing of our food system, the earth, and ourselves. By developing leadership and communication skills with young people and having them participate in all aspects of food production and farming - from planting to harvesting and distributing, we can increase our unity and hope for positive change in our community.

Job Description- Assistant Farm Manager - AFM

Position Details:

The position includes a high level of problem solving skills and teamwork. The AFM is responsible for assisting with all aspects of managing a 10 acre production vegetable farm.

 

Production:

• Operating tractor equipment for primary and secondary tillage for field preparation

• Assisting in hooking up various tractor implements used for cultivation and nutrient management

• Setting up/maintaining irrigation and fencing

• Ongoing assessment of crop conditions/needs

• Seeding/maintaining vegetable transplants for both greenhouse and field production

• Direct seeding/and transplanting about 3.5 acres of vegetable production

• Coordinating volunteers on Saturdays and and volunteer/youth groups during weekdays

 

Harvest Management:

• Use proven post-harvest handling protocols to ensure a top quality product

• Daily record keeping of produce harvested

• Organizing harvested produce in walk-in-cooler

• Recording produce donated, produce sold and produce deliveries

• Delegating tasks and activities for the week to youth crew leaders and members, including harvesting, washing, and packing protocols

• Managing produce and sales for our mobile market farm stand

• Coordinating harvests and sales for pop-up markets and farm-to-school sales

• Work with the Harvest Box Coordinator to ensure correct amount of produce harvested for distributions to various community partners and sites

 

On-going responsibilities:

• Record keeping of volunteers, volunteer hours, and contact information

• Facilitating youth crew leader responsibilities during our summer program

• Assist with leading and coordinating on-farm education workshops and development day activities with youth during summer program

• Work with YFP board and staff for ongoing organizational planning and visioning

• Helping plan, providing support for and attending project fundraisers

• Help create and maintain good communication with and between Farm Manager, Crew Leaders and YFP Advisory Board

• Demonstrating high energy and passion for the Youth Farm’s mission and vision

• Maintain orderly site: barn, parking lot, fields, equipment, tools, etc.

• Attend weekly staff meetings

 

Training and mentorship will be provided for all aspects of the position. The AFM will work closely with all YFP staff.

Our ideal candidate will possess:

 

• Experience working on an organic vegetable production farm, including equipment use, harvesting and packing of produce

• Experience working at farmer's markets and/or CSA’s, specifically packing boxes, gauging produce amounts, and working directly with customers

• Experience working in outdoor/natural and/or farming education with young people, especially teens

• Experience monitoring safety and healthy work environments for both adults and youth

• Experience with and dedication to social and environmental justice

• Experience operating farm tractor equipment (on the job training available for the right candidate)

• Experience in group decision making

• A clean and valid driver's license

• A love of kids, a positive outlook on life, and a healthy sense of humor

 

Please send a resume and cover letter by  July 31st, 2016 to: youthfarmproject AT gmail.com attn: YFP Director

 

Youth Farm Project is a project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA), a non-profit, tax-exempt, educational organization chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. The successful applicant will be an employee of CTA.

 

CTA is an equal opportunity employer. Employees are hired on the basis of their merit, ability, experience and training without regard to race, creed, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, gender, sexual preference, or disability.