What are the responsibilities and job description for the Farm Production Manager position at Bearded Gander Farm?
The Opportunity
We are excited to seek our first employee at Bearded Gander Farm! The Farm Production Manager will work hand in hand with the owner/operators to develop and implement the season’s crop plan and schedule from seed to harvest and will be integral in helping to build soil health and improve the overall ecology of our farm system.
The manager will be part of developing processes and systems and involved in a range of new projects as we continue to build our young farm.
Note** This position requires a fairly high level of physical activity and is mostly outdoors.
About You
- You should be committed to and experienced with (or willing to learn) organic growing practices, integrated pest management, no/low-till, and other natural and regenerative farming methods.
- You’re passionate about healthy food and building a local food system
- You align with our three core values of Diversity, Ecology, and Community
Your Key Responsibilities
- Crop Planning
Assist with crop planting and harvesting schedules
Manage succession planting from seed to harvest
Assist with seed inventory
- Greenhouse work
starting plants from seed
monitoring temperature, light and humidity, water
upsizing seedlings for planting and for sales
moving transplants to harden off
- Field work
Direct sowing seeds by hand and with a single-row planter
Planting of transplants from greenhouse
Manage and monitor drip irrigation system on timers
Apply soil amendments and organic fertilizers as needed
Monitor plants for water, disease, and pest pressure
Weed management and mulching
Bed turns between crops/succession planting
Trellis and prune plants as needed (specifically tomatoes, cucumbers)
- Harvest and Post-Harvest
Harvest produce, and wash, dry, pack, and store produce properly
Assist with tracking and managing produce inventory
- Additional Responsibilities
Assist with compost and other soil/plant health systems
Assist with garden and beds at secondary site nearby
Assist with other projects and processes as they arise
Skills and Qualifications
- You should have experience growing healthy produce (tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cabbage, etc.)
- Experience growing plants from seeds in flats through transplanting to beds.
- Able to distinguish weeds from desired plants
- Able to recognize disease/pest damage and know (or research) how to address
- Knowledge and experience with various pruning techniques
- Understanding of safe food production/handling practices (FSMA cert. preferred)
- Bonus if you have experience with direct seeders like Jang or Earthway.
Management Structure
- Position reports to and works directly with owners
- Will oversee/manage Farm Assistant (pending hire)
Employment Structure
- Full-Time (40 hours)
- Due to the nature of the business, daily schedules will vary depending on a number of factors including weather, crop cycles and other needs. We will work together to set schedules in advance, a week at a time.
- Payment Schedule – every two weeks
- State /Federal Withholding and Unemployment Tax
- Benefits – at this time, we are not able to offer health or retirement benefits; however, employees will have access to healthy produce for personal use.
- Inclusive work environment
Physical Requirements
- This is a physical job requiring use of hand tools such as shovels, rakes, broad fork, etc.
- Frequent bending, kneeling, digging
- Lifting up to 50lb – soil amendments, potting soil, stones/blocks for tarps and row covers
About Bearded Gander Farm
Bearded Gander Farm is a market farm producing naturally grown fruits and vegetables located near Douglass, just southeast of Wichita. We are passionate about regenerative agriculture, restoring a vibrant and natural ecosystem, and building community around locally grown, nutrient dense food.