⬩ ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER WANTED ⬩
Stonewood Farm, Millbrook, New York
Stonewood Farm, a well-respected and celebrated not-for-profit market garden, seeks an experienced and passionate vegetable grower to assist in managing our approximately 2-acre operation located in New York’s desirable Hudson Valley. We are USDA certified organic and Real Organic certified and have been growing diversified vegetables, flowers, herbs, and berries (with a small flock of chickens for eggs) since 2013. Our excellent reputation for quality and aesthetics is known across the Hudson Valley. We received our 501(c)3 status in 2021. We are committed to regenerative farming practices and work to ensure that everyone in our community has access to high quality, culturally appropriate food.
The market garden is the central feature of our 15-acre, deer-fenced farm. The relevant infrastructure includes approximately 1.5 acres of fertile fields, a designated irrigation well and related equipment, a glass propagation greenhouse, a heated 25’ x 40’ high tunnel, an equipment storage barn, a chicken house, three-bay compost bins, and a “Cookhouse” that houses our wash/pack facility, walk-in cooler/freezer, commercial kitchen, root cellar, and space for gatherings.
We have a strong community outreach. In addition to our wholesale and retail sales, we co-founded and currently make weekly donations to our local food pantry, deliver weekly to our local chapter of Meals on Wheels and several seniors groups, and work with local, like-minded not-for-profit organizations - like the 4-H Club, Cardinal Hayes Home for Children, and the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund - to create edible gardens and learning opportunities. We have a food recovery program where our Culinary Director takes unwanted food from a local food distribution site, combines it with our fresh produce, and prepares delicious, healthy, culturally appropriate meals for our neighbors in need. Our charitable work culminates each season with a Christmas Day Dinner that is open to all members of our community who are in need of kinship and a good meal. We also offer a seasonal apprenticeship program to train a novice grower and host on-farm volunteer days.
With the completion of the Cookhouse in 2021, we started welcoming visitors to Stonewood to learn and share common interests related to food, gardening, health, agriculture, and the environment. With the market garden as the focus, we host immersive on-farm educational activities, tours, cooking classes, and monthly harvest dinners. The Cookhouse is also the location of our weekly pop-up produce markets where we sell our produce, flowers and eggs as well as our Culinary Director’s prepared foods and baked goods. All these activities directly fund our outreach programming.
Job Description
The Assistant Farm Manager reports directly to and works alongside Stonewood’s Farm Manager. As Assistant Farm Manager, working in collaboration with the Farm Manager, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining Stonewood’s market garden to ensure that it is productive, inviting, well kept, and aesthetically pleasing. This is a hands-on position that requires physical labor in all types of weather.
Responsibilities Include:
Participate in all aspects of the market garden operations including propagation, cultivation, field prep, transplanting, weed and pest management, and harvesting using certified organic methods;
Build and maintain soil health using soil tests, cover crops, and organic amendments;
Process, package, market, and deliver produce;
Help maintain the Giving Garden, our small, edible garden on the Millbrook campus of the Cardinal Hayes Home;
Install and maintain drip irrigation systems;
Perform repairs and maintenance of market garden infrastructure and equipment;
Care for laying hens and collect their eggs;
Assist in the education of our seasonal apprentice(s);
Work with our Culinary Director to supply produce and flowers;
Set up, staff, and break down/clean up our on-farm pop-up market each Friday morning;
Collect necessary data for record keeping; and
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work environment.
Desired Qualifications:
A minimum of 2 years’ experience and proven track record growing vegetables using organic methods;
Working knowledge of composting systems, soil health and fertility management, succession planting, and organic pest, disease and weed management;
Ability to safely operate a BCS tractor and other farm equipment and tools;
Experience installing and maintaining drip irrigation systems;
Background in the operation and maintenance of greenhouses and high tunnels;
Experience in raising chickens for egg production; and
Comfortably able to lift 50 lbs. and a valid U.S. driver's license.
Additional Beneficial Skills:
Cut flower production and arranging;
USDA-certified organic methods and recordkeeping;
Ability to speak Spanish;
Social media (mainly Instagram) and photography; and
Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs, and Square software.
We employ a “market gardening” approach to farming, growing on a small scale using intensive methods. We practice regenerative farming methods, relying primarily on small machinery (we have a BCS tractor) and simple hand tools for field cultivation. You should have a similar small-scale farming approach and mindset.
This position is designed to assist the Farm Manager wherever necessary on the farm, as well as interacting in various consumer-facing contexts. You must be:
hardworking, collaborative, efficient, enthusiastic about our mission, and committed to being a member of our organization.
articulate and a people-person who can build and foster relationships and collaborate with coworkers, guests, customers, supporters, and the local community.
a self-starter, resourceful, energetic, detail-oriented, neat, and respectful of your surroundings.
able to keep goals of the day and week in mind when completing tasks, ensuring that unnecessary work later on is avoided.
