Black Dirt Farm
Hen Wrangler Intern
Job Description
Farm Description
Black Dirt Farm is a diversified family farm, focusing on an integrated enterprise loop based on the decomposer cycle. Our farm collects roughly 30 tons of discarded food scraps from about 70 businesses and institutions. Food scraps are delivered to another farm for composting and to our own farm for our own laying hen operations. We raise the laying hens on a food scrap-based compost for eggs, which are sold to retailers and an aggregator. What the hens don’t eat we use to make compost and worm castings. Worm castings are primarily sold to retailers and directly to professional growers. Compost is largely sold locally in bulk. In addition to selling these products, we use them to grow produce for market. We focus our vegetable production on salad greens and tomatoes, micro greens and a small variety of other crops. Produce is sold to restaurants and local grocers.
The farm is in its early stages of development and is growing in order to further improve and scale our operations, while creating greater efficiencies through synchronizing our various enterprises. We also raise broiler chickens for meat and board horses. Being a part of Black Dirt Farm means working in an environment that is both caring and efficient, and a small growth-stage farm business that is growing and needs creative, resilient people to help it mature. The farm requires individuals who can be part of a dynamic and often fast paced team, while being responsible for managing their own tasks with professionalism and quality, and working independently.
Job Description
The Hen Wrangler Intern is a hands-on learning experience meant to help you grow in your farm career. After training, You will be responsible for our mobile flock. This 800 hen flock will be one year old. With this flock we move paddocks weekly. You will be part of putting up/ planning fencing for these paddocks. Along with farm chores, you will have the opportunity to sit in on manager meetings. This is a physical job often requiring the lifting and movement of substantial weight. Each enterprise on the farm is small and therefore requires the operator be committed to working at a good pace, utilizing existing organizational and operational systems, and focusing on efficiency.
Reports to: Owner
Hours per Week: 40 hrs
June-September
Job Tasks/ Sphere of Responsibility *
Laying Hens
Daily Chores (feeding, watering, bedding, transporting and sorting eggs )
Egg washing, packing and order fulfillment
Monthly coop clean out
Managing mobile coops on your own, flock of 800 hens.
Repeating daily tasks, without needing to be told
Ability to work on your own and manage your own time
On-going professional development and systems improvement
Time tracking and task refinement
*Note: In addition to lifting considerable weight during many of these tasks, this position requires handling fine sawdust, manures, active compost, and other materials that can be irritating to breath for some people. Protective respirators are available for use, however for individuals with sensitive respiratory systems or compromised immune systems, this may not be adequate and you should consider this position potentially compromising to your health.
Job Requirements
Hardworking and focused
Ability to manage your time, working alone in some cases(great time for podcasts and music)
Ability to follow operational procedures
Repeating daily tasks without being told
Experience working with livestock or poultry
A desire to master tasks and make excellent products
Excellent communication skills and emotional maturity
Superior time and task management skills
Experience in a team environment and comfortability with providing and receiving constructive feedback.
Appreciation of hard work and how farm’s work
Comfortability with busy work environments and following schedules and standard operating procedures
Appreciation for the importance of efficiency in operating a small-scale farm and the necessary requirements to keep tasks as contained as possible.
Schedule
Monday-Friday. Work day starts at 8am.