Philo Ridge Farm (PRF) is a certified organic 500-acre farm in Charlotte, Vermont, a rich agricultural community in the Champlain Valley, just south of Burlington.
PRF is a diversified farm in its seventh year of production. We grow two acres of organic produce and perennial fruits alongside two year-round greenhouses. Our farming practices build soil health, produce a variety of nutrient-dense foods, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and support the local agricultural community. The farm is also home to our restaurant, Market, and commercial food processing facilities, and is a year-round gathering place in the community.
Job Summary: Philo Ridge Farm is seeking an experienced, solution-oriented leader to be our Gardens & Growing Manager. The Gardens & Growing Manager’s work is rooted in the farm’s ecological mission to steward a responsible, sustainable, organic agricultural system. This position will be a member of the operations team on the farm and will oversee all aspects of garden planning, operations, and administrative processes. The Gardens & Growing Manager will provide day-to-day management and operational coordination of the garden team, equipment, resources, and facilities.
As the farm hosts community events, education spaces and other workshops, the Gardens & Growing Manager participates in and supports these events alongside the rest of the team. The Gardens & Growing Manager must share PRF’s passion for land conservation and stewardship, organic agricultural production, collaborative research initiatives, and a commitment to using our land and resources for the benefit of our community. In collaboration with the owners, the Gardens & Growing Manager is responsible for coordinating the use and activation of the vegetable growing area at the farm, which is approximately two acres and consists of two primary fields, a greenhouse, a propagation house, three caterpillar tunnels, and perennial plantings around the farm property.
This is a multi-faceted role with many diverse responsibilities, requiring a strong operational and agricultural know-how, an intrapreneurial and creative thinking-centered approach to problem-solving and a long-range focus on continuous improvement and creating and bringing value to the community. As a member of the operations team, the Gardens & Growing Manager will be a clear communicator, an active listener, and a source of positive inspiration for the team at the farm.
Responsibilities
Operations
- Manage department staff and all day-to-day garden department operations and activities
- Oversee all aspects of organic production including propagation, field work, and integrated pest and disease management in compliance with Organic Certification
- Collaborate closely with the Kitchen to inform cultivation decisions and maximize utilization
- Collaborate closely with farm teams and the owners for consistent alignment of priorities
- Maintain records for Organic Certification
- Manage care and cultivation of perennial buffer zones
- Manage care and cultivation of orchard trees, berries, flowers, and all gardens
- Communicate clearly with leadership and garden teams and contractors to define roles
- Work alongside the research team to support on-going research activities related to soil health
- Work with the leadership to support special events, educational experiences, and farm tours
Infrastructure & Equipment
- Oversee all vehicles and heavy equipment used for growing work including on-road vehicles and trailers, tractors, skid steer, and gator
- Ensure all vehicles and equipment is properly maintained and serviced with current and required insurance, registration, and licensing
- Oversee all growing related buildings and facilities, ensure that buildings/spaces are maintained for workplace safety compliance and that all are on a regular maintenance
- Oversee general maintenance of all department-specific machinery, tools, and equipment
Business Administration
- Lead all finance processes related to department operations and planning, including budget management and forecasting, and review of department-level P&L performance
- Track and report monthly inventory of produce
- Support all HR processes related to department operations including payroll preparation and time tracking, performance management and evaluations, recruiting, hiring, onboarding, orientation, training and all termination and offboarding for direct reports
- Support leadership with general administrative processes and content development
Qualifications
- First-hand experience hiring, training, and managing a field crew, including the ability to organize schedules for daily coverage
- Experience developing and managing an annual budget, including the ability to forecast sales, costs, and labor
- Demonstrated experience in annual production systems and creative growing practices
- Significant prior experience in organic vegetable farming at a production scale
- Capacity to listen and respond to diverse organizational and community stakeholders
- Interest in supporting research activities related to soil health and ecosystem services
- Passion for farming, local food systems, land management, environmentalism, hospitality
- An interest in developing regenerative agricultural systems
- Ability to operate and maintain key equipment including tractors, BCS, skid steer, etc.
- Openness to experimenting with varieties and cultivation methods (i.e., BCS, tractor, no-till)
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop collaborative working relationships
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with project management capabilities
- Self-starter who can work independently and solve probs creatively
- Ability and willingness to do hard physical work in all weather conditions
- Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
The Gardens & Growing Manager will report to the Executive Director, will work at Philo Ridge Farm, and will need to live locally. This position is on-site daily Monday-Friday, 7 am to 3:30 pm, with occasional evenings and weekends required.
Compensation range is $55,000-65,000, commensurate with experience
Qualified candidates, please email [email protected] with the title “PRF Gardens & Growing Manager”.
Please include the below information in your email. Qualified candidates will be contacted directly.
- Cover letter explaining interest in this job
- Resume
- Available start date
- Three professional references with contact information