Why We Are Here

Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to inspire and cultivate learning for a sustainable future. We believe in the power of farm-based education for creating a better world. 

Who We Are and What We Do

Our home campus is a 1,400-acre working farm and National Historic Landmark located on the homelands of the Abenaki.  Our education programs, farming, forestry, property stewardship, and hospitality operations are at the heart of who we are and what we do.  The farm’s award winning operations include a high genetic milking herd of 110 purebred registered Brown Swiss cows, farmstead cheesemaking, 80 ewe flock of sheep and 20 head beef herd, 6 acre organic market garden, and 400 acres of managed woodlands with a 2,400 tap sugarbush. We are nationally recognized for our education for sustainability programs, beautiful pastoral landscape, and the food we produce and serve, including our raw milk cheddar cheese and maple syrup.  

As a nonprofit we:

• Engage youth and people of all ages in learning experiences that inspire them to build just, diverse, resilient, caring communities. 
• Steward our working lands and heritage buildings as we embody values of place and community through caring for and sharing our natural, agricultural, cultural, and human resources.
• Collaborate with educators and other local, national, and international partners to advance education for sustainability worldwide

Who We’re Looking for

Someone who loves being a farmer, wants to grow professionally,  and is excited to become part of the farm-based education community at Shelburne Farms. Someone who is deeply committed to pasture-based livestock agriculture, conserving a beautiful agricultural landscape for public enjoyment, and continuing the legacy of the Brown Swiss dairy herd at Shelburne Farms, including the quest for the grass-based Brown Swiss dairy cow of the future!  

You will play an important role in implementing  our food system vision, providing management leadership and support in collaboration with the dairy and livestock  team and other farm staff, to produce and share our farmstead cheddar cheese, pasture-based meats and other farm products. 

Position Objective

To provide day-to-day management coordination and oversight for our pasture-based dairy and livestock operations, collaborating with farm colleagues to advance the mission, vision and goals of Shelburne Farms.  

Key Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of this position is to lead the stewardship of high quality farm livestock operations at Shelburne Farms. It is expected that this position will be a hands-on, working  manager. Important management considerations and responsibilities include soil, animal, and human health, water quality, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, operations planning, staff support, budgeting, and performance monitoring.  

More job details and how to apply: click here to visit our career page.

Taft Hill Farm is a small, family farm located on an historic property in southern Vermont.  Originally the home of President William Howard Taft’s father, the 38-acre property is now home to Robert, Kathy and Luc DuGrenier (Robert purchased the property in 1993).  Robert is a glassblower and sculptor and has a successful design business in Townshend that Kathy manages.  We produce a variety of vegetables, herbs, maple syrup, honey ,and meat, and utilize many sustainable practices to do so, including rotational grazing of our Randell Line Back cows(6) and Hair sheep (25), low-till methods, crop rotation, cover crops and more.  We have a weekly booth at the local farmers market seasonally, and offered a small CSA.  Our goal is for the farm to be more self-sustaining financially; we’re moving in that direction with the two agri-tourisam apartments on the property that we successfully rent out through AirBnB and we also earn money through maple syrup making classes and farm/observatory tours.  We would like to expand our agri-tourism activities in a way that utilizes our existing endeavors while educating people about sustainable living, and would like to increase sales of our crops and / or create additional value-added products to our offerings. 

Duties include and are not limited to:

• Daily animal care.
• Mucking animal pens and cleaning coops.
• Rotating fences to provide fresh pasture to animals.
• Using power tools to maintain, repair, and improve farm infrastructure and systems.
• Propagating and cultivating flowers and fruits, includes weeding, irrigating, pruning, trellising
• Harvesting, washing, packing produce and fruit for farmers market as well as household use
• Farm property maintenance such as shoveling snow, tool upkeep, building paddocks, tractor care and upkeep, basic carpentry, etc.
• Year-round firewood processing
• Haying
• Seasonal syrup production – set out taps, prep firewood supply, assist with boiling, bottling, labeling
• Help with AirBnB guests – greet, give farm tours, clean apartments
• Working within a budget, handling purchasing and farm sales.
   

Qualifications/Requirements:

• 3+ years experience in farming (livestock + vegetables)
• Ability to lift 50+ lbs and perform manual labor in all weather conditions (including subzero temperatures and hot summer days)
• Mechanical maintenance skills and experience with power tools and rudimentary construction.
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and prioritize tasks
• Clear and direct communication skills-- the person for this job is very comfortable receiving feedback, and is also not afraid to voice new ideas and opinions when appropriate.
• Ability to work outdoors in inclement weather. We have livestock that we care for year-round and the best person for this position is someone who is committed to the welfare of animals and is dedicated to showing up to work rain or shine!
• Genuine enjoyment from working animals. It can be extremely rewarding and frustrating working with livestock. The right fit for this position would be someone who just loves to work with livestock on a day-to-day basis. We know many of our livestock by name and it is imperative that we provide them with the highest quality of care.
• Valid U.S. driver's license required, ability to drive manual transmission preferred
• Ability to commit for 1 year minimum
• Organized and ready to manage the daily detritus of a working farm
• A flexible approach to work, and an optimistic outlook. 

COMPENSATION

On-farm housing in a two-bedroom cottage is possible.

This is a full-time, salaried position. 

COMPENSATION

this position is: salaried, $35,00* - $50,000 depending on-farm housing.
 

One year commitment preferred. Please send letter of interest and resume to [email protected]