Employee Status: Seasonal, Full Time

Start & End Date: May 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023

Salary: $15/hour plus free housing

About Us

Knoll Farm is a small family farm based in the beautiful Mad River Valley of central Vermont. Our farm is known for raising purebred Icelandic sheep for breedstock, meat and fiber and for certified organic blueberries. We sell our berries to small stores, CSAs and restaurants as well as offer a busy pick-your-own in July and August. Knoll Farm is also home of The Refuge at Knoll Farm, well known nationally as a place where leadership, relationships, and well being are given space to flourish. We host retreats, concert, food events and are a hub for our community. This is our 22nd year.

Job Summary
Our Farm Crew does a lot of everything: working with the sheep in our intensive grazing system, caring for and harvesting blueberries, assisting in the farm store and with events open to the public, fixing fences, mowing, weeding the gardens and turning compost.
Strong applicants have experience working outdoors in all weather, comfort working with animals and plants, professional manner with guests and the public, ability to self-motivate and problem-solve as well as to take direction and feedback. We value nurturing a community of teachers and learners, where we all play both roles at different times, and where communication, engagement, and the excitement to build something together go a long way.
The housing we offer is a private bedroom in a staff apartment in the farm house, shared kitchen and bathroom, use of laundry. We have space to do yoga, read and relax, and many nearby hiking trails and swimming holes for days off. We typically have about five staff who live on site and five others who live nearby.

We look forward to your application!

You can learn more about us at knollfarm.org, and check out the complete job description here: https://knollfarm.org/work-with-us/farm-crew/
Please submit a resume, cover letter, contacts for three references or any scheduling constraints you may have to [email protected]. Knoll Farm is an equal opportunity employer. Positions will be open until filled.

FEAST FARM - FARM MANAGER - MONTPELIER, VT

Position Description
The City of Montpelier Community Services Department seeks a Farm Manager to oversee the food production at the FEAST Farm program for the 2023 season. The Farm Manager is responsible for planning, growing, harvesting, and coordinating the delivery of food on the farm. They will also be responsible for supervising the wide range of parks staff, volunteers and school groups working on the farm. Because the farm program is only entering its fourth year, we are looking for a Farm Manager who can think creatively, is excited about working towards food justice, and has strong communication skills.

About FEAST Farm
The Montpelier Community FEAST Farm is a collaborative program of Montpelier’s Community Services divisions: Parks, Recreation, and the Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC). FEAST Farm grows nutritious, local food for our food-insecure neighbors. Specifically, it grows food for the FEAST Meals Program at MSAC, to stock a low-income farm stand, to stock a free community fridge, and for a variety of different community groups on an on-demand basis. Additionally, we endeavor to bring people of all ages to the farm in order to provide them with meaningful work and volunteer experiences, and to educate them about sustainable agriculture. The site consists of a one-acre, no-till, market-garden style farm located at the confluence of the Steven’s Branch and the Winooski River.

Key Responsibilities
• Manage food production
o Collaborate with Community Services Department staff to solidify a planting plan
o Collaborate with Community Services Department staff to start/buy seedlings
o Oversee growing, harvesting, washing and distribution of the food
o Oversee maintenance of farm infrastructure and tools
o Purchase any necessary tools/materials
o Keep track of the quantity, value and destination of the distributed food
o Create a planting plan for next season based off of this season’s experience
o Put the farm “to bed” at the end of the season
• Lead volunteers
o Prepare farm tasks for the Montpelier Youth Conservation Corps (MYCC)
o Lead volunteers of all ages and abilities
o Tailor work to people’s abilities and interests
• Communicate with collaborators
o Communicate with the Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC) about food needs of the FEAST Meals Program and the low-income farm stand
o Coordinate school group visits
• Coordinate volunteer times with the Community Services Department Staff
• Grow food for the yearly Harvest Dinner, which will take place on September 23rd.
This job is 32-hours per week, Monday through Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. It runs early April- late September. Start and end dates are flexible.

Qualifications
• Experience in annual vegetable production, no-till growing practices, and at least two years of farm experience.
o Knowledge of diverse herb and vegetable varieties, care, and harvest
o Ability to ID pest/disease damage and implement action using organic methods
o Experience with farm equipment including basic hand tools and small engines
• Experience leading a crew or volunteer groups, ability to organize diverse groups of people
• Passion for food justice issues
• Strong emotional intelligence and good communication skills
• Willingness to do physical work in all weather
• Strong work ethic
• Reliable transportation
Pay and Benefits
• This is a paid position at $20/hour.
• All the “seconds” vegetables and herbs you can eat!
• The City of Montpelier is an equal-opportunity employer.
• Potential to make this a 40/hr per week position based off the interest of the candidate
To apply, please email a resume, cover letter, and two professional references to Leila Faulstich-Hon at [email protected].

Length of internship: May 3– October 13

Hours: 6-8 hours/week

Applicants must be available on class days: Wednesday evenings from 4-8pm and the second Saturday
of each month from 8:30am-12:30pm. Hours used for meetings with the greater VGN team and social
media presence are more flexible.

Position Summary:

This is a full-season opportunity to gain practical experience in organic gardening and learn teaching
techniques in the context of an educational garden. The intern will work closely with the Lead Instructor
to run the 6-month long organic gardening course for adults. This is a dynamic position to take on the
responsibility of being both a teaching assistant to support the instructor and students, and a garden
assistant to maintain our educational garden site. A full-season commitment is required, with variable
weekly hours reflecting garden needs and class activities.

Primary Duties:

● Assist the Lead Instructor to prepare materials and tidy up after weekly garden classes
● Participate in various hands-on gardening activities including seeding, transplanting, watering,
harvesting, mulching, weeding, and pest management
● Participate in garden site maintenance tasks such as shed cleanup, tool inventories, and signage
● Co-facilitate garden work days for students and occasional volunteers
● Document the course through photographs and videos
● Share/like VGN’s social media posts

Skills & Qualifications:

● Interest in organic farming/gardening, community-based gardening, food systems, experiential
education
● Prior hands-on experience in organic vegetable, flower, and/or herb gardening is preferred
● Familiarity and active engagement with social media (Facebook, Instagram)
● Willingness to work outside and do physical work in all weather conditions
● Able and willing to work independently, as well as in partnership with program staff
● Ability to be flexible due to shifting needs of the program, students, and garden
● Willingness to take initiative and motivation to seek new learning opportunities
● Strong work ethic and ability to interact with the public in a professional and courteous manner

Compensation:

We can offer a stipend or academic credit. A $590 stipend is offered upon completion
of the internship. Or, students from accredited academic institutions may be able to receive academic
credit. The intern also enjoys garden perks such as a weekly harvest of fresh produce, make & take items
created during Saturday classes (i.e. herbal products, plant dyed fabric), and access to abundant seeds
and seedlings, if interested.

Applications due:

April 3, 2023
Candidates will be interviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We encourage early
applicants. BIPOC, queer & trans folks are strongly encouraged to apply!

To apply:

Please email a cover letter, resume, and a professional reference to:
Angela deBettencourt, the Partnerships & Engagement Manager, via angela(at)vtgradens.org.

To learn more about the Thriving Gardens Course that this internship position would be
supporting, please visit our website - vtgardens.org

Employee Status: Seasonal, Full Time or Part Time
Start & End Date: April 25, 2023 - October 26, 2023
Salary: $15/hour

Join us on the farm!

Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit organization and a 1,400-acre working farm, forest, and National Historic Landmark in Shelburne, VT. We are currently seeking Seasonal Farmyard Educators to work in The Children’s Farmyard (CFY). The CFY is an outdoor educational space that is open to the public and school groups seven days a week, late April through October. The goal of the CFY is to educate and connect visitors to agriculture in a safe, engaging, and hands-on environment.

What You’ll Do
Work as a farm-based educator using the Shelburne Farms Children’s Farmyard as a framework to educate for sustainability.
Greet and orient diverse audiences to the farmyard including day visitors from around the world, overnight inn guests, school groups, and summer campers.
Lead engaging and interactive presentations and activities for large groups.
Clean animal yards, barns, and pens as well as visitor spaces around the Farmyard.
Assist visitors with safe and educational animal interactions.
Assist with garden tasks while engaging visitors in your work.
Support ongoing maintenance projects.
Set up education spaces and plan and implement activities.
Work with and mentor youth volunteers (ages 9-17) through positive role-modeling, observation and feedback of their facilitation and instructional skills.
Support a continuous effort to foster a culturally aware learning community, open to multiple perspectives.
Communicate effectively with the team to create a respectful and open work environment.
Attend weekly meetings and explore the farm campus to gain knowledge to enhance visitor experience.
Provide information about the Shelburne Farms campus, history, products, and services.
Staff our cheesemaking and information hub, educating guests about our cheesemaking process and serving as a source of information for our day visitors.
Lead Sun To Cheese tours which are a behind-the-scenes look at our dairy and cheesemaking process.

You can check out the complete job description here: https://shelburnefarms.org/about/jobs/seasonal-farm-based-educator-at-t…

Please submit a resume, cover letter, contacts for three references or any questions you may have to [email protected]. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential. Positions will be open until filled.

Caretaker for beautiful "hobby" farm in the Upper Valley of Vermont, Woodstock area. Onsite detached housing provided. Part or full time duties. Basic quality horse experience preferred. References required. Make inquiries by email :[email protected] or 802 436 1111, leave a message

Hello there!,

My partner and I (an artist/teacher and architect, respectively) are ARDENTLY looking for a small-to-medium-sized property within an hour of Stowe that we can turn into our forever home/farmstead/art studio. We don't need much: 3-27 acres with a modest fixer-upper house and a garage or barn would let us scaffold ourselves into the life we've been working so hard to build. (More acreage would be ok - especially if it's wooded - but we certainly don't *need* it.) We don't need this land/home to already be a functional farm - we can turn it into one (but it's ok if it is already a working farm, of course). In the past, we have grown vegetables, berries, and flowers as well as raised chickens and Icelandic sheep. We're looking for a place to do that again, and to raise a family while contributing to the health and culture of our community.

We're pre-approved buyers (Northfield Bank) who are ready to "put money on the barrelhead", so to speak, but we've been having our dreams ripped from under us by out-of-state cash buyers who often don't really care about the land, about organic farming, or even about Vermont. They just want a vacation home close to skiing and boutiques; we want a *forever home* that contributes to our community.

If the amount of mortgage we're pre-approved for isn't quite enough, we're also very open to unconventional arrangements. For example: does your land have two dwellings on it, and you want to sell to us but continue to live in one dwelling throughout your twilight years? Let's discuss! I'm already a grandma at heart, I work from home, and I have experience with elder care...so something like that could be an optimal arrangement for everyone involved.

My partner works in Stowe (hence our need to be within an hour of there) but needless to say, Stowe is an epicenter of expensiveness that may forever price us out of small-farm ownership. A kindhearted, fairminded person who wants to see their organic farming legacy carried on may be the only way we can break this cycle. Surprisingly, architects do NOT make a lot of money, and artists/teachers certainly don't. Before the pandemic housing market came along, we would've been able to afford a modest little farmstead near-ish to Stowe...but now, with market-driven greed running rampant, we've watched our longtime dreams disintegrate and be co-opted by wealthy second-home buyers.

All we want in life is a little patch of good earth, a place to park a motorcycle and a walking tractor, and a modest house that we can renovate into our forever home over time. We want to be an integral part of a community by contributing healthy, delicious, nourishing food (and maybe fiber) to it and by sharing our time, abundance, and skills with our neighbors.

So, if you're a retiring or soon-to-be-relocating farmer and are open to telling us about your farm, please reach out! Our hope is to put down roots before August so we can begin fall/winter preparations and learn about the soil before winter.

Many thanks for reading. :)

Warmly,
Ms. Jack Michael

PS: email or text is preferred; phone calls are difficult due to hearing issues. Thanks for understanding!