Job: Farm Manager at D-Town, Michigan

The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is seeking an experienced, innovative, socially conscious farm manager to manage D-Town Farm, currently a four acre organic farm in the City of Detroit’s Rouge Park. The farm is expected to expand to seven acres in the near future. Summary: The Farm Manager is an at-will employee of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN), a 501c3 non-profit organization and reports to DBCFSN’s Executive Director. This is a full time position with an annual salary of $38,500 and benefits.  The Farm Manager is responsible for coordinating and leading all aspects of farm operations including, but not limited to: planning, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, composting, hoophouse operations, pest management and supervision of paid and volunteer workers.  The Farm manager must support DBCFSN’s mission and social justice approach to food system change.  An understanding of African-American history and culture is essential.

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Duties

• Convene and chair farm operations committee meetings.

• Set farm goals, in conjunction with the farm operations committee, and submit reports to the Executive Director on the status of those goals.   Identify and correct issues impeding accomplishment of goals.

• Coordinate the purchase of machinery, equipment, and supplies.

• Analyze soil fertility and determine best organic methods of increasing soil fertility.

• Decide, in conjunction with the Farm Operations and PR and Marketing Committees, which crops to plant and in what quantities.

• Create planting schedules and diagrams.

• Supervise all paid farm staff and volunteers.

• Enforce safety procedures and regulations.

• Enforce, and interpret when necessary, DBCFSN policies and procedures.

• Direct and coordinate planting, cultivating, irrigation, pest management, harvesting and other farm activities.

• Inspect fields, raised beds and hoophouses and other growing areas to determine maturity dates of crops and to estimate potential crop damage.

• Determining procedural changes in drying, grading, storage, packaging and shipment for greater efficiency and accuracy.

• Develop, with the DBCFSN PR and Marketing Committee, marketing strategies and plans. Confer with wholesale purchasers and arrange for sale of crops.

• Record information, such as soil amendments, source of seeds and plants, use of pesticides and fertilizers, production costs, farm management practices, volunteer and paid hours, crop yield, sales and other information that may be required to obtain USDA  Organic certification.

• Submit budget proposals to the Executive Director.

• Prepare financial and operational reports.

• Perform work in the DBCFSN office at least 5 hours weekly.

• Perform other related duties as requested by the Executive Director.

 

This two year position is expected to begin May 9, 2011.  Continued employment is dependent upon satisfactory performance evaluation and continuing grant funding.

Send a cover letter and resume to Malik Yakini, Interim Executive Director, 3800 Puritan, Detroit, MI 48238 or email myakini@aol.com.  For more information, please call (313) 345-3663.

 

Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization whose mission is to build self-reliance, food security and food justice in Detroit’s Black community.  Learn more at www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org