Job at Ploughshare Farm in Minnessota: Field Crew Supervisor (2010)

Ploughshare Farm Job Opportunity for 2010
Location: Parkers Prairie , MN
Ploughshare is an organic vegetable farm located on 160 acres. We market through our 300+ member CSA (Community Support Agriculture).

Of the 160 acres our family owns, we presently manage 25 acres with approximately 15 acres in vegetables on an annual basis and the remaining acreage in "green manure" (crops such as soybeans, rye, and vetch that are plowed under as fertilizer rather than being harvested). 

We are semi-mechanized, though most harvesting is still done by hand. We use hand tools, rototillers, and small and large tractors. Our methods are based on the latest advances in agricultural ecology. We are constantly evaluating our methods and adapting our systems to meet market demand and the concerns of our customers and the organic/sustainable agriculture community.

Position: Field  Crew Supervisor
Pay Scale: $1200-1500 per month depending on qualifications, plus on-site housing and some meals.
Hours and days needed: April 1st - November 1st, 60+ hours a week. (Monday - Friday 7:30 am- 6pm. Saturdays in May - July until 2pm).

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Duties include:

1. Communicating daily with Gary regarding tasks for the day
2. Managing and working with farm crew and other apprentices
3. Holding brief daily meeting with other apprentices to outline daily/weekly schedule
4. Directing daily activities including planting, cultivating, harvesting, processing
5. Driving tractor for most transplanting in the spring, and helping do tractor-mounted cultivating through the summer and fall
6. Maintaining all harvest data and records
7. Helping harvesting, washing, packing, and loading produce with farm crew
8. Maintaining crew productivity data and time sheets
9. Organizing and cleaning packing room, coolers and storage facilities
10. Analyzing and refining harvesting and packing room methods and efficiencies
11. Loading truck for delivery

QUALITIES DESIRED

• Tractor and cultivating experience highly desired
• Minimum two season’s farm experience
• Some managerial and supervisory experience and aptitude required
• Disciplined, Organized, Responsible, Independent and Positive.
• A valid driver’s license and ability to lift 50 pounds is required.
• This is an excellent position for someone planning to start their own farm in the next year or two.

Email Gary Brever: gjbrever@midwestinfo.net for more information.