Job: Farm Director, Greenbank Farm Training Center – Whidbey Island, WA

Posted on February 13, 2011 by in Beginning Farmers, CSA, Education, Employment, Farmers Markets, Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture, Training Programs // 0 Comments

Title: Farm Director, Greenbank Farm Training Center (GFTC) Type: Full-time, Year-round Location: Whidbey Island, Washington Compensation: Salary DOE (min. $36K/yr). Summary: The Farm Director will be responsible for managing and building both a residential experiential farming education program for beginning farmers and a locally-focused program for farm interns at other local farms. The Farm Director will provide the leadership in the classroom and the 10 acre organic field and will help build and provide a community hub for promoting sustainable agriculture for the local community, the region and beyond. The Greenbank Farm is a non-profit organization established in 1998, and is a historic farm located on Whidbey Island and includes 6 major building structures circa 1900′sand 151 agriculturally zoned acres. Our organization is involved in sustainable agriculture, education, and food system work. Our mission is to cultivate farmers, food and community.

The primary responsibilities of this position include oversight of all farming and training in collaboration with others:

Providing leadership in the on-going development, implementation and evaluation of the training center’s farm and educational programs including managing the day-to-day activities of the Training Center
Educational training of the farmer-trainees in the classroom and in the field.
Management of the farm’s infrastructure, production and marketing. This includes the cultivation of certified organically-grown crops and the distribution of them through various outlets including a CSA program, the Greenbank Farmers Market and wholesale accounts.

Measureable results of a successful program will include:

7 to 10 trained farmers through the full-time experiential program
7 to 10 trained farmers through the weekly 3-hour academic course
Crop production supporting a minimum of 50 CSA shares, 20 Farmers Market Harvests, and wholesale commitments
A balanced budget
Improvements in the farm’s biological diversity and soil fertility
A 3-year farm development and operation plan with budget
A core group of sustainable farmers working with the program and integrating their apprentice training into the GFTC program.

Responsibilities for education at the Training Center include:

Recruit, select and orient new farmer-trainees
Continually develop and refine the GFTC farmer training program curriculum, focused on small-scale commercial organic production, marketing and small business management
Prepare and present the curriculum to farmer-trainees
Train and guide farmer-trainees in farm tasks
Evaluate farmer-trainee progress and offer constructive reflections
Provide leadership in creating a positive social environment for the farmer-trainees

Responsibilities in management of the farm production & infrastructure include:

Develop a crop plan (based on the marketing plan) including planting dates, amounts, locations, etc.
Implement the crop plan with farmer-trainees
Use organic best-management practices to build fertility, grow healthy and productive crops, and minimize weeds and pests
Harvest and market/distribute the crops grown
Maintain and develop the farm’s infrastructure to efficiently support the production goals of the program
Maintain accurate records as needed to maintain WSDA organic certification

Responsibilities in outreach and marketing include:

Develop a marketing plan, with the Outreach Director, including CSA, farmers market and wholesale outlets
Assist the Outreach Director with the sale of 50 CSA shares
Manage weekly participation in the Greenbank Farmers Market
Maintain communications with wholesale accounts
Assist the Outreach Director in creating a regular newsletter for farm customers
Represent the training center at public events as needed
Solicit and manage collaborative farm research projects with regional partners to enhance the educational potential of the farm.

Responsibilities in the administration of the project include:

Communicate as needed with the GFTC Outreach Director, the Board of Directors of the GFMG, GFMG staff, program partners and the public
Create annual and long-term work plans and budgets for the farming and educational aspects of the training center
Manage farm and education budget, with GFMG support, including tracking all expenses and income
Provide quarterly progress reports and an annual report to the GFMG in collaboration with the Outreach Director
Participate in and assist guiding Advisory Board meetings

Qualifications:

Management

Ability to effectively work and communicate (both written and verbal) with management, coworkers, students and community partners
Ability to develop short and long term work plans and budgets based on program goals
Ability to plan, prioritize, implement, and complete projects in a timely fashion
Ability to create, organize, and maintain records and files both electronically and in hardcopy – skills in keeping records, using a computer in a professional environment including word processors, spreadsheets, and overhead projection programs such as Power Point
Ability to order supplies and equipment within budgetary constraints

Farming

One to three years demonstrated working knowledge of organic farming systems including: field crops, propagation, planting, tillage, soil fertility, composting, pest and disease control, irrigation, harvest, and post-harvest handling as system components
Experience in successfully managing a certified organic agricultural operation for at least three years including direct marketing
Experience and ability to locate, service and maintain farm equipment and infrastructure

Education and training

Knowledge of curricula-based training for new and beginning farmers
Experienced leader with team management skills
At least three years experience presenting agricultural concepts verbally and through writing
At least three-five years experience training and guiding groups in agricultural activities
Ability to evaluate effectiveness of instruction and adapt accordingly
Ability to work effectively with a team as well as ability to work independently and as part of a team
Demonstrated experience in furthering social justice in food systems

Compensation and schedule:

Salary and benefits

Salary DOE (min. $36K/yr). Position will be filled as soon as possible.
Reports directly to the Project Director and has an agricultural advisory board

Schedule

Full-time equivalent with increased workload Mar.-Oct. and decreased workload Nov.-Feb.
Major holidays and 15 days personal time off (appropriately timed for minimal disturbance of program)