Sterling College Apprentice Farm Manager, Vermont

The Sterling College Apprentice Farm Manager Program is an experiential, immersive learning and leadership opportunity for passionate, inspired, and enthusiastic individuals ready to help manage a diversified year-round teaching farm and live in a small close-knit college community beginning in May 2011. The Sterling farm is a working, multi-faceted, living classroom that serves the entire Sterling College community. The Apprentice Farm Manager is the technician, teacher, and manager who engages in whole farm care to maximize educational opportunities. The Apprentice's primary function at the College is to make this agricultural classroom available for both the Sterling curriculum and community. To create availability and functionality for our academics, the Apprentice cares for the livestock, improves pastures, grows gardens, supervises farm Work College student employees, coordinates with faculty and staff, and interfaces with the community. All of these duties the Apprentice performs with direct mentoring from the Sustainable Agriculture program team.

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• The Apprentice Farm Manager’s livestock responsibilities include feed, nutrition, housing, and care for all of the Sterling farm animals. This involves formulating appropriate feed regimens, managing intensive pasture rotations, installing water systems, diagnosing and treating ailments or injuries, protection from predators, construction of necessary housing, acquisition or breeding of livestock, and general care.

• For pasture management, the Apprentice walks our pastures daily in the growing season with an eye for growth and re-growth, weed and medicinal plant establishment, root damage, manure load, and soil health. The Apprentice structures farm chores so that students rotate our animals on pasture twice daily.

The Apprentice coordinates with the faculty and staff to ensure the Sterling curriculum, kitchen, and farm are well supported throughout the seasons. Seasonal tasks include: preparing and harvesting of garden beds, integration of livestock in the food production system, woodlot harvesting and processing, draft horse care and grazing integration, poultry processing, and food systems coordination for invoices,
produce and meat deliveries, and curriculum-kitchen connections.

• The Apprentice Farm Manager is directly responsible for supervising and training 10 Work College student employees every week. The Apprentice structures and oversees students’ daily farm chores. The Apprentice interacts with and participates in farm-based classes.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have experience working in a small-scale farm environment, have a demonstrated ability to work independently and supervise small groups of students, and have completed a B.A. or B.S. program in an appropriate field by the start date of the Apprenticeship.

The Sterling Farm Apprenticeship is a 12-month renewable position that includes a $800 monthly stipend, an optional three-credits of coursework per semester, meals, the possibility of housing, and eligibility
to enroll in Sterling College full-time employee insurance benefits.

Applicants should have experience working in a small-scale farm environment, have a demonstrated ability to work independently and supervise small groups of students, and have completed a B.A. or B.S. program in an appropriate field by the start date of the Apprenticeship.

Please send a cover letter, resume, and the contact information for three references by April 22nd to:

Laura Lea Berry, Assistant to the Dean of Academics, Sterling College, P.O. Box 72, Craftsbury Common VT 05827.
Email: lberry@sterlingcollege.edu
Phone: (802) 586-7711 x107 Fax: (802) 586-2596

Electronic submission of application material is preferred.