Hello Friends of Fresh Roots,
We are currently seeking a new Farm Manager. Please see the posting below, and forward along to any farmers you know and love who you think will be a great fit for our organization!
With fresh winter kale and a fistful of happy worms,
The Fresh Roots Farm Team
Fresh Roots Urban Farm: Farm Manager Position
Fresh Roots generates excitement and engagement by creating model urban farms in public spaces that activate the surrounding community.
Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society is committed to creating equitable access to local, healthy, sustainably grown food in Vancouver through urban farming and community engagement. Our urban farm fields facilitate urban farming internships, workshops, and volunteer opportunities. We partner with neighborhood organizations and schools who use our urban farm fields as hands-on, experiential learning classrooms to address food sovereignty, community health, and vocational skills development. Our fields host community gatherings and celebrations. Using multiple sites, Fresh Roots exemplifies an effective way Vancouver can confront global challenges of pollution, land degradation, and poor nutrition within our society.
Farm Management: The Farm Manager is responsible for the development and operations of Fresh Roots Urban Farms including infrastructure development, propagation, soil preparation, cultivation, irrigation, crop selection, pest management, direct seed/transplanting, harvesting, compost maintenance, vermicompost maintenance, etc. The Farm Manager will work closely with the Executive Director to ensure on-time execution of food distribution to our food outlets: restaurants, school cafeterias, markets and our weekly local CSA. S/he also manages all farm work conducted by interns and volunteers. Farm management responsibilities also include managing the farm budget, maintenance of farm equipment and facilities, and maintenance of accurate records of all farm activities.
Public Education: Working closely with the Executive Director, the Farm Manager ensures that visitors to the farm are integrated into the farm in meaningful, productive and educational ways. This typically means that the Farm Manager needs to be available, when feasible, during farm tours as well as to teach in some visitor education programs.
Additional Responsibilities: Fresh Roots has a very lean staff. The Farm Manager is asked to support the Executive Director in other ways as needed. This includes teaching a workshop to a visiting school class or serving as the staff liaison for urban agriculture related events and partnership meetings.
Supervision and Administration: The Farm Manager is supervised by the Executive Director. The Farm Manager will supervise all farm apprentices, volunteers and/or interns. The Farm Manager makes sure that all farm support staff has appropriate work plans and effective oversight. The Farm Manager is expected to participate in weekly staff meetings and to perform administrative tasks essential for the successful operation of the farm and of the organization as a whole.
Requirements: The ideal candidate should have minimum 2 years market farming experience, taught hands-on sustainable agriculture to adults and managed adults on a working farm. Experience farming within an urban context is beneficial, but not required. We are looking for someone who is self-directed, personable, and excited to grow and support urban agriculture here in Vancouver. The candidate should be comfortable working with the local food movement: restaurants, consumers, non-profits, and city officials. The candidate should be in personal alignment with the mission, values and heart/mind/body/spirit approach of Fresh Roots. The candidate should also be computer literate and comfortable with technology, social networks and email outreach.
Position begins February 20, 2012. Salary dependent on experience.
To apply: Please email résumé, cover letter, and 3 references to ilana@freshroots.ca. In your cover letter, please state why you are interested in this position and how your experience relates to the job responsibilities described above.
Deadline for Application: February 9, 2012 12pm PST
