Farm Manager

Full Time, year round, exempt
Salary Range: $42,000-$63,000
Position Summary:
High Mowing Organic Seeds is looking for a highly organized, experienced and technically minded organic grower to design and manage all aspects of our multi-site farm operation. The ideal candidate must be positive, hard working, energetic and enjoy working collaboratively with others. This position reports directly to the General Manager and is a key leadership position in the company.
The key elements of this role include management and development of current farm lead positions and crew as well as crop rotation design, soil testing and improvement, plasticulture production, irrigation, disease and pest planning. The Farm Manager must have a deep curiosity about new techniques that lead to practical improvements in farm processes. This role will manage over 30 acres of vegetable seed production and research plots as well as an additional 100+ acres of cover crops and fields for rotation and future expansion.
The Farm Manager has oversight of stock seed production and commercial seed production and will collaborate closely with our Contract Manager to ensure seed production meets quality standards and contract terms. This role will lead production of our research trials, vendor evaluations, market trials and breeding plots to support Product Development, Sales, Marketing and Breeding goals.
The Farm Manager will lead, mentor and develop teams responsible for planning and field work in a farm environment that includes numerous greenhouses, screen houses and many isolated fields within a 7 mile radius. This role will be responsible for developing and maintaining a culture of innovation and performance excellence on the farm.
Our farm is essential to our success and we seek an experienced individual to develop our team, improve our operations and ensure our leadership in organic seed development and production.
Reports to: General Manager
Responsibilities:
• Lead, mentor and develop teams responsible for planning and field work in seed production, trials, breeding and equipment management
• Oversee soil testing and nutrient management, crop rotations, and disease, insect, and weed management plans
• Develop and manage irrigation, plasticulture, greenhouse and screen house planning and operations
• Work with our Quality Control team to develop and implement field based practices that enhance yields and seed quality
• Detailed record keeping of all aspects of the farm operation; manage multiple annual certification processes
• Coordinate with colleagues in Contract Purchasing, Marketing, Product Development, Sales and Breeding to deliver on agreed goals for production and trialing
• Manage all resources of the farm – people, soils, crops, equipment, budget – toward the highest level of efficiency and quality possible
• Research new techniques, equipment and technologies to improve the ecological and economic performance of the farm operation (including making data-driven forecasts for ROI of capital projects)
• Maintain research, trial and production fields to a high standard of excellence
• Lead farm planning and design toward long-term economic and ecological success
• Present proposals for alterations or construction of new infrastructure to meet the farms’ goals
• Develop and manage financial budgets and forecasts; communicate financial performance
• Some travel required
• Other tasks and projects as identified and needed
Qualifications:
• Strong practical foundation in production agriculture and agronomic sciences with 5 or more years experience managing organic farming with multiple vegetable crops, grains and fruits
• Uses yield and cost tracking to maximize farm performance and enjoys farm logistics planning and management
• Proven collaborative leader who relishes developing others
• In depth understanding of weed, pest, disease and nutrient issues and multiple organic farming techniques
• Familiarity with the use and operation of diverse vegetable farming equipment
• Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities and meet goals
• Consistently tackles issues as they arise and trains a team to do the same
• A lively sense of humor
• Exceptional project management and communication skills
• Bachelors degree in Ag. Business, Horticulture, Agronomy or related agricultural or science based field, with a Masters degree preferred
• Experience designing and implementing sustainable and ecologically advanced farming methods
• Ability to plan ahead and to look at the whole picture
We here at High Mowing Organic Seeds believe that organic seeds are the most powerful vehicle for positive change in our world and we strive to support that change through innovation, growth and collaboration. We care about the earth, each other and what we do and are looking for a farming professional that shares our vision.
To apply: Email resume, cover letter, and references to jobs@highmowingseeds.com
Please put the job title in the subject line. No phone calls please.