Caretaker for beautiful "hobby" farm in the Upper Valley of Vermont, Woodstock area. Onsite detached housing provided. Part or full time duties. Basic quality horse experience preferred. References required. Make inquiries by email :[email protected] or 802 436 1111, leave a message

Hello there!,

My partner and I (an artist/teacher and architect, respectively) are ARDENTLY looking for a small-to-medium-sized property within an hour of Stowe that we can turn into our forever home/farmstead/art studio. We don't need much: 3-27 acres with a modest fixer-upper house and a garage or barn would let us scaffold ourselves into the life we've been working so hard to build. (More acreage would be ok - especially if it's wooded - but we certainly don't *need* it.) We don't need this land/home to already be a functional farm - we can turn it into one (but it's ok if it is already a working farm, of course). In the past, we have grown vegetables, berries, and flowers as well as raised chickens and Icelandic sheep. We're looking for a place to do that again, and to raise a family while contributing to the health and culture of our community.

We're pre-approved buyers (Northfield Bank) who are ready to "put money on the barrelhead", so to speak, but we've been having our dreams ripped from under us by out-of-state cash buyers who often don't really care about the land, about organic farming, or even about Vermont. They just want a vacation home close to skiing and boutiques; we want a *forever home* that contributes to our community.

If the amount of mortgage we're pre-approved for isn't quite enough, we're also very open to unconventional arrangements. For example: does your land have two dwellings on it, and you want to sell to us but continue to live in one dwelling throughout your twilight years? Let's discuss! I'm already a grandma at heart, I work from home, and I have experience with elder care...so something like that could be an optimal arrangement for everyone involved.

My partner works in Stowe (hence our need to be within an hour of there) but needless to say, Stowe is an epicenter of expensiveness that may forever price us out of small-farm ownership. A kindhearted, fairminded person who wants to see their organic farming legacy carried on may be the only way we can break this cycle. Surprisingly, architects do NOT make a lot of money, and artists/teachers certainly don't. Before the pandemic housing market came along, we would've been able to afford a modest little farmstead near-ish to Stowe...but now, with market-driven greed running rampant, we've watched our longtime dreams disintegrate and be co-opted by wealthy second-home buyers.

All we want in life is a little patch of good earth, a place to park a motorcycle and a walking tractor, and a modest house that we can renovate into our forever home over time. We want to be an integral part of a community by contributing healthy, delicious, nourishing food (and maybe fiber) to it and by sharing our time, abundance, and skills with our neighbors.

So, if you're a retiring or soon-to-be-relocating farmer and are open to telling us about your farm, please reach out! Our hope is to put down roots before August so we can begin fall/winter preparations and learn about the soil before winter.

Many thanks for reading. :)

Warmly,
Ms. Jack Michael

PS: email or text is preferred; phone calls are difficult due to hearing issues. Thanks for understanding!

We're hiring a garden manager for our location in Richmond. This garden is popular in the community, and it needs a new steward! We're seeking someone with farming, gardening, and/or landscaping experience, as well as an eye for design and aesthetics. The Garden Manager will often work independently and will collaborate with leadership staff on a weekly basis. This position has opportunities for learning and growth. The garden manager must be independent, possess strong time-management skills, flexibility, and the ability to plan on a weekly basis.

The majority of this position’s work takes place in Richmond in our large vegetable garden and perennial flower gardens, with occasional trips to our other locations. We manage our vegetable garden organically with low tillage. This position is 20-30 hours per week at $20/hr.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, please send a resume, cover letter, and three references to [email protected]

We are looking for an Assistant Market Manager/Produce Lead who will help in day to day operations of our on-farm Market. This position also focuses on highlighting the fruits and veggies grown at our farm, Sweet Roots, where we grow 2 acres of certified Organic veggies, 5 acres of blueberries and additional acreage of other berries and small fruits.
Retail and farm experience preferred. Position is full-time seasonal (April/May to November). Compensation based on experience. Find the full job description at www.sweetrootsvt.com/opportunities

Entire Micro Cheese House For Sale
All cheese house contents including 30 gallon pasteurizer, Anderson chart recorder, 3 bay sink, cultures, recipes, etc. Everything included meets VT state regulation. Real estate is not included, this is to be set up on your property in your own existing building. For a complete list of inventory please contact the farm directly. Located in Southern Vermont, Westminster.
Contact Rachel Ware at [email protected] or (802) 463-2018. PLEASE, serious inquiries only. Asking $30,000

We are accepting applications for a full-time Program Assistant focused on helping farmers run thriving businesses. Details and application info here: https://www.buylocalfood.org/hiring-program-assistant-cisa-3/

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) is a nonprofit organization that strengthens farms and engages the community to build the local food economy. We run the Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown® marketing campaign, educate the public about buying local, offer training and support for farmers, and support programs to increase access to local food in our region. (https://www.buylocalfood.org/about/)

Our team has a range of skills and life experiences and is a mix of trainers, former farmers, communicators, and administrators. We work to build a diverse and resilient food economy with viable farms, fair and just working conditions, strong environmental stewardship, and equitable local food access in all of our communities. We are committed to understanding the history and current impacts of racism in the food system and actively work towards equity and fairness. We strive to recruit and retain creative, ethical, smart, and innovative people and to cultivate an inclusive and diverse culture.

Pay and benefit info: $19-$20.25/hour, depending on experience. This is a 40 hours/week, non-exempt position. Health care, vision, and dental insurance, long-term disability, 401K matching, sick time, holidays, and vacation time are offered. Access to a car and some weekend and evening availability are required.

We will be hiring a full-time farm worker this season. Experience not required to apply.

This is a position performing multiple tasks related to growing and harvesting organic vegetables for sale to farmer’s market customers and to provide to CSA members. In addition, work will at times involve caring for farm animals, including sheep, cows, and chickens. Growing and harvesting veggies will include greenhouse work, seeding, transplanting, weeding and tending, washing, and packing. Responsibilities may include organizing and running a farmer’s market stand one day/week, keeping the farmstand stocked and organized, and doing weekly deliveries with farm vehicles. Operation of small machinery may be included (weed whackers, walk-behind tractors, lawnmower).

More info available- just contact Adam at [email protected] or through blueheronfarmvt.com

The Tenmile Farm Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger by producing nutritious vegetables, fruits and proteins for distribution to food insecure New Yorkers. Through its partnerships with Emergency Food Programs, Tenmile Farm is committed to ensuring that New Yorkers seeking emergency food are served with dignity and have equitable access to nutritious, locally grown food. The farm is located in Dover Plains, NY.

Responsibilities:

Processing and organization of all harvested crops
Coordinate and work closely with field crew
Oversee all wash and pack operations and supervise wash and pack facility
Keep harvest data and inventory records
Maintain food safety guidelines and keep accurate records
Execute the production schedule, providing supervision and direction
Prioritize and manage workload to ensure completion of scheduled activities.
Guide activities to improve system efficiencies, reduce expenses and operating expenses
Measure water and energy usage to meet resource-use efficiency metrics
Maintain a neat, orderly, and safe washing, packing and storage facility and operation.
Ensure compliance on all food safety material, food safety best practices, as well as maintain, monitor, and verify all food safety logs
Support the farm manager and production crew with field operations as necessary.
Willing to perform other duties as needed and work cooperatively with members of the farm team

Qualifications:

2 years of experience of vegetable production for high performance commercial markets
Strong understanding and experience in water management, climate control, and production management
Demonstrated knowledge of “best” agricultural and food safety practices
Comfortable working with inventory management software, databases, and email
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to multitask and manage other staff
Ability to lead and work under pressure in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
Willing to work a flexible schedule to include weekends and holidays as required
Valid driver’s license

Salaried, varies DOE, $56,000.00 - $60,000.00