Interim Farm Manager
Spring-Fall 2018
Organization Overview
Common Ground is a center for environmental learning and leadership in New Haven,
Connecticut where a diverse community of children, young people, and adults cultivate habits of
healthy living and sustainable environmental practice. Farm meets forest meets city on
Common Ground’s 20 acre campus at the base of West Rock Ridge. The site abuts the 1500
acre West Rock State Park, sharing hiking trails, wildlife, and diverse natural habitats with the
surrounding forests. Common Ground delivers three tightly knit programs on site and in the
community.
1. Common Ground’s college preparatory Charter High School uses the site and the City
as an organizing principle of its curriculum which is guided by an ecological framework
that recognizes the connection and interdependence of all living and non-living things.
2. The Environmental Education Center receives more than 12,000 community
members/year who participate in festivals, field trips, after-school programs, and other
educational opportunities on site.
3. Our Urban Farm is a key resource for both the high school and community programs, as
well as for the greater New Haven community. It includes both production and
educational gardens used to demonstrate and teach lessons in agriculture.
Common Ground has a commitment to examining the intersection of social, environmental, and
food justice issues; how systems of oppression, including white privilege, impact the
organization’s work; and how resistance to those systems can offer windows into a more
sustainable society. For more information on Common Ground, see www.commongroundct.org .
Job Description
Common Ground is looking for an Interim Farm Manager. Our farm is a valuable resource for
both the CG High School and Community Programs. It includes a ¾ acre production farm,
greenhouse, four season high tunnels, compost operation and a variety of livestock.
This is a full time, one season position, and offers the opportunity for someone with farm experience to build confidence running a small, sustainable, educational farm with a diversity of markets. The Interim Farm Manager will co-manage and train our Green Job Corps High School crews, adult seasonal interns, and Saturday Volunteers, in addition to supporting other school and community programming needs. Farm responsibilities include, greenhouse work, transplanting, weeding, bed preparation, harvesting, irrigation, pest and disease management, harvest and post harvest handling, animal care and record keeping.
At the end of the season (from August-October) you will be running the farm on your own (with
support from farm interns, high school volunteers and our Farm Based Education Coordinator),
and helping transition it from the Summer to the school year while our Farm Director is on
maternity leave.
Responsibilities:
Farm
● Manage farm tasks efficiently and thoroughly in accordance with the crop plan created
by the Farm Director
● Physical farm work including bed prep, direct seeding, transplanting, cultivation, pest and
disease management, harvest, irrigation
● Support record keeping for invoicing, season evaluation and board reports
● Manage and work farm stands as needed
● Coordinate compost production
Livestock
● Care for livestock (turkeys, ducks, chickens, goat & sheep) including mucking,
maintaining yards as safe educational spaces, water and feeding
● Assist in the management of animals (order supplies as needed, research, communicate
with veterinarians, etc..)
● Schedule chore rotation
Markets
● Co-Manage weekly Farm Stand
● Coordinate small CSAs for staff and students
● Managing sales to our HS Kitchen sales
● Support our Spring Seedling Sale and run our small Fall Seedling Sale
● Communicate and organize produce for restaurants participating in our large Common
Ground Fundraiser- “Feast”
Education
● Co-supervise and train highschool student volunteers and workers
● Manage Saturday Open Volunteer days
● Support individual classes as need be on the farm (in communication with the Farm
Based Education Coordinator)
General
● Communicate with our Environmental Education Programs about kid friendly farm tasks
● Regularly communicate with the Farm Director about weekly farming responsibilities.
● Maintain records and resources related to education program administration.
● Participation in overall organizational professional development, meetings, fundraisers,
events and activities.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
● 2 or more years experience working on an organic farm or urban garden.
● Knowledge of sustainable agriculture, food systems and food justice.
● Knowledge about and commitment to working for an organization that is committed to
social justice, the dismantling of systems of oppression, and creating a just, equitable,
and inclusive culture.
● Demonstrated management experience
● Ability to lead high school aged youth and adults, including managing groups of
volunteers
● Experience working closely with a racially and economically diverse urban school
community.
● Strong critical thinking, problem solving skills, and ability to work independently.
● Excellent communication and interest in collaboration.
● Flexibility regarding the often changing needs and schedules of the school and farm.
● Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs and comfortable with social media.
● Demonstrated experience with projects that require attention to detail and efficiency.
● Ability to lift 50lbs.
● Willingness to work outside in all kinds of weather.
Desirable Skills
● Experience working with small livestock (poultry, goats and sheep)
● Experience with Farmers Markets, CSA and restaurant or farm to school sales
● Spanish Speaking
● Drivers License or willingness to get one
Rate commensurate with experience. Benefits include Health, Dental, Life and Disability.
Position Type: Full time, Seasonal; up to 40 hours a week; tentative schedule
Tuesday-Saturdays
Position Length: One Season; April through November
To Apply:
Please send Resume + Cover Letter to Deborah Greig
deborah.greig@commongroundct.org by February 19th.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY STATEMENT
Common Ground is particularly eager for candidates who help us fulfill our commitment to
building a racially and culturally diverse faculty and staff.
It is the policy of the New Haven Ecology Project, Inc. and Common Ground High School that
no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise
discriminated against under any program, including employment, because of race, color,
religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, civil union status, sexual
orientation, mental retardation, and past/present history of mental disorder, learning disability
and physical disability.
It is the policy of the New Haven Ecology Project, Inc. and Common Ground High School to
provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to age, color,
marital status, civil union status, national origin, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or
gender in all personnel actions, including recruitment, evaluation, selection, daily interactions,
promotion, compensation, training and termination.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, it is the
policy of the New Haven Ecology Project, Inc. and Common Ground High School not to
discriminate against protected qualified applicants and employees with disabilities in all aspect
of employment.
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