Farm Manager for Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
Job Summary:
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center’s Farm Manager oversees all day-to-day operational aspects of the Merry Lea Teaching Farm (MLTF), a small but diverse educational farm located on the Merry Lea property just south of Wolf Lake, IN. MLTF contributes to the center’s mission by serving as a place where environmental education programs related to sustainable food production are delivered to people of all ages. The farm also produces food used by other Merry Lea program areas. MLTF facilities include vegetable plots, fruit and nut orchards, an animal barn and pastures, a passive solar greenhouse, and a small hoop house.
The Farm Manager regularly draws upon specialized skills and technical knowledge in the fields of agroecology and food production, such as designing planting spaces, selecting site-appropriate crops, overseeing planting and harvesting activities, monitoring crop condition and modifying management approaches accordingly, and farm animal husbandry, all aimed at maintaining MLTF as a setting for teaching about food systems and increasing food literacy. In doing so, they play a critical role in the success of Merry Lea’s educational programs and have a high level of impact on the experience of participants in these programs. Primary responsibilities include managing all aspects of crop production, coordinating distribution of harvested crops, hiring/supervising farm staff, seasonal student works/interns, and volunteers, creating/managing financial budgets, and record keeping. The Farm Manager also regularly supports and delivers farm-related education and outreach programs for children, young adults, collegiate students, adults, and families. This position requires significant coordination with other Merry Lea staff members.
This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $42,224 plus benefits.
Essential Functions:
- Farm management – 80%
- Maintain agricultural spaces in a state that directly supports educational activities, including Environmental Education Outreach (EEO) programs and undergraduate/graduate classes. Core spaces include:
- 1. Teaching garden
- 2. Orchard
- 3. Greenhouses
- 4. Produce preparation room
- 5. Livestock barn
- 6. Market garden
- 7. Woody perennial polyculture (WPP) site
- Food production management
- 1. In consultation with other Merry Lea (ML) staff and faculty, determine annual crops, farm animal composition, planting regimes, and harvest schedules.
- 2. Perform day-to-day farm management tasks, including planting, weeding, pruning, mowing, pest management, mulching, harvesting, and animal care.
- 3. Operate light and heavy equipment and machinery (e.g., mowers, weed whips, tillers, tractors) necessary to complete the responsibilities of this position.
- 4. When necessary, preserve harvested food using appropriate methods, such as canning and freezing.
- 5. Coordinate distribution of farm food shares to undergraduate and graduate students in residence.
- 6. Coordinate farm food supplied to internal ML programs.
- 7. Coordinate donations of farm food to local food pantries.
- Manage and supervise paid farm workers (short-term and long-term), student interns, and volunteers.
- 1. Advertise and coordinate hiring of paid farm workers.
- 2. Collaborate with ML Volunteer Coordinator to recruit volunteer farm workers.
- 3. Train paid and unpaid workers to perform farm management tasks.
- 4. Supervise and coordinate day-to-day activities of paid and unpaid farm workers, including tasking daily chores, long-term scheduling, approving timesheets, providing performance feedback, and designing/implementing performance improvement plans.
- Financial management and record keeping
- 1. Create and manage annual MLTF budget, including calculating farm intern salaries and identifying/pricing materials.
- 2. Order farm materials/supplies and process associated payments, including issuing invoices and coding expenses to appropriate cost centers.
- 3. Keep budget tracking documents up to date.
- 4. Maintain digital databases relevant to the farm, including detailed care of perennial crops, and records of food produced and how it was used/where it was sent.
- 5. Annually summarize expense reporting for the entire MLTF budget.
- 6. Produce written reports as needed.
- Other
- 1. Engage collaboratively with other ML staff in long-term strategic planning and programmatic assessment activities.
- 2. Attend and actively participate in staff meetings and other meetings as necessary.
- Maintain agricultural spaces in a state that directly supports educational activities, including Environmental Education Outreach (EEO) programs and undergraduate/graduate classes. Core spaces include:
- Teaching and Outreach – 20%
- Demonstrate practical skills in gardening and animal husbandry to undergraduate and graduate students.
- Mentor undergraduate and graduate students participating in the residential sustainability semester program, the M.A. in Environmental Education (MAEE) program, and internships.
- Interact with children and young adults (PreK-12) as part of Merry Lea’s EEO programming, especially Conservation Leadership School and Indiana Junior Master Naturalists.
- Collaborate with faculty to plan and facilitate on-farm experiences/lesson plans for Goshen College collegiate courses that demonstrate environmental education through agriculture for MAEE and undergraduate students.
- Plan and facilitate farm-related workshops for families and adults.
- Available for other on-farm, on-campus (Goshen College), or community-based public programs as needed and as schedule allows.
- Serve as primary organizational resource person for farm- and food-related inquiries from the general public.
Supervisory Responsibility:
- Supervises paid and unpaid farm staff (i.e., seasonal employees, interns, students, and volunteers)
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in agroecology, environmental science, horticulture, or a related field
- 1-2 years of related experience
Certifications, Licenses, Registrations:
- Driver’s license
- First Aid/CPR
Skills & Competencies:
- Passion for agroecology and sharing this approach to food production with others
- Specialized farm-related experience, such as gardening, crop production, livestock management, and equipment usage/maintenance
- Ability to operate light and heavy equipment and machinery (e.g., mowers, weed whips, tillers, tractors) necessary to complete the responsibilities of this position
- Ability to problem solve, take initiative, collaborate, and make sound decisions necessary to fulfill job duties and meet organizational objectives
- Strong commitment to working as part of a collaborative team
- Exceptional project and time management skills
- Demonstrated commitment to working with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and experiences
- Strong commitment to Merry Lea’s mission and Goshen College’s values
- Desire for lifelong learning
- Self-motivation
- Excellent communication skills
- Competency in Microsoft Office applications and/or Google Office suite
