Farm Manager in Leipers Fork, TN

Francolin Farm is a privately owned and operated, limited-commercial, regenerative family farm. Our farm supports our family and a small close-knit community through regenerative farming, fellowship, and recreation in a very unique experience located in Leipers Fork , Tennessee.

We believe that producing food organically and stewarding our soil, grasses, and livestock are critical to a better well-being and greatly contributes to nourishing our bodies in order to accomplish our unique God-created design.

We acknowledge that we are but stewards of this land and our bodies, therefore we are responsible and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards and we welcome the opportunity to learn and share with others what we are doing.

Livestock, Paddock, and Farm Manager Position Description Overview

Francolin Farm is seeking a qualified and experienced person that is trained in organic, regenerative farming to oversee the planned areas of farm operations, directly related to livestock, paddock management and overall farm maintenance. If you are excited and interested in managing the stewardship of our land and animals please review the duties and responsibilities below and inquire accordingly.

Of note, there is an expectation that you (and everyone at Francolin Farm) will adopt a teamwork identity and work in collaboration with any and all team members as part of Francolin Farm, in order to ensure an holistic farm reality and the management therein. As the required subject matter expert and leader, the Livestock, Paddock, and Farm Manager, not only will you provide proactive management of the farm animals and facilities, you will also contribute in leadership, assistance and coordination with others to best execute a successful farm, garden and community-sustaining experience. The Livestock, Paddock, and Farm Manager will be part of implementing the vision to an elevated, organic agricultural experience at the farm and especially in relation and collaboration with the Head Grower.

Best agricultural practices, personal work ethic, passionate leadership, initiative and effective communication will need to be the core of personal and managerial skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

• Value and share Francolin Farms core values, mission and vision

• Assist in the development, execution and expansion of the farms growth.

• Effectively and consistently communicate with Farm Owner about all aspects of the farm progress, process, and production.

• Have the highest levels of integrity when it comes to farm management and representation of Francolin Farm in general

• A passionate desire and willingness to learn, improve and teach new processes and collaborate on concepts surrounding the agricultural vision

• Be discrete and keep confidential the private, personal and proprietary aspects of Francolin Farm

• Regularly engage with other community farmers and develop strong relationships within the Middle-Tennessee farming community, especially with likeminded individuals and entities, on behalf of Francolin Farm

• At times, work with Farm Owner to coordinate and support product development, programming and events

• Participate in continuing education to enrich your work and add to Francolin Farms overall pursuit of agricultural excellence.

• Stay educated on national best practices and innovate farm models.

• Adapt duties to the seasons, weather conditions, or a crop’s growing cycle

• Participate on planning for long-term farm development

• Select and purchase supplies for farm operations

• Infrastructure planning, creation, and maintain with excellence all Francolin Farm facilities outside of the gardens and orchards environments.

• Maintain clear and detailed records

• Log, maintain, inventory and manage repairs of farm machinery and tools, as needed

• Standardize and maintain Good Agricultural Practices and Food Safety guidelines along all production areas

• Assist in determining annual farm budget and cost projections and operate within the budgetary parameters

• Ability to drive a truck and trailer, if necessary as well as other farm equipment at times

LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT

• Low-stress handling and diligent care of animals and meet their basic needs

• Overall ecosystem management

• Feeding and watering

• Rotational and intensive rotational grazing and fencing

• Forest and under-growth management through livestock and other means

• Coordinating and finishing any processing

• Robust and detailed record keeping for health, reproduction, production, and pasture details and findings

• Oversee health checks and medical needs of all animals

• Assist in and manage the birth of all animals and poultry as well as egg production

• Hay and supplement feeding

• Hauling, loading and processing

• Livestock and Chicken moving and tending, including mobile coop moves

• On call, as needed, to conduct night visits to check on sick animals, nursing animals, or animals in serious or unexpected situations

PADDOCK AND GENERAL FARM MANAGEMENT

• Product and feed supply

• Seeding, mowing, monitoring and management of healthy growth in pastures, including soil and fertility management, pest management, crop management collaboration

• Manage pasture weeding and weeding of driveways, platforms, and walkways and paths

• Evaluate and utilize forage

• Planning Grazing and Mowing

• Maintaining, improving and moving of fences

• Pasture irrigation

• Overall soil management to excellence, including crops and composting

• Management of erosion and water within the farm environment

• Maintain the highest of hygiene standards

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, IF APPLICABLE

• Hire, educate, train, manage personnel and delegate responsibilities in order to properly execute on production, seasonally, as needed

• Provide work plans for direct reports and maintain regularly scheduled meetings with farm personnel

• Coordinate materials for staff, volunteers and temporary workers including waivers, emergency contact forms, confidentialities, etc.

• Document field operations and manage methods of data collection, analysis, and reporting and develop and refine systems, processes and documentation to ensure high quality programming

• Operate equipment in a safe and efficient manner and teach equipment operation and maintenance to personnel, when necessary

In addition, to support Francolin Farm’s needs outside of all core responsibilities, including, but not limited to, irrigation work, supporting the needs of the Head Grower, orchards, building structures, machine operations, deep cleaning of facilities, general maintenance, marketing and sales efforts, running errands and addressing reasonable requests within team.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Note: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• 3-5 years of relevant work experience in and serious passion for regenerative, intensive-rotation farm management, specifically using organic farming practices

• 2-3 years of experience teaching, leading, or mentoring

• Excellent time management and organizational skills

• Outstanding and proven skills in managing teams with maximized excellence, productivity and efficiency

• Ability to transition between both programmatic details and organization-wide strategy, goals and initiatives

• Cooperative, service-oriented attitude and ability to work independently and take initiative, set priorities, and see projects through to completion

• Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship development skills

• Ability to be open and flexible to new ways of working

• Creative skills and ability to experiment to attain new, better strategies, approaches, and solutions to challenges and opportunities

• Flexibly and willingness to take on a variety of tasks along with an ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative, team environment

• Computer skills

• Must be willing to work in all types of weather and a flexibility in hours due to unpredictability and demand of farming

• Able to lift in excess of 50 pounds

• A valid drivers license and a clean driving record

• Able to work in an environment that requires a great deal of walking, standing, climbing, stooping, bending, kneeling, reaching, lifting, cutting, and carrying.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Some experience in a hospitality environment

• Certification and/or degree in sustainable, regenerative ecosystem management agriculture education or related fields

• Experience with soil and water management

• Experience working with some livestock

• Experience working with fruit/nut orchards

• Familiarity with food safety guidelines

• Knowledge of species and climate specific to Tennessee or similar

• Experience as an agricultural educator

• Project management experience

Compensation

Salary is more than competitive and commensurate with experience. As a salaried position, the schedule will vary with the seasons and weeks with long days often required in order for the position to be successful. Benefits stipend included.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $49,000.00 – $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Relocate:

• Leipers Fork, TN: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person