| Vermont
Sterling College, Leah Lee Berry,16 Sterling Drive, PO Box 72, Craftsbury Common, VT, 05827. 802-586-7711, ext 101, fax 802-586-2596. lberry@sterlingcollge.edu , www.sterlingcollege.edu. http://www.sterlingcollege.edu/jobs.html
Please send a cover letter, resume, and the contact information for three references by April 15th. Electronic submission of application material is preferred.
Small Vermont hillside educational farm. Primarily horse-powered 160 acres of mixed pasture, crops, and woodland. The Sterling College farm has been horse powered for decades. The Draft Horse Manager, Rick Thomas, grew up working with draft animals.
Sterling College seeks to hire a full-time Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Assistant. This position is an experiential, immersive learning and leadership opportunity for a passionate, inspired, and enthusiastic individual. The ideal candidate is ready to help teach students at Sterling College how to manage a diversified year-round farm in a small close-knit college community. This position begins in May 2012.
- Source of power: 4 horses.
- Horses are used for: logging, tillage, sugaring and education.
- Other livestock:Varies seasonally and annually. Typical annual load: 25 goats/kids, 10 ewes, 20 lambs, 1 guard llama, 8 heifers, 2 sows, 8 piglets, 100 laying hens, 100 meat poultry, 70 rabbits.
- Skills offered in:
- Work hours: Seasonal 40+/week average
- Terms: One year, renewable, beginning in early May.
- Stipend: $800/month, 3-credit coursework/semester, benefits, and eligibility to enroll in Sterling College full-time employee benefits. This compensation package is valued at over $2800 per month.
- Accommodations: Apprentice housed in residence halls with meals included. (Sterling Kitchen's food focuses on local, healthy meals utilizing all of the Sterling farm's produce.)
- Apprentice must:
- The Assistant's primary responsibility is to support the Sterling Farm as a living classroom that serves the entire College community and curriculum. The Faculty Assistant cares for the livestock, improves pastures, supervises farm Work College student employees, coordinates with faculty and staff, and serves as a liaison to the community. The Assistant works directly with the Farm Coordinator and the Sustainable Agriculture Faculty team and is responsible for the following aspects of the Sterling Farm:
- Livestock: Supporting student learning on the Farm involves managing intensive pasture rotations, installing water systems, diagnosing and treating ailments or injuries, protecting livestock from predators, constructing appropriate housing, teaching how to formulate appropriate feed regimens, acquiring or breeding of livestock, and general care.
- Pasture Management: Responsibilities include daily observation of pastures during the growing season with an eye for growth and re-growth, weed and medicinal plant establishment, root damage, manure load, and soil health. The Assistant also structures farm chores so that students learn how to rotate our animals on pasture.
- Curriculum Coordination: Collaborating with the faculty and staff to ensure the Sterling curriculum, kitchen, and farm are well supported throughout the seasons. Seasonal tasks include: preparing and harvesting of garden beds, integrating livestock in the food production system, processing poultry, food systems coordination, produce and meat deliveries, and curriculum-kitchen connections, all done with student involvement. The Assistant interacts with and participates in farm-based classes and helps supervise students involved in independent studies at the farm.
- Supervision and Training: The Assistant is directly responsible for supervising and training ten Work College student employees as well as structuring and overseeing students' daily farm chores.
- Qualifications: Applicants should have some experience teaching, preferably in a small-scale farm environment, have a demonstrated ability to work independently, have some experience in managing a small diverse farm, and have completed a B.A. or B.S. program in an appropriate field by the start date of the hire.
- Visit first: if desired
- Trial period: none
Green Fire Farm & Vermont Biochar, Michael Low and Hart Brent, 4287 Bayley Hazen Road, West Danville, VT 05873. 802-684-2570. hart@vtlink.net, vermontbiochar.com.
A diversied organic farmstead practicing restorative farming through the use of animal and human power. We also run Vermont Biochar a start to finish charcoal and biochar business.
- Source of power: 1horse, 6 oxen
- Animals are used for: logging, spreading manure, plowing, discing, mowing, raking, tedding, hauling with cart, wagon and stoneboat.
- Other livestock:goats, sheep, chickens (layers and meat), donkeys, bees.
- Acreage: 67, 1 in garden, 4 in crops, 12 in pasture, 8 in hay, 42 in woodlot
- Skills offered in: Working with and caring for horses and oxen. Goat husbandry including milking and growing feed for. Logging; building; timber frame; Biochar production; use of hand tools; clinical herbalism; dowsing and earth energies; holistic panned grazing and management; nutrient dense gardening. Owner has 12 years experience working with draft animals.
- Work hours: 7am-5pm, 45-55 hours per week.
- Terms: 2 apprentices at a time; 4-6 months, starting in late April.
- Stipend: yes, based on prior experience.
- Accommodations: Room and board. 30' yurt with complete kitchen and bath. All food provided. Some meals alone, some shared.
- Apprentice must: Have a genuine interest in restorative farming; milk goats once a day; help move animals to fresh pasture daily; be hard working, willing and mature.
- Visit first: yes
- Trial period:1 month
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