Vegetable Manager

Description

OVERVIEW

We are looking for a skilled and mission-driven Vegetable Manager to continue evolving  the Lewis Farm vision into the future. Someone who sees farming as both craft and story, and who finds genuine satisfaction in growing food that is rooted in place, connected to community, and meaningful from seed to table.

This role is central to the daily operation of Lewis Farm. You will own the full vegetable production cycle, from planning and planting through harvest, post-harvest handling, and food flow to our market and restaurant, while managing the financial performance of your department and ensuring the farm is always operating at its best. You bring presence, accountability, and care to everything from the first planting of the season to the last harvest of the year.

Beyond production, this role carries a real mentorship dimension. Working on the farm helps youth discover what it means to grow food with intention, care, and pride. From soil preparation and crop planning to harvest and record keeping, you set the tone for that experience in the way you show up every day. 

If you are a farmer who is energized by the idea of growing food for a community while developing the next generation of agricultural talent, this might be exactly the right farm for you.

This position reports to the Enterprise Director.

MUST-HAVES

• Continuous learning: There’s always more to know, and you actively seek it out. You stay curious, seek feedback, and ask the next question to apply what you learn to improve your team and your work.
• Coaching and modeling: ‘We grow more than vegetables’ You develop people. You lead by example and help others grow by providing the tools and encouragement they need to reach their highest potential. You hold high expectations and challenges, but always with support and appreciation. You give clear and useful feedback, and you model what it looks like to live our values in practice.
• High volume, high efficiency: You thrive in a busy, dynamic environment. You prioritize without sacrificing quality and keep things moving—even when juggling multiple projects at once. You embrace new projects and aren’t afraid to experiment.
• System-minded evolution: You don’t just keep systems running—you build, refine, and rework them. You incorporate feedback, frustrations, and your own observations to continuously improve how things work for the people using them.
• Adaptability & problem solving: You take today’s information, feedback, and challenges and turn them into tomorrow’s evolved systems and solutions.  You look for several paths to solve problems, but move thoughtfully and swiftly.  You build on what works, but you’re not afraid to erase the whiteboard and re-strategize when needed. 
• Quality / cleanliness: You set high standards for quality and cleanliness and hold yourself and your team accountable. You treat tools, materials, and spaces with respect and care for their long-term sustainability.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS 

• Minimum of one season of experience on production vegetable farm
• Comfortability utilizing machinery, including tractor implements and BCS walk behind tractor
• Familiarity with crop planning, pest management, and irrigation systems
• Understanding that farming is rewarding but physically demanding
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand, kneel, or crouch for extended periods of time
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Willingness and ability to commute to Wardensville, WV if necessary.

EXPECTED WORK SCHEDULE

This is a full-time position expected to work at least 40 hours a week for five days a week, inclusive of mornings, evenings, weekends and some government holidays.

COMPENSATION

This position is classified as exempt with an annual salary starting at $43,000. In addition to competitive pay, we offer the following benefits for regular, full-time employees:

• generous paid time off structure
• bereavement leave
• employer-paid life insurance
• optional health, dental, vision, and short-term disability insurances
• discount on items in the market
• Short term limited housing assistance may be available for those relocating for the position

ABOUT OUR FARM

Lewis Farm is a diversified organic vegetable and pasture-based livestock farm that provides produce, flowers, meat, and eggs to our businesses and the local community. Our farm serves as a training opportunity for our Junior Crew (local Appalachian Youth participating in our program), where they’re involved in all aspects of production, gaining hands-on, real-life experience.

Our farm sits on land originally inhabited by the Massawomeck and officially established as the Frye Farm in the early 1800s by one of Wardensville’s founding families. This 100-acre farm site is bordered by the Cacapon River. Much of this acreage is Certified Organic pasture land, upon which we raise our livestock and grow our produce.

Lewis Farm’s intensive vegetable, fruit, and flower production takes place on approximately ? of an acre. Our vegetables are Certified Organic, and we utilize lower-tillage growing methods including occultation tarps, compost mulching, and broadforking. We have established perennial fruit crops, including stone fruit, strawberries, and blackberries. The farm is outfitted with two 150-foot high tunnels, three 100-foot caterpillar tunnels, a greenhouse, packhouse, and multiple cold storage facilities.

We have established infrastructure, markets, and production systems in place and are looking for a passionate farmer to take ownership of the day-to-day vegetable operation and help take Lewis Farm to the next level.

Please read more about Lewis Farm here.

ABOUT FARMS WORK WONDERS

Farms Work Wonders is a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is to ignite the spark of curiosity in Appalachian youth so they see themselves and their future in new and exciting ways. Our businesses provide local Appalachian youth real-life learning experiences and generate proceeds that are 100% reinvested back into the local community. In 2016, Farms Work Wonders started with the Wardensville Garden Market project—an organic farm and farm stand.  Since opening, our enterprises have expanded to include a market, bakery, glass blowing studio, and restaurant that have created 80+ local, good-paying jobs with around half held by local high school students.

Farms Work Wonders provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.