Listing Information
Number of Workers Sought
4Type of Farm
Large Animal (cattle, sheep, goats), Small Animal (pigs, rabbits, poultry), Vegetable, Fruit/Orchard, OtherType of Farm (Other)
10-12 acres of veg, cut flowers, pastured animals, cider mill, small orchard, pumpkin patch, community farm.Marketing Strategy
Community Supported Agriculture, Farm Stand, Farmers' Market, Restaurant, Wholesale, EducationPaid
YesPay Rate
$17/hr hourly wage unless/until you have compelling experience. Experienced farm crew will be eligible for higher wages of $19+/hourly. : looking for 2024 pack shed lead, greenhouse lead, cut flower manager. Our housing is perpetually taken, but we do have a nice collective camp site with a kitchen. Refrigeration, utility sink, and shower/bathroom in the barn. Nice apartment available for serious farm manager with leadership experience.What are the dates of your position?
Most start in April to early June. Three or four winter farmers. Year round work is possible!Are you open to shorter periods of employment or do you prefer that workers stay the full season?
Shorter periods of employment possible, Prefer full seasonHousing
YesExplain the room and board arrangements or describe options in your area
Inexpensive and on site for two single folks or two couples. Two bunk houses; one with one without electricity. It is adequate but not deluxe! Camp kitchen. Dedicated (Deluxe) bath/shower and a fridge in the barn. Locals with their own housing are encouraged to apply! The bunkhouses are taken first. Farm camping is possible in a nice creekside grove, keep it very clean.Please share three things you think people should know about living with you.
Jacy and Matt are the parents of Zachary, 17, and Ania, 14 (in April), and 20 full time and then some vegetable farmers. Both raising vegetables and children are important enough to us that we choose to alternate our days between running the farm and raising a family. We both do both things well. We also make time every week to keep ourselves fit and sane by staying active on our beautiful Southwest Montana trails. We have a very complex farm and business model and exposure to all aspects of it are possible!Describe yourself, your family, background, farming experience, philosophy, goals and interests
Matt was raised in the Gallatin Valley and his parents instilled in him a passion for growing vegetables organically at a young age. Jacy was raised in Northwest Montana and her parents and grandparents instilled in her a passion for growing just about anything organically at a young age. We met in our mid and late 20's and started farming full time shortly afterward in 2003. We make our world a better place by raising organic vegetables for our community, by instilling that organic ethic in our children, and hopefully this year, by hand weeding less.Describe the physical setting of your farm and the nature of the community in which you live
We farm 57 acres and have a few neighbors, 3 miles east of Bozeman near the Bear Canyon Interstate exit, and within 5 miles of 3 different Gallatin National Forest Trailheads. Train and interstate are also within 1/4 mile; it is not always peaceful here depending on how the wind blows and sound travels. River bottom surroundings and right up against the foothills of the North Gallatin Range/South Bridger Range interface. We have 6 greenhouses/high tunnels, a few outbuildings, a barn where we process our vegetables downstairs and 2 bunkhouses for employees. Our vegetable fields immediately surround our 2 homesteads. Camping is OK in a nice creekside grove, keep it clean.Describe your farm operation
We (Matt and Jacy, Zachary, and Ania, and a dedicated farm crew) run a diversified and Certified Organic family farm dedicated to the sustainable production of healthy produce for our community. 2024 marks our 22nd year in production! While we do have laying hens, raise a thousand broilers and some pigs, and graze sheep, our focus is as a production vegetable and cut flower farm. Our production is very diverse with a focus on salad greens, root crops, and more. We have four heated greenhouses for seedling and vegetable production and three high tunnels for season extension and will be cultivating 10-12 acres this year. We use tractors for primary and secondary tillage and cultivation and harvest most things by hand. We market our produce to several area restaurants, the Community Food Coop, a 50 person Whole Farm year round CSA, to a 250 member summer CSA, to a 100 member winter CSA, and to the Bozeman Winter Farmers Market. We also own/operate the Bozeman Winter Farmers Market. In 2017, we made an expansion to our neighboring Rocky Creek Farm, a 50 acre Conservation Easement farm with u-pick berries and fall pumpkin patch.
Describe the work to be performed by applicant
Successful applicants will gain experience in practical methods and economic realities of organic vegetable production that support a small family farm. Early season work includes greenhouse maintenance, transplant production, weeding, seeding, and limited harvesting. Some fencing and ongoing farm maintenance will be done. Summer brings four plus days of harvest and three days of field work and CSA/Restaurant delivery. The harvest continues through the fall, and then we clean up. Irrigation is often, drip and mostly overhead. Five days per week, around 40 hours in the spring and late fall. Twelve weeks of 45-50 hours/weekly during the heat of sales and production. We still try to take Saturday afternoons and Sundays off, but we will likely stagger crews to have weekend help.With the addition of Rocky Creek Farm we also need a grounds/animal/irrigation person, and farm stand, orchard and cider press, school tour, farm camp, event, and pumpkin patch help. Very diverse opportunities exist! Our farm also owns/operates Bozeman Winter Market, volunteer and occasional opening for Market Manager possible.
What do you expect of a worker?
Experience is not necessary. We prefer strong workers with a positive attitude and a desire to learn, who communicate well, and who may find it fun to push their minds and bodies. No kidding. We work 50 hours or so weekly, Mondays to Fridays, 4 day/week schedule possible with Friday to Monday shift. Long weekends are occasionally possible in conjunction with other farm workers' schedules. Typically 7 am start and 10 hour and occasional 12 hour days, and we are trying hard to lessen these hours every year. A commitment to farm with us until the field season is over, unless extenuating, compelling circumstances arise, is necessary. Our farm depends on that.Describe the learning and educational opportunities available to a worker
Hands on learning opportunity with ample opportunity for discussion in the field and at the lunch table. Jacy, Matt, and farm managers are always working with the crew; in the field is where most of the best conversation occurs! We do not have set aside learning time, though we strive for monthly area farm potluck/farm tours.Are you a full-time farmer?
YesPlease attach any photos of your farm and operation
