Farm Maintenance Position
Summary: Primary responsibilities include building maintenance, equipment maintenance and repair, vehicle maintenance and repair, electrical, carpentry, plumbing, masonry, woodworking, and fencing. Depending upon work schedules, this position will be a part of the internal maintenance team working or working independently on projects at our farms and properties.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Will provide direction and organization for internal maintenance issues.
- Prioritizes maintenance projects to ensure those with highest safety issues are serviced first.
- Assists in creating and reviewing preventative maintenance programs for each farm/property
- Perform maintenance as assigned.
- Procure repair and maintenance materials to provide the highest value to the farm/properties.
- Complete repairs involving electrical, plumbing, piping, welding and building maintenance.
- Understand limitations and know when to partner with an outside contractor to successfully complete projects on time and on budget.
- Identify and note necessary repairs at farms and report them to the General Manager.
- Troubleshoot and resolve maintenance issues.
- Estimate repair costs and/or time necessary to complete upcoming repair projects at the farms/properties and coordinate with the General Manager.
- Repair to the extent possible tractors, pressure washers and other equipment at the farms.
- Obtain and organize contractors and subcontractors as required.
- Follow company bio security protocol and ensure outside contractors follow bio security protocol.
- Work in a safe manner and ensure employees and contractors do as well.
- Assist with loading and unloading trucks, as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualification/Requirements:
- Ability to work independently or in team setting depending on work assignment(s)
- Efficient time management and prioritization skills.
- Ability to stay on task until daily assignment(s) are complete.
- Use tools including common hand and power tools, such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, and wrenches, to precision measuring instruments and electrical and electronic testing devices.
- Knowledge of welding, plumbing, and electrical skills.
- Communicate effectively with farm employees, vendors, maintenance, and management staff.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships.
- Ability to travel as needed on a daily basis with occasional, planned overnight trips to distant farms
- Ability to operate a fork lift and other heavy equipment
- A valid driver’s license.
Education and Work Experience
- A minimum of 5 years’ maintenance experience across multiple disciplines
- 1 to 2 years involvement in project management
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Troubleshooting and problem solving skills.
- Strong maintenance background including plumbing, building, electrical, vehicle, motors, welding, fencing, etc.
- Ability to ensure productivity despite changing priorities.
- Ability to stand, bend, climb ladders, lift up to 50 lbs. for extended periods of time, and 100 pounds occasionally.
- Must be willing to accept after hours trouble calls and respond as needed.
- Ability to work independently.
- Strong planning and organizational skills.
Pay based on experience, insurance benefits offered, farm produce allowance. If interested, please submit resume and introduction letter to: purplekarat@gmail.com
Blue Sky Organic Farms: Intern Position
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We are seeking a determined, capable, and committed future farmer for our Intern Position. Please read the following information to completion.
If you are interested in immersing yourself into the multi-faceted world of organic, Arizona farming and would like to receive an internship application please contact Sara or David via email at purplekarat@gmail.com All questions regarding this position can also be directed to Sara or David at purplekarat@gmail.com
Hiring is done on a rolling, as-needed basis. Below, you will find further information about this year long program.
About Blue Sky Organic Farms: We are a family farm located in Litchfield, AZ on the west side of the 303. Blue Sky Organic Farms is owned and operated by David Vose. David has been farming in sunny Arizona since 1995 and is a fountain of knowledge in organic farming and food production. Blue Sky Organic Farms produces approximately 150 varieties of vegetables, and some fruit varieties on 35 acres of land, throughout the year. On this land, we also raise certified organic chickens for egg production, as well as goats, for milk production and for the sheer joy they bring to the farm. We are 100% certified organic. Certified by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). We offer our produce for sale at local farmer’s markets, to local restaurants, and at our Farm Store.
Internship Opportunity: We look forward to introducing our farming practices to each intern to help perpetuate organic, sustainable farming practices. While the demands of farming can be arduous, and the pace of work can at times be hectic, we intend to provide each intern with full face-value insight, applied knowledge, and the in-depth understanding necessary to run an organic farm. This includes, but is not limited to; planting, harvesting, and processing crops, weeding, utilizing farming equipment, conducting farmer’s market booths, caring for livestock, and even working in our Farm Store. We farm in both fields and protected high tunnels and greenhouses. The hands-on education received by each intern will help to further their understanding in organic farming practices, farming economics, marketing, raising farm animals, customer relations/service, and more.
We are interested in working with interns who have a deep interest in agriculture and farming as a career path. We equate this internship to that of a trade school education, as you will receive a multitude of hands on knowledge while interning at Blue Sky. Based upon the degree of extensive training offered to our interns, we do not offer short-term internships. We ask that all interested applicants be willing to commit to learning and working at our farm for at least one year. Within one year, the intern will be able to develop skills that can only be acquired with consistent training throughout the year. Experiencing farming through the senses as the seasons change, allows the intern to come full circle in understanding the requirements of farming and producing consistent crops as the weather changes.
Farming is not for the weak. It pushes the farmer, and crew to various peaks within their physical fitness, and stamina. Interns will be expected to work 6 days a week, between 8-10 hours per day, the same hours as we do. We ask that all prospective interns be aware of their physical strengths and limitations, prior to applying for this position. We are looking for someone who Is hard-working, dedicated, honest, non-smoking, receptive, good student, flexible, a true “salt of the earth” person, with a true desire to farm. We offer housing with a stipend of $100 per week and produce to eat.
How to Apply: Please email us at purplekarat@gmail.com to request an application. In this email please include a summary describing yourself and why you are interested in this position at our Farm, what you are most interested in learning through this internship, as well as a resume. Please highlight any previous related experience if you should have any. No experience necessary, yet a sincere desire to learn and work hard is completely necessary.
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We’re Hiring!
Serious inquiries only. We will only be replying to those that we think would fit this position. Please scroll down to see all positions available.
We are seeking to hire the right candidate for the position of Tractor Driver
We are looking for a new member of the Blue Sky Crew to work as a Tractor Driver.
The person we are looking for has the following:
-Ability and willingness to work 40-50 hours per week.
-Prior row-crop, tractor experience *preferred*
-An eye for detail.
-Willingness to take constructive feedback from Farmer and then apply it to their position.
-Pride in Workmanship *required*
If you believe that you meet the stated requirements, please email purplekarat@gmail.com
Email must include previous work experience and a short summary of why you are interested in this position. Thank you.
We are seeking to hire the right candidate for the position of Irrigator
We are looking for a new member of the Blue Sky Crew to work as an Irrigator.
The person we are looking for has the following:
Ability and willingness to work 40-50 hours per week.
Prior experience with pumps, sprinkler and drip irrigation (we grow 100+ crops on small acreage). *preferred*
An eye for detail.
Willingness to learn and adapt to the Blue Sky method for irrigating.
Pride in Workmanship *required*
If you believe that you meet the stated requirements, please email purplekarat@gmail.com
Email must include previous work experience and a short summary of why you are interested in this position. Thank you.
Position: Farmer’s Market Staff
Is living a healthy lifestyle important to you? Do you like getting your hands dirty? Want to help feed your community with wholesome produce? If so, this may be the perfect opportunity for you to become part of an organic family farm!
We are looking to fill a couple part-time farmers’ market positions for this coming season. Our market staff typically only work early Saturday mornings through the early afternoon, however there is an opportunity for more hours in our Farm Store and/or as a delivery driver*. This position is great for college students or people just looking for some extra income or anyone looking for a unique opportunity to learn & work on an organic farm. Ideally, you will have a passion and understanding of healthy eating and organic produce. This is a sales position so sales experience is preferred but not required, although you will need to posses a friendly, outgoing personality (chatting with vendors is part of the farmer’s market experience that customers look forward to!)
Here’s an idea of what a typical farmer’s market shift will include:
- Load refrigerated truck with produce on pallets
- Once at market: set up tents, tables, produce displays, and register by opening (8:00 am)
- Sell delicious, high-quality, organic produce!
- Breakdown tents, tables, register, load produce back in truck
- Back at farm: unload all produce and display items, empty truck
Requirements:
- MUST be able to work Saturday’s (markets are generally open Saturday’s from 8am-1pm)
- Ability to lift at least 50 lbs. repeatedly, throughout the day
- Ability to stand for extended periods of time
- Friendly, outgoing personality
- Trustworthy
- Sales experience preferred, but not required
- Knowledge of organic farming/produce/practices a plus
- *Market driver applicants must be able to pass drug test
Send your resume and contact information to Sara at purplekarat@gmail.com.
purplekarat@gmail.com