Misty Brook Farm Equipment Operator/Livestock Farmer
Type: Full-Time Year-Round Position. 35-50hr per week depending on the season. Smoke Free Workplace.
Category: Equipment Operator/Livestock/Farm Hand/Projects

OVERVIEW
Cleaning barns, hauling and spreading manure, hauling feed, feeding, hay making, fixing water lines, fence maintenance, handling livestock, projects, helping teammates with their tasks, and filling in where needed. Participate in farm lunch on Wednesday.

OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity to be an integral part of an organic forage-based livestock farm that focuses on quality over quantity. Opportunity to learn about soil health, making high quality feed, rotational grazing, and nutrient dense food. Opportunity to be part of a team that cares about the work they do and the impact they make in their community.

REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must:
• Enjoy running equipment.
• Be aware of safety around equipment.
• Be able to lift 50+lb.with ease.
• Be able to have a flexible schedule (day starts between 6-10am depending on the week/season).
• Possess high levels of energy & self-motivation.
• Be a team player.
• Be able to work well independently.
• Be able to work and learn from teenagers who may know more than you about equipment & crops.
• Be willing to work with large animals.
• Be observant and able to see both the details and the whole.
• Be enthusiastic and have the ability to learn.
• Live nearby and hold a valid driver’s license.

RESPONSIBILITIES

We are looking for a competent equipment operator who is familiar with driving heavy trucks, skid steers, tractors, and loaders. Someone who is a team player and willing to work with teenagers who have equipment, cropping, and haymaking knowledge. Must be willing to work late and on weekends when crops/hay needs to come in.

Responsibilities include maintenance of the machinery you operate (tractors, skid loaders, trucks, implements, etc.), oil & filter changes, all fluids, plus greasing of equipment. Communicate when a piece of equipment isn’t working as it should.

Help plan logistics around equipment use, manure handling, forage and crop production (who, what, where with what tractor/truck, etc.)

Work on the livestock team moving animals, sorting cows, loading cows, hauling cows and other livestock to satellite properties/back to the home farm. Observing cows for heat detection and breeding. Help with milking as needed.

Winter jobs include cleaning out bedded pack barns with a skid steer (some pitchfork operation required), windrowing manure, hauling manure, hauling hay & bedding, feeding cows with a skid steer, plowing snow, helping with firewood, maintaining equipment, building repairs, and construction projects. Winter hours are more consistent and predicable.

Summer jobs include hauling water, fixing water lines, fence maintenance, building new fence, troubleshooting electric fence power issues, weed waking fence, feeding cows, hauling & spreading manure, compost, and wood ash, field prep for crops (harrowing & rock picking), making hay (mowing, tedding, raking, baling, hauling, & wrapping), and construction projects that can’t be done in the winter. Summer hours need to be flexible to take advantage of good weather and get manure spread, crops planted, and hay harvested.

Carpentry and construction experience preferred but not required. Wear appropriate clothes for farm work especially with the weather in mind, communicate with teammates to complete projects correctly and efficiently.

Must be able to:
• Be reliable and punctual.
• Follow multiple detailed instructions.
• Be observant and have attention to detail.
• Be self-motivated.
• Be tolerant of adverse weather conditions.
• Be able to change and adjust plans based on observation (especially with hay making).
• Work weekends instead of weekdays when the weather is good for making hay.
• Work late when crops need to come in.
• Run a skid steer.
• Drive a tractor.
• Drive heavy truck.
• Complete tasks efficiently.
• Focus on the task at hand.
• Asist in other farm tasks as needed.

Communication:
• Report any vehicle/machinery concerns to Brendan or Lowell.
• Effectively communicate observations and needs.
• Communicate with Brendan to make a plan for the week.
• Communicate when a project is complete or needs more hands.
• Communicate if tires need to be replaced.
• Communicate with your teammates as things change through the day to help things go smoothly as timelines change.

CULTURE at Misty Brook
• Honesty
• Collaborative teamwork
• Constant improvement
• Passion for good food
• Satisfaction from good work
• Awareness of how our actions impact our teammates.
• “Can do” attitude.
• Farm Lunch – Every Wednesday we eat the food we produce together and have a meeting & discussion.

COMPENSATION
Hourly position $18-25/hr based on ability. Pay increase based on job performance and attitude. This position is year-round.
One week paid sick time and one-week paid vacation. We appreciate as much advanced notice as possible. At least two weeks’ notice for vacation days. No long vacations May 1st through September 31st (the main growing season).

CONTACT
Send cover letter and resume to:
Katia Holmes/Misty Brook Farm
156 Bog Rd Albion, ME 04910
(207)-437-4719 mistybrookorganicfarm@yahoo.com

Once we review your cover letter and resume, we will set up a phone interview. If we all feel it is a good fit after the phone interview, we will have you out for an in-person interview and farm tour.

Misty Brook Farm

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Equipment Operator/Livestock Farmer