Black Dirt Farm
Job Description—Compost Operator
Farm Description
Black Dirt Farm is an integrated and diversified agroecological family farm in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom designed to mimic the carbon cycle. We operate a year-round food scrap collection route to collect organic discards from our community. We strive to put this “waste” to as much positive use as we can. We blend the food scraps into a compost mix which provides forage for our laying hens, then make compost and worm castings with the excess food and manure, and finally, we sell and use the resulting products to nourish our soils and crops. Our farm is firmly based in regenerative agricultural practices and the creation of ecologically-thriving and socially-just food systems. As of 2021, we had diverted 13.6 million pounds of food scraps from the landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of not burning 603,598 gallons of gasoline and capturing enough nitrogen to fertilize over 1,000 acres of mixed vegetable crops.
Being a part of Black Dirt Farm means working in an environment that is both caring and efficient. The farm requires creative and driven individuals who can work as part of a dynamic and often fast-paced team, but also be individually responsible for managing their own tasks with professionalism and quality.
At Black Dirt Farm a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace is one where all Crew Members, volunteers, and customers—of all genders and gender identities, races, ethnicities, national origins, ages, sexual orientations, educations, and disabilities—feel valued and respected. We believe the farm thrives most when we have a diversity of people and experiences that inform what we do and how we do it. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages, and work to ensure that all voices are valued and heard. To foster a healthy farm community, Black Dirt Farm does not tolerate marginalizing behavior, language, or harassment. We’re committed to a thriving work environment that yields exceptional products and collective growth.
The Compost Operator plays a central, multifaceted role in the farm’s composting operation. The Compost Operator fulfills two primary roles, 1) producing compost and managing composting operations, and 2) managing the farm’s worm herd and producing worm castings. The Operator’s time will be roughly 60-70% composting operations and 30-40% worm operations.
Description of Compost Operator Role
When food scraps are tipped here at the farm, they are blended into a compost mix with other materials and fed to hens. What material the hens don’t consume is removed each week and built into free-standing windrows. These piles are actively managed in order to satisfy Organic Certification and BDF product specifications through a combination of pile monitoring and pile management. A portion of the material is then used to feed worms each week, who turn the product into worm castings in our continuous-flow worm composting system. The remaining material continues to be thermophilically composted (high temperature, bacterially-driven composting) in either windrows or an Aerated Static Pile (ASP) system for sale or field application. Compost is managed with a telehandler and screened with a trommel screen. Worms are fed and watered by hand, but their castings are harvested mechanically, and screened with a trommel screen.
Job Description
The Compost Collection Operator role and responsibilities include:
Coordinate and receive incoming feedstocks
Blend materials into compost recipe
Monitor conditions of compost piles and worm bin, and record and maintain data
Turn compost piles and move material with tractor (Kubota M4700) or telehandler (JCB 505)
Move material with the farm dump truck (Ford F-350) or hooklift trailer
Feed and water worms manually
Coordinate and receive incoming feedstocks
Maintain compost pad with grading and other maintenance as required
Product sampling and testing
Screen mature compost and worm castings
Bag finished compost and castings products for sale
Packaging inventory management
Load customers and handle on-farm sales of bulk compost and castings
Manage VOF Organic recertification process bi-annually, and ensure Black Dirt Farm adherence to required standards
Attend monthly Crew Meetings, participate in planning
Qualifications
Excellent work ethic, appreciation for efficiency, and good sense of operational rhythm
Experience operating tractor, loader, skid steer or similar equipment
Comfort operating a variety of equipment
Experience integrating operational speed with calm diligence
Good physical health, and the ability to perform necessary tasks
Five years of driving experience
Good spatial awareness
Willingness to work in adverse outdoor and winter conditions and extended hours as needed
Superior communication and collaboration skills
Excellent time and task management
Attention to detail and good information retention
Willingness to follow and develop protocol. Curiosity and ambition for operational excellence
Personal commitment to undertake the on-going work of dismantling personal bias and all forms of supremacy
Excitement about compost, farming, and the food system.
Compensation: Rate based on experience
Hours per week: Full-time
Starting Date: July 2024
To Apply: Please send resume, cover letter, and three references to info@blackdirtfarm.com.