Job Description: Tractor & Equipment Instructor
All Farmers www.allfarmers.world
Springfield, MA
Job Type & Schedule:
Part-time, hourly position. Average 24 hours/week. One weekend day and Monday’s required.
Location Primary work responsibilities in Agawam, MA and West Springfield, MA. Access to a vehicle is required.
Compensation Hourly, $26-30/hour commensurate with experience. Paid sick and vacation/holiday time.
About All Farmers supports autonomous groups of refugee and immigrant farmers in western Massachusetts. We understand the barriers immigrant and refugee farmers face from a social justice perspective, and work with the farmers to support their success in spite of the systemic barriers they face. Our strategic priorities are directed by the farmers collectively and through farmer representation on the Board of Directors. All Farmers works with over 60 farming families, sharing four farm sites. Current farmers come from 10 countries, and predominantly speak Maay Maay, Nepali, and Kiswahili, as well as Kirundi and Congolese.
Summary
All Farmers is training Peer Teachers and Community Coordinators from the communities we serve to manage the soils/equipment on the new community farm and train other farmers. Our goal is long-term sustainability of the community farm and for the farmers to be able to independently, cooperatively manage the site. The Tractor & Equipment Instructor will train Peer Teachers and Community Coordinators in comprehensive operation and basic maintenance of the equipment necessary to manage a 60-acre organic community vegetable farm. Safety is a high priority and prevention of accidents should be emphasized in all trainings. The Tractor & Equipment Instructor will implement our field management plan, using workshops and one-on-one TA sessions with Peer Teachers and Community Coordinators directly operating equipment as much as feasible. At times the Tractor & Equipment Instructor will need to complete some portion of the tasks themselves as necessary to stay on schedule. The Tractor & Equipment Instructor with these staff will implement cover crop rotations, incorporate biochar and compost applications, and other soil health improvement measures addressing current soil concerns including low organic matter and compaction. The Tractor & Equipment Instructor will make equipment and soil health recommendations, and participate in continued learning opportunities to promote healthy soils and farm efficiency. Workshops are held in multiple languages. We welcome but do not require bilingual language abilities for this position—interpreters on staff attend and interpret for these workshops.
Our Equipment
John Deere 6130M
Imants Spader – 38 Series
Maschio Speed Disc with Air Seeder
Flail Mower
BCS Rototiller
Pending: Subsoiler; No-Till Seed Drill
For Full Details and To Apply, please submit an application online at https://www.allfarmers.world/employment