Field Production Manager

Primary Function: 

The Production Manager is primarily responsible for the growth and productivity of the crops grown on-site at Agriberry Farm’s Hanover farm. Managing the farm’s Blackberry (~12 acres) and Red Raspberry (~5 acres) production is the primary responsibility of this role. The production manager’s scope would also include small plantings (>1 acre) of Rabbit-Eye and Southern Highbush Blueberries, Black Raspberries, Purple Raspberries, and Muscadine Grapes. General duties include evaluating plant health, implementing our IPM program including chemical applications, managing fertigation, site evaluations, trellis construction, plant care, and integrating with our field team when primary duties are resolved. Crop protectants are often applied on Sundays when the general field team is off site, so weekend availability is necessary during the production season (May - Nov). 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

1. Using Integrated Pest Management and current best practices to keep plants productive and healthy throughout the harvest season on a timely basis to maximize productivity while balancing site sustainability. This includes applying herbicides and pesticides of a synthetic and/or organic nature depending on ideal chemical class rotation, best product to resolve an issue and operating within federal and state guidelines. 
2. Manages irrigation and fertigation systems on the farm. Ensure plants are well watered and fed according to seasonal needs.
3. Operates (or assists in operating) equipment such as tractors, sprayers, plastic layers, discing equipment and other necessary equipment. 
4. Executes site preparation and planting including soil health, bed preparation, and planting. 
5. Establishes trellis systems for new plantings.
6. Executes plant care and maintenance during the growing season such as primocane tipping in the summer, can utilize a small crew of experienced field workers to execute large scale plant care projects that maximize harvestability and yield. 
7. Safely and responsibly use, inventory and maintain any hand tools provided by Agriberry Farm, such as trowels, hoes, pruning shears, and loppers, and perform maintenance on equipment as needed.
8. Can be responsible for special projects with independent execution such as managing trial plantings from university breeding programs with data collection for follow up, bee keeping, maintaining a functional hot house or infrastructure for season extension, etc.. 
9. Mow and maintain general site health and wellbeing.
10. Works in with the Harvest Team as needed, on general harvest as well as specialty harvest like Blueberries and Grapes, using exemplary Thoroughness, Quality and Speed. 
11.  Other duties as assigned.