Herd Manager

This position has been filled.

We are a certified organic pasture based dairy that milks around 45 mixed breed cows. Our on-site creamery turns their milk into award winning cheeses and yogurts. We also run a small raw milk CSA through our farm store for the local community. Along with the dairy, we raise a herd of ~50 whey fed heritage breed pigs. Our farming practices put the long-term health of the animals and the land at the top of our priority list (because we know that THIS leads to producing the best products).

Job Position:

We are looking for a full time herd manager to manage essential functions of our dairy farm and pig program. On a given day, this could look like:

milking shift, cow chores, monitoring cow health
driving into town to pick up food scraps for pigs (only on certain days)
feeding the pigs (some days, also driving the tractor with the whey tank)
monitoring pig health, inspecting pig enclosure, and making repairs
wash bulk tank
setting fencing for next pasture in the rotation
tractor work (depending on time of year, haying, spreading manure, moving round bales)
driving to satellite pastures to monitor/feed/water heifers and dry cows
afternoon pig feeding/chores

This position involves coordinating with employees in the creamery, the farm store manager, as well as working with/managing fellow farm employees.

Employment Classification:

Year-round, full-time salaried position

von Trapp Farmstead is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Ideal Qualifications:

Can lift 50+lbs on a regular basis
Written and spoken fluency in English
Preference for local applicants (possibility of on-farm or transitional housing)
Valid driver’s license (this job requires driving the farm truck)
Experience working with cows and/or pigs
Milking experience required
Animal husbandry experience required
Experience driving tractors is required
Comfortable managing other employees
Experience with chainsaws and comfort safely felling trees is preferred
Flexibility/willingness to work weekends required. (We strive to give every employee 2 days off, at least one weekend day off, each week).
Willingness to learn, to know when to ask for help or to ask questions, and a self-starter.
This job requires working outside in all sorts of weather.

Essential Job Functions Include:

Year-Round

Farm Chores (ie picking up food scraps in town and feeding the pigs, feeding/watering the cows, and milking shifts)
Maintaining milking equipment & bulk tank
Animal husbandry
Monitoring & responding to animal health
Working with local farrowers to source piglets
Tractor work
Repairing animal enclosures, feeding troughs, permanent fencing, etc.
Processing firewood
Assisting with farm building projects

Seasonally

Haying (we put up all the hay to feed the cows through winter)
Fencing rotational pastures

Felling trees in our forest for firewood
Tractor work - moving round bales, spreading manure, etc.

Benefits Include:

Competitive wages ($50k-$65k salary depending on experience and job responsibilities)
Paid time off for all employees working 18+ hours/week
IRA matching retirement plan
Weekly cheese or yogurt and raw milk (sometimes also beef & whey-fed pork!)
25% discount on all items sold through our farm store

To apply:

Email a description of relevant experience, 3 references, and why you want to work with us to info@vontrappfarmstead.com. You may also include a resume, though it is not required.

Cheesemaker Assistant

This position has been filled

Do you want to work on an organic-regenerative dairy in the heart of the Mad River Valley? Come be a part of turning our delicious milk into award winning cheeses! We are a small, family run dairy and cheese making operation.

We're currently seeking a full-time creamery assistant.

This job offers opportunities to work with our lead cheesemakers on all aspects of cheese production. The position combines time and duties spent in cheese production, cellar affinage, and more.

A desire to learn and interest in cheesemaking are a must! Experience is preferred but not necessary. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in a career in cheesemaking or food production. We hold ourselves, and are held to the highest standards of quality, consistency, and food safety in our industry. Anyone looking to learn what that takes will find this job challenging and incredibly interesting.

Benefits include:
$20+ DOE
Paid time off/sick time
IRA matching retirement plan
Milk, cheese, yogurt and meat!
25% discount on all items sold through our new farm store
Transitional or long term housing options available

General Duties Include:
Assisting with Cheesemake
Cleaning and Sanitation
Affinage Work
Cutting and Wrapping Cheese

Typical work week: approx. 35-40 hrs/week.

The cows don't stop making milk, so everyone here has to be willing to work a weekend day. We do our best to give everyone some holidays off but a willingness to work others is necessary.

It's important to be prepared for work that is repetitive, requires serious attention to detail, is physically demanding, and entails lots and lots of cleaning and sanitation. However, at the end of the day, you can be proud of being part of a small farm and larger food system that takes care of the land, animals, and us too!

Please email a cover letter, resume, and three references to info@vontrappfarmstead.com

Come join our team!