Farm Manager

Nyfarmlandfinder; New York (NY); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits

Potential for ownership

Job summary

A recognized cut flower farm in New York is seeking a Farm Manager to oversee all aspects of farming operations. The role entails managing a production team, developing strategic plans, and ensuring accountability in farming techniques. Ideal candidates will have at least five years of commercial cut flower production experience and a strong leadership background. This hands-on position offers an opportunity for potential ownership and requires a balance of horticultural practices and financial management.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience growing cut flowers commercially (5+ acres).
• Strong track record of managing staff; experience with H2A workers a plus.
• Ability to create and execute complex crop plans.
• Comfort balancing horticultural practices with profitability goals.

Responsibilities

• Work with management to design and deliver a five-year plan.
• Recruit, train, and coach staff, overseeing domestic and seasonal workers.
• Oversee daily operations, crop production, and property management.
• Develop and oversee operating and capital budgets.

Skills

Staff management

Crop planning

Excellent communication

Horticultural practices

Tools

Excel

Planning software

Job description

Term: Full-time

Salary: $70K+, commensurate with experience, plus benefits

Bear Creek Farm (BCF), founded in 2016 by Debra Kaye, is a nationally recognized cut flower farm celebrated for its award‑winning blooms and premium tubers. Our 38‑acre property—12 acres of which are in active production—uses organic practices in the fields and tunnels to produce flowers that are beautiful, long‑lasting, and grown with care.

We sell primarily into the New York City market through the Union Square Greenmarket, wholesale buyers, and top floral designers. Locally, customers connect with us through our CSA program. What sets Bear Creek Farm apart is our unwavering commitment to quality: long‑cut stems, artisanal conditioning practices, and ecological growing methods such as cover cropping, hilling, and biologically safe pest control.

At BCF, we are passionate about both innovation and tradition—using the latest techniques while never losing sight of the artistry that makes our flowers so special.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Farm Manager to oversee the full scope of farming operations at Bear Creek Farm. This role is part of the farm leadership team, the farm operates year‑round with a high production season from April through October, balanced with heavy dahlia tuber shipping season starting at the end of March.

The successful candidate will bring deep knowledge of agricultural production, strong leadership ability, and lead with enthusiasm, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. This is a position suited to someone who can think like both a grower and an owner—someone who can walk the fields in muck boots in the morning and review budgets in the afternoon. It is a completely hands‑on job in the fields with the production team with the potential for ownership.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Management
  • Work with the management team to design and deliver a five‑year strategic plan and annual goals.
  • Adapt staffing, systems, and budgets to meet changing needs.
  • Influence organizational metrics for measuring success.
  • Serve as a land steward and model of successful ecological cut flower business.
• Production Team Management
  • Recruit, train, coach, and support staff, overseeing 2 FT and 3 PT permanent domestic workers, and 10 seasonal H2A workers from Jamaica.
  • Foster a positive, inspired, team‑oriented culture rooted in communication and respect.
  • Ensure accountability by modeling and teaching exceptional farming techniques.
  • Support individual managers in leading their teams effectively.
• Operations Management
  • Oversee daily farm operations, crop production, and property management.
  • Manage all sales channel fulfillment, including CSA, market, and tuber distribution.
  • Coordinate across all staff to ensure smooth day‑to‑day execution.
  • Oversee dahlia tuber harvest, storage, processing, and order fulfillment.
  • Ensure HR policies are consistently applied.
• Financial Management
  • Develop and oversee operating and capital budgets.
  • Track performance against goals, prepare quarterly reports, and ensure profitability targets are met.
  • Community Engagement
    • Represent Bear Creek Farm’s ethos and story at the local, regional, and national level.
    • Help expand the farm’s presence in conversations around sustainable agriculture and ecological growing practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience growing cut flowers commercially (5+ acres).
• Strong track record of managing staff; experience with H2A workers a plus.
• Ability to create and execute complex crop plans.
• Comfort balancing horticultural practices with profitability goals.Strong computer literacy (Excel, planning software).
• Excellent communicator, able to translate technical and operational knowledge clearly.
• Bonus: experience with mail‑order distribution.

Personal Attributes

• Extremely self‑motivated and entrepreneurial.
• A strong people manager with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Deeply attentive to detail and quality—our flowers are delicate crops requiring precision and care.
• Curious, open‑minded, and eager to try new approaches.
• Honest, transparent, and collaborative.
• Hard‑working, hands‑on, and energized by teamwork.
• Guided by care—for crops, soil, staff, and community.