Livestock Manager

~ Omeg Family Orchards utilizes livestock to produce eggs, meat and milk for team members and their families, and for soil restoration practices, including: cover crop grazing, small-scale composting and herbicide alternatives. ~

Position Overview

Are you interested in sustainable agriculture and livestock management? Looking for hands-on training, real-world experience and educational opportunities in farming and food production?

Omeg Family Orchards — the family owned cherry farm since 1908 — is looking to hire a Livestock Manager(animal caretaker / agricultural assistant) in The Dalles, Oregon.

The Livestock Manager (LM) will work closely with the General Manager (GM) in a team-oriented environment. The GM will oversee daily activities and support the LM’s professional growth throughout the season. Specifically, the LM will assist with the care and management of various animals on the farm. These animals include: standard-bred champion-bloodline show chickens and turkeys; geese for weed control in lieu of chemical herbicides; cattle grazed over cover crops to recondition soil; and seasonally raised pigs reared on our oak savannah to fatten on the bounty of acorns.

The ideal LM candidate can commit to at least 20 hours of work per week, for a trial period of 12 months. A potential, full-time position as part of the Omeg Family Orchards team may be offered after the 12-month trial period.

Responsibilities

• Daily feeding and watering of farm livestock
• Monitoring, ordering and arranging for feed delivery
• Daily chicken egg collection, including hatching eggs during the poultry breeding season
• Daily milking of dairy cows by hand or with the use of a milking machine
• Cleaning stalls, pens and farming equipment
• Rearing young animals, including baby poultry and bottle-fed calves
• Observing the needs of the animals to ensure they are healthy and content
• Examining the animals to detect illness, injury or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain
• Providing medical treatment — such as administering medication — arranging for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment, and spraying/dipping/bathing livestock to prevent parasites
• Assisting with rotationally grazing animals, which requires setting up new fencing, taking down old fencing, stock watering set-up and pasture management
• Inspecting and maintaining equipment, buildings, pens and fences to ensure compliance with sanitation standards and determine maintenance and repair requirements
• Patrolling grazing lands on foot or using all-terrain vehicles
• Installing and operating irrigation systems, and irrigating pastures to keep them healthy
• Driving trucks, tractors and other farm equipment to distribute feed to animals, clean stalls, etc.
• Maintaining growth, feed, production and cost records
• Planning and implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with government regulations
• Researching technical literature for data on breeding, rearing, habits, diets, diseases and treatment of various species of birds and mammals
• Periodically attending workshops on sustainable agriculture and livestock management to increase the LM’s body of knowledge and skill set, which may require travel and multi-day stays

Qualifications

While some livestock experience is desired, it is not required for the LM position; this job is a great learning opportunity for someone interested in sustainable agriculture and food production.

Livestock Skills:

• Hands-on experience caring for, handling, and working with agricultural livestock
• Patient and compassionate attitude toward animals
• Capable of strenuous physical labor
• Willingness to work in all weather conditions
• Able to adjust to the shifting schedule and night/weekend work sometimes required by livestock
• Able to work independently or as part of a team
• Good communication skills with staff, interns, volunteers and local farmers
• Overall interest in sustainable agriculture and livestock
• Ability to work for an initial 12-month trial period

Desired Qualifications: 

• The most important qualification for this position is the desire to learn
• We are looking for people who have a passion for farming and a desire to be involved in the agrarian lifestyle. Farming is hard work, but also incredibly rewarding, so a positive attitude, good work ethic, physical strength and high stamina are a must
• Veterans and applicants with carpentry skills or general handyman/handywoman experience will receive special consideration

Additional Information

Perks of the Position:

The LM position is more than just a job; it’s an opportunity for you to learn about — and gain entry into — the fields of sustainable agriculture and food production, while earning money and becoming a valuable part of a winning team.

Educational Opportunities: 

Educational opportunities will be both formal and informal, and will occur throughout the season as the LM becomes integrated into the Omeg Family Orchards team. The GM will take time to provide the LM with context, concepts, and background information, which may take various forms, including sit-down classes and informal talks in the field.

The “hows and whys” of our farming practices will be clearly explained, and the LM will be fully encouraged to ask questions and take on personal projects which will be supported by the GM. By the end of the 12-month trial period, our hope is the LM will be confident in his or her ability to manage various aspects of farming, animal husbandry and sustainable agriculture.

Compensation

Salary:

 As our LM, you will earn a monthly salary of $1,020 for working half-time (20 hours per week). If you are interested in a full-time position, we have a second part-time job opening available for a Caretaker. Responsibilities include meal preparation, cooking and childcare, among other things. These two positions can be combined to form one, full-time position.

Meals: 

We will provide the LM with meat, eggs, milk and produce — grown locally on the farm — as they become available. If interested, the LM is welcome to join the General Manager’s family with meal preparation to learn about the use of seasonal produce and heritage meat in cooking. We eat a fair amount of meat, dairy and wheat, and will try our best to cater to other diets, but we also expect people with special dietary requirements to provide some of their own alternative foods. (No vegans, please, as we eat a diet heavy in both dairy and meat, and don’t feel vegans would be comfortable sharing meals).

Housing: 

The farm may offer housing to the LM if the candidate meets certain criteria.