FARM (VINEYARD/ORCHARD) MANAGER (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  Philip Carter Winery

  Hume, Virginia

POSITION SUMMARY:
Full-time position involving day-to-day vineyard and orchard management of expanding farm operation at multiple Virginia sites. Manage budgets for vineyards and orchards to ensure that actual costs come in below budget. Develop farming strategies to ensure long term efficient farming of high quality fruit. Saturdays are required. Work closely with the owner and the production manager to produce premium quality wine and cider. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Responsible for creating and maintaining an adequate spray program
a. Purchasing all chemicals
b. Being aware of any potential biological problems in the vineyard and orchard and acting proactively to prevent any and all such problems. 
c. Upkeep of the sprayer, includes yearly and weekly maintenance
2. Managing/training/supervising all seasonal/vineyard/orchard workers
a. Working within the manual labor budget to get things done on time.
3. Manage greenhouse and nursery operation; including propagating vine clippings for planitng 
4. Creating and maintaining sound practices within the vineyard and orchard
a. All vines, trees, and bushes are healthy, and trained correctly on their respective trellising systems
b. Purchasing all vineyard and orchard supplies
i. I.E. vineyard Ties, trellising wire, new Posts, Cutting sheers for pruning and harvesting.
5. Yearly and Weekly Maintenance of Tractor and all other Farm equipment. 
a. Oil Changes
b. Making sure diesel tank is never below ¼ tank.
c. Grease points lubed properly.
d. Forklift has adequate propane tanks
6. Making sure the vineyards and orchards are protected from deer and other pests
a. Any holes in the fence are to be mended immediately. (most importantly before and during harvest season)
7. Responsible for setting harvest dates and overseeing each vineyards individual grape maturity (with collaboration of winemaker) and each orchards fruit maturity (with collaboration of the cidermaker).
a. For example, checking pH, Brix, and TA and phenolic maturity of each vineyard block.
8. Responsible for logistics of buying and selling grapes, apples and peaches.
a. Dropping off lugs/bins
b. Open communication with vineyard’s and orchard’s that are selling us fruit
c. Picking up fruit and transporting them to our production area.
d. Responsible for renting/obtaining vehicles to facilitate purchasing fruit
e. Coordinating with potential buyers and creating invoices for fruit sales

9. Responsible for pruning the all the vines and trees during the winter months and getting them ready for bud break in the spring.
10. Oversite of frost protection and vineyard/orchard management 
11. Ongoing education
a. Certified to spray pesticides (ongoing)
b. Attendance of local and regional viticulture meetings through V-tech and or Penn State
12. Maintain harvest projections and actual reports
13. Weekly reporting to the owner about work performed and projected for the coming week
14. Maintain monthly journal of everything that is happening in the vineyard/orchard.
15. Oversee estate property (farm, tasting room, cellar, warehouse).

QUALIFICATIONS:
•  5 years of vineyard/orchard & winery experience preferred, including employee supervision.
•  Bachelor’s degree in viticulture or agriculture, or equivalent experience required.
•  Problem-solving ability and good skill working with vineyards/orchards, including maintenance experience. Ability to oversee operation and maintenance of vineyard/orchard equipment and irrigation systems.
•  Ability to operate agricultural equipment and forklift
•  Must be very organized, accurate, and have excellent communication skills.
•  Computer literate with Word, Excel, and able to learn to navigate and use various software. Ability to maintain computer databases and spreadsheets.
•  Ability to work a flexible work schedule to accommodate the needs of winery & vineyard/orchard operations.
•  Ability to work effectively during high seasonal work loads (harvest related)
•  Ability to be a “self-starter” by anticipating problems and implementing solutions.
•  Understanding of payroll and accounting practices. 
•  Bilingual skills in Spanish desirable, but not required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/OTHER:
•  Ability to lift 50 lbs. on an occasional basis. 
•  Ability to walk 2-3 miles per day over uneven surfaces in the vineyard/orchard.
•  Ability to withstand extreme variables in outside weather conditions.
•  Must successfully complete post-offer pre-employment drug/alcohol testing.

Salary Information: Competitive salary based on experience