About The Boreal Farm
The Boreal Farm grows Certified Organic vegetables, flowers, herbs, and native plants just outside Duluth, Minnesota, in the heart of the Boreal forest.
Growing food in the North takes creativity, resilience, careful observation, and a willingness to be guided by the season. That’s the work we love.
We’re building a farm around thoughtful systems, continual improvement, and collaboration, with a focus on strong production, season extension, and long-term business health.
The farm is also becoming the hub and primary testing site for Taiga HEAT Compass™, a harvest intelligence app for Northern specialty crop farmers and home food gardeners.
This role is for someone who...
- already knows how to grow diversified vegetables or other specialty crops commercially
- brings strong production judgment, adaptability, and careful observation
- has managed crops to meet revenue goals through an entire growing season
- takes ownership of day-to-day production priorities and follow-through
- enjoys solving problems and improving systems
- understands how field production connects to sales channels, revenue goals, and the financial health of the farm
Compensation & Benefits
Location: Northeastern Minnesota, just outside Duluth
Employment Type: Full-time, salaried, year-round
Salary: $50,000–$54,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Start Date: Early Spring 2027
Application Priority Deadline: January 2027
Benefits include:
- 26 days of paid time off, including the farm’s Christmas through New Year’s winter break
- Life insurance
- Annual gear stipend, plus provided Boreal outerwear for Northern seasons
- Paid professional development opportunities
As The Boreal Farm grows, compensation will evolve with the scope and responsibility of the role.
What You’ll Lead
- Seed starting, transplant production, and transplant timing
- Annual crop planning, rotation strategy, production across revenue streams, and succession scheduling across a diversified organic system
- Field production, soil management, and pest, disease, and weed decision-making
- High tunnel production, system refinement, and future expansion
- Irrigation system management and infrastructure development
- Solar-powered root cellar management, including food safety and storage protocols, solar system monitoring, harvest-to-storage workflows, maintaining crop quality, and using stored inventory to extend the sales season and strengthen farm revenue
- Harvest workflows, wash/pack systems, yield tracking, and post-harvest quality
- Equipment operation and maintenance, including BCS tractor, implements, and irrigation infrastructure
- Coordination and training of seasonal staff when additional production help is brought on
- Record keeping, production forecasting, and crop budgeting
You’ll work closely with the Founder to strengthen production, improve systems, and help guide where the farm goes next. We value ideas, experimentation, and honest conversation about what is and isn’t working, along with the shared laugh when farming inevitably has other plans.
Required Experience
This role requires recent, hands-on commercial production experience. It is not designed as an entry point into vegetable farming.
- 3+ recent seasons managing or co-managing commercial diversified vegetable or specialty crop production
- Crop planning and execution across 20+ varieties
- Experience aligning crop planning, harvest, and inventory with sales commitments and farm revenue goals
- High tunnel crop production and management
- Irrigation system setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting
- Pest, disease, and weed management in a production setting
- Safe operation of tractors, implements, and common farm equipment
- Post-harvest management, including harvest timing, wash/pack protocols, food safety, and quality standards
- Experience coordinating and training seasonal staff or other production help when needed
- Strong communication, organization, and production decision-making skills
Valued but Not Required
- Experience farming in Northern, cold-climate, or short-season conditions
- Experience with Certified Organic production practices
- Organic certification record keeping and compliance
- Experience with soil temperature monitoring and GDD-based planting decisions
- Crop budgeting, yield tracking, or production forecasting
- Small-scale solar or alternative energy systems
- Root cellar, cold storage, or other season-extension storage systems
- Experience connecting storage and production planning with extended-season sales
Experienced specialty crop farmers from other regions are encouraged to apply, bringing strong production skills, careful observation, and adaptability to new growing conditions.
Qualifications
- Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs regularly
- Valid driver’s license and eligibility for coverage under the farm’s vehicle insurance policy
- Ability to work safely and effectively outdoors in Northern weather conditions year-round
How to Apply
Email: hello@theborealfarm.com
Please include the following in a single PDF:
- Résumé
- A letter describing your growing experience and interest in the role
- A brief description of a crop plan you have developed or managed, including approximate scale, number of crops or varieties, sales channels served, and your role in planning and execution
Final candidates will be asked to provide two professional references and may be subject to a standard background check.
