HIGH DESERT HARVEST • NORTHERN NEVADA

Full-Time, Year-Round | $50,000–$60,000/year + Future Bonus Potential | Potential On-Site Housing

Washoe Valley, NV

About High Desert Harvest

High Desert Harvest is a small, diversified regenerative farm in Northern Nevada, in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra, producing high-quality vegetables, fruit, herbs, and pasture-raised eggs for restaurants, wholesale buyers, farmers markets, and the local community. The farm is positioned 15 minutes from Reno, 10 minutes from Carson City, the capital of Nevada, and 30 minutes from the shores of Lake Tahoe. It is one of the most beautiful locations in the United States. However, the growing conditions are very challenging, at over 5,000 ft elevation in a high desert climate.

Entering its third growing season, the farm’s core production is small-scale intensive vegetable farming in greenhouses and field systems. The farm also includes laying hens, a small apple orchard being developed as a regional demonstration of regenerative apple production, perennial culinary herbs, and developing food forest and permaculture-style gardens. Our goal is to demonstrate how annual vegetables, protected agriculture, perennial crops, fruit trees, poultry, soil health, and ecological diversity can function together in a productive and economically viable high-desert farm.

Position Overview & Working With the Owner

The Farm Production Manager / Farm Manager in Training will work directly with Chuck Schembre, owner of High Desert Harvest and EcoSoil Solutions LLC. Chuck is currently the acting Farm Manager and remains directly involved in crop production, agronomy, planning, and daily farm operations.

The purpose of this position is to gradually transition day-to-day farm management responsibilities from Chuck to the Farm Manager, allowing Chuck to spend more time running and expanding the business, including sales, marketing, business development, agronomy, crop planning, and EcoSoil Solutions.

This does not mean the Farm Manager will be solely responsible for crop production. Chuck intends to remain actively involved in farming and will continue working alongside the Farm Manager. Crop planning, agronomy, major production decisions, and farm development will remain collaborative.

Chuck travels regularly for EcoSoil Solutions and may be away for a week or longer. During these periods, the Farm Manager must be capable of assuming full responsibility for day-to-day farm operations, including crops, irrigation, poultry, employees, harvests, deliveries, and other operational needs.

During the first year, the position will include substantial collaboration, training, and oversight. As competency, judgment, reliability, and leadership develop, progressively more responsibility will transition to the Farm Manager, with the long-term goal of becoming Lead Farm Manager.

Primary Responsibilities

• Seeding, propagation, transplanting, bed preparation, cultivation, weeding, and crop maintenance.

• Greenhouse and field vegetable production, including trellising, pruning, training, fertility applications, and crop scouting.

• Irrigation scheduling, operation, installation, troubleshooting, and repair.

• Pest and disease monitoring and implementation of crop-management practices.

• Harvesting, washing, cooling, packing, order preparation, inventory, and food-safety practices.

• Orchard management.

• Management of perennial herbs, food-forest, and permaculture garden areas.

• Poultry care, feeding, watering, egg collection and handling, pasture management, and poultry infrastructure.

• Compost management and production.

• Managing and training a small crew of employees, seasonal workers, and volunteers.

• Maintaining farm organization, infrastructure, tools, and equipment.

• In time, the individual will progressively play a role in crop planning, production scheduling, and maintaining accurate production records.

Wearing Many Hats

High Desert Harvest is a small and growing operation. The Farm Manager must be comfortable wearing many hats and stepping into whatever area of the farm needs attention. In addition to production, responsibilities may include:

• Preparing, loading, and delivering produce and eggs to restaurants, retailers, and regional wholesale buyers. (There will be a designated position for this role.)

• Operating a High Desert Harvest farmers market stand when needed. (There will be a designated position for this role.)

• Communicating professionally with chefs, buyers, and customers.

• Assisting with farm tours, demonstrations, and educational events.

• Repairing irrigation, equipment, greenhouses, fencing, and infrastructure.

• Assisting with construction and general farm-improvement projects.

Equipment & Practical Skills

Candidates should have experience with small-farm equipment, including BCS or similar walk-behind tractors, small tractors and implements, seeders, tillers, cultivation equipment, mowers, sprayers, utility vehicles, and trailers. Experience with loaders, skid steers, forklifts, and larger equipment is a strong advantage but can be trained.

Mechanical aptitude and handyman skills are highly valued. Experience with irrigation, plumbing, carpentry, basic electrical work, welding, equipment repair, fencing, construction, or general farm maintenance is a major plus.

Required Experience

Applicants must have a minimum of three years of meaningful farm experience, preferably involving diversified vegetable production. The ideal candidate has worked as a farm manager, assistant farm manager, crew leader, or experienced farmhand with significant crop-production responsibility.

• Intensive vegetable and row-crop production.

• Greenhouse or high-tunnel production.

• Irrigation management.

• Harvest and post-harvest handling.

• Farm equipment operation.

• Crop monitoring and troubleshooting.

• Organizing and efficiently executing daily farm work.

The successful candidate must understand the precision, timing, organization, efficiency, and physical demands required for small-scale intensive farming.

The Person We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is responsible, dependable, organized, self-motivated, observant, mechanically inclined, and capable of working independently while also collaborating closely with the owner and farm team.

This individual must be comfortable following the owner’s direction while progressively developing the judgment and confidence to run the farm independently when Chuck is away. During peak season, crops, weather, irrigation, harvests, customers, employees, poultry, and equipment can all demand attention simultaneously. The Farm Manager must be able to prioritize, problem-solve, communicate, and remain level-headed during demanding periods.

Seasonal Work Expectations

April–October is the primary production season. The Farm Manager should expect agricultural hours, including periods of longer days and schedule flexibility based on planting, weather, irrigation, harvests, markets, and other farm demands.

November–March is the slower season, providing considerably greater schedule flexibility and significant opportunities for reduced hours, extended time off, vacations, and personal travel.

Compensation & Housing

Salary: $50,000–$60,000/year, depending on experience. There are currently no employer-sponsored benefits.

On-site housing may become available after approximately one month of employment and demonstrated reliability and commitment. Housing consists of a small one-bedroom ranch-style studio apartment best suited for an individual or couple. If housing is selected, its value and terms will be incorporated into the compensation agreement.

Growth, Bonuses & Long-Term Opportunity

This position is specifically designed to transition into the Lead Farm Manager of High Desert Harvest. As trust and competency develop, the Farm Manager will progressively assume leadership of daily operations while Chuck transitions more of his time toward running and expanding the business.

After approximately six months, performance and responsibilities will be evaluated with the intention of developing a performance-based bonus structure. The long-term vision is to provide the Farm Manager with meaningful skin in the game through potential performance bonuses, revenue-based incentives, and eventually profit-sharing opportunities tied to the successful operation and growth of the farm.

The goal is to build a strong management partnership where the Farm Manager confidently leads daily operations, Chuck remains actively involved in farming and agronomy, and the business can grow without requiring the owner to personally manage every daily task.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should email Chuck Schembre a resume and a short cover letter describing their farming background, relevant experience, and interest in the position.

Applicants must be prepared to provide three credible professional references. At least two references must be individuals who can directly speak to the applicant’s farming skills, abilities, work ethic, and practical farm experience.

Contact: Chuck Schembre
Email: chuck@hdhfarms.com
Website: www.hdhfarms.com
Phone: 714.292.3150