Farm Manager, Vegetable Production (Cohort 1)
Hybrid-based
ONET: 11-9013.00
1
Years
289
Skills
185h
Related instructions
2500h
On-the-job training
Classroom instruction topics
- Crop Production
- Soil Health
- Ecologically Based Pest Management
- Equipment and Machinery
- Business Management & Marketing
- Social Implications of Ag Systems
- Seasonal Extension
- Post-Harvest Handling and Crop Quality
On-the-job training
- Crop Production
- Crop Planning - Assess site (e.g. map and analyze soils, topography, water, drainage, infrastructure, climate and microclimates)
- Crop Planning - Understand a crop plan
- Crop Planning - Understand crop planting schedule and record keeping system
- Crop Planning - Understand how to design field layout (e.g., succession planting, crop rotation, roads and walkways, borders
- Crop Planning - Review pest and weed management options
- Crop Planning - Understand how to order field supplies (e.g. labels, stakes, trellises, twine)
- Crop Planning - Consult the field plan
- Crop Planning - Keep record of change to field plan
- Variety Selection - Understand how to select varieties appropriate to climate, pest pressure
- Variety Selection - Understand where to seek resources about emerging or high performing varieties
- Variety Selection - Observe how varieties perform under varying climatic conditions
- Variety Selection - Analyze the performance of different crop varieties for selecting varieties for future seasons
- Transplanting - Learn where/how to acquire transplants
- Transplanting - Transplant crops
- Transplanting - Plant bulbs/tubers
- Transplanting - Irrigate transplants
- Transplanting - Record transplant planting
- Direct Seeding - Sow vegetable seeds in fields
- Direct Seeding - Irrigate seeds
- Direct Seeding - Record seedling planting
- Direct Seeding - Replant or reseed failed plants
- Greenhouse Management - Seed vegetable crop into trays
- Greenhouse Management - Prepare greenhouse-growing media
- Greenhouse Management - Harden off seedlings
- Greenhouse Management - Pot up seedlings
- Greenhouse Management - Maintain seedling fertility
- Greenhouse Management - Monitor seedling development
- Greenhouse Management - Assess germination and seedling growth
- Propagation - Understand functions of different types of propagation facilities (heated vs passive solar greenhouses, high tunnels, etc)
- Propagation - Understand greenhouse seeding calendar and schedule
- Propagation - Select appropriate growing containers to seed/propagate plants
- Propagation - Prepare propagation medium mixes
- Propagation - Start seeds in containers
- Irrigation - Understand benefits of different irrigation systems
- Irrigation - Irrigate for conservation
- Irrigation - Understand reasons for irrigation
- Irrigation - Learn methods of determining the proper frequency of irrigation
- Irrigation - Examine various system designs and delivery methods and investigate advantages and disadvantages
- Irrigation - Recognize signs and effects of water stress
- Irrigation - Assess soil moisture and irrigation needs in planted beds
- Irrigation - Set up irrigation system
- Irrigation - Understand irrigation schedule
- Irrigation - Keep good records of irrigation activity
- Field Prep - Lay out beds
- Field Prep - Prepare seedbeds
- Field Prep - Shape beds
- Field Prep - Lay plastic mulch or landscape fabric
- Field Management - Assess weather conditions
- Field Management - Assess field conditions and plant health
- Field Management - Prepare equipment, supplies, seeds and transplants
- Field Management - Construct and install plant supports
- Field Management - Assess plant health
- Field Management - Determine plant needs based on harvest goals
- Field Management - Mulch crops
- Field Management - Prune plants
- Field Management - Thin plants
- Field Management - Hill plants
- Field Management - Train plants
- Field Management - Irrigate plants
- Field Management - Keep good field records (e.g. planting and harvest dates, inputs, yields, crop health)
- Harvesting - Assess plant maturity for harvest
- Harvesting - Project yield
- Harvesting - Determine harvest requirements
- Harvesting - Prepare harvesting equipment and supplies
- Harvesting - Understand the requirements and implications of food safety
- Harvesting - Properly handle harvest aids (e.g., knives, buckets, scissors)
- Harvesting - Harvest crop to farm standards
- Harvesting - Bunch harvested produce
- Harvesting - Field pack crops
- Harvesting - Provide sun protection to harvested crops
- Harvesting - Transport crop to processing facility
- Soil Health
- Reading & interpreting soil test reports - Prepare soil samples for testing
- Reading & interpreting soil test reports - Understand why and how to take soil samples, what to test for and what to do with the results
- Reading & interpreting soil test reports - Read and interpret soil test results
- Small-scale no till - Assess appropriate crops/cover crops for no-till system
- Small-scale no till - Assess seeding and transplanting for no-till beds
- Small-scale no till - Apply tarps
- Mechanical cultivation - Understand the term conservation tillage
- Mechanical cultivation - Observe primary tillage
- Mechanical cultivation - Perform mechanical cultivation for weed pressure
- Mechanical cultivation - Incorporate cover crop
- Mechanical cultivation - Cultivate/prepare beds with mechanical implements
- Soil Biology and Ecology - Understand biological properties of soils
- Soil Biology and Ecology - Understand value of buffer strips
- Soil Biology and Ecology - Understand soil characteristics and how they affect crop growth
- Soil Biology and Ecology - Understand how managing for healthy soil ecosystems can increase fertility and impact sustainable crop production
- Soil Chemistry & Fertility - Understand the chemical properties of soils
- Soil Chemistry & Fertility - Select and acquire soil amendments
- Soil Chemistry & Fertility - Understand farm fertility program and record keeping system
- Soil Chemistry & Fertility - Understand fundamentals of managing soil pH
- Soil Chemistry & Fertility - Perform side dressing and/or foliar feeding
- Soil Physical Properties - Classify soil texture and type
- Soil Physical Properties - Prevent soil and nutrient loss
- Soil Physical Properties - Understand how soils form
- Soil Physical Properties - Assess appropriate soil moisture levels for tillage
- Soil Quality Assessment - Assess soil capacity to retain and drain water
- Soil Quality Assessment - Assess soil structure: clumping, crusting etc
- Soil Quality Assessment - Assess weeds/plants as indicator of water flow, nutrients
- Cover Crops - Select cover crop varieties and combinations
- Cover Crops - Seed cover crop
- Cover Crops - Mow cover crop
- Cover Crops - Terminate cover crop
- Crop Rotation - Understand how crop rotation impacts soil health
- Crop Rotation - Assess crop rotation plan related to soil health
- Compost - Build and maintain compost piles
- Compost - Understand value of crop residue as conservation practice
- Compost - Apply compost
- Compost - Incorporate crop residue into soil
- Ecologically-Based Pest Management (weeds, insects, diseases)
- Beneficial Insects - Understand the properties/attributes of beneficial insects
- Beneficial Insects - Identify common beneficial insects at all life stages
- Beneficial Insects - Release beneficial insects
- Natural Habit Management - Understand how to make wildlife habitat improvements
- Natural Habit Management - Understand value of field borders
- Natural Habit Management - Understand methods of waterway protection
- Natural Habit Management - Examine whole-farm system from an ecological perspective
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Assess insect pests pressure, e.g. potential or actual
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Scouting
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Identify common insect pests
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Perform preventative insect pest measures
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Evaluate pest damage
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Implement cultural control methods for insect pests (selecting varieties, crop rotation, planting time)
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Implement physical control methods for insect pests (e.g. row cover, picking pests off, traps)
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Implement biological insect control method (e.g. spraying)
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Evaluate efficacy of insect pest control method
- Managing Arthropod Pests - Record control treatment
- Managing Plant Diseases - Assess disease pressure, e.g. potential or actual
- Managing Plant Diseases - Identify common diseases
- Managing Plant Diseases - Implement cultural control methods for disease prevention (plant spacing, trellising)
- Managing Plant Diseases - Implement physical control methods for disease prevention (e.g. pruning, mulching)
- Managing Plant Diseases - Implement biological disease control methods (e.g. improving soil health, increasing beneficial microbial activity in soil)
- Managing Plant Diseases - Evaluate disease damage
- Managing Plant Diseases - Evaluate efficacy of disease control method
- Weed Management - Prevent weed and weed seed formation
- Weed Management - Assess weed pressure, potential or actual
- Weed Management - Evaluate weed damage
- Weed Management - Identify weeds
- Weed Management - Determine weeding method
- Weed Management - Perform non-mechanical weeding (hand weeding)
- Weed Management - Perform mechanical cultivation (walk behind tractor, tractor implement)
- Weed Management - Implement cultural control methods for weed management (mulching, plant spacing)
- Weed Management - Implement physical control methods for weed management (e.g. flaming, hoeing, pulling, mulching)
- Weed Management - Implement biological control method for weed management (e.g. livestock, cover crops for smothering weeds)
- Weed Management - Perform mulching
- Intercropping - Understand the principles of intercropping
- Intercropping - Understand different companion planting configurations
- Intercropping - Select crops for intercropping in field
- Intercropping - Assess effects of intercropping on each crop's productivity and health
- Equipment and Machinery
- Proper Selection Of Tool For Task - Select proper tools for the task
- Proper Use of the Tool - Use tools safely
- Maintain Tools - Store tools, equipment and supplies (e.g. safely, in good order)
- Maintain Tools - Sharpen, clean, store tools during non-production time
- Maintain Equipment - Inspect production equipment
- Maintain Equipment - Establish preventive maintenance schedule for equipment
- Maintain Equipment - Establish parts inventory
- Maintain Equipment - Perform routine equipment service (e.g. sharpening blades, changing oil, greasing equipment, cleaning tractor)
- Maintain Equipment - Repair production equipment
- Maintain Equipment - Clean production equipment
- Manage Supplies - Understand farm supply inventory system
- Maintain Farm Infrastructure - Put up and maintain electric fence
- Maintain Farm Infrastructure - Understand operations and maintenance of cold storage infrastructure
- Maintain Farm Infrastructure - Understand operations and maintenance of wells/irrigation infrastructure
- Maintain Farm Infrastructure - Maintain barns/sheds in good working condition
- Tractor Safety - the basic functions, safety features, and operations of a tractor and its implements
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Understand basic tractor implements and their use: plows, tillers, cultivation, transplanting, fertilizing & irrigation
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Understand impact of tractor implements on soil health (biological life, tilth)
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Understand basic tractor maintenance (Engine oil coolant; Fuel; Hydraulic fluid; tire and wheel properly maintained, battery maintained, hose conditions)
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Understand the basic principles of bed and field layout related to tractor implements and tool specifications
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Safely hitch implements
- Tractor Use and Maintenance - Safely drive tractor using basic tractor implements (plow, cultivator, bed maker)
- Irrigation Systems - Understand the basic concept of when to use: overhead, drip, furrow, hand watering in farming systems
- Irrigation Systems - Understand the basic equipment for irrigation systems including pumps, wells, sprinkler heads, tubing, and emitters
- Irrigation Systems - Understand the basic setup considerations for irrigation system including placement of sprinklers, drip tape, furrows etc
- Irrigation Systems - Set up driplines in bed
- Irrigation Systems - Set up driplines to header pipes
- Irrigation Systems - Set up layflat, header pipes to pump/water source
- Irrigation Systems - Operate a pump for field irrigation
- Irrigation Systems - Perform pump maintenance (priming, foot valves, flushing)
- Irrigation Systems - Set up overhead sprinklers including moving and connecting pipes
- Business Management & Marketing
- Farm Enterprises - Determine potential of farm enterprises
- Farm Enterprises - Assess overall needs (e.g. physical, capital, human; skills, experience, time, land, equipment, profitability)
- Farm Enterprises - Assess available resources for farm success (e.g. physical, capital, human; skills, experience, time, land, equipment, profitability)
- Farm Enterprises - Conduct market research and competitive analysis (e.g. research potential competition, markets, customers, and strate.g.ies)
- Farm Enterprises - Set prices for products
- Farm Enterprises - Collect enterprise feedback from customers
- Farm Enterprises - Read customer surveys and feedback
- Farm Budget - Understand farm budget and know how to read profit and loss statements
- Farm Budget - Prepare enterprise budgets
- Farm Budget - Understand how to maintain operating budget
- Employee & Labor Management - Assess personal management style
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand farm labor plan
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand how to write job descriptions
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand how to recruit labor
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand labor policies and procedures
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand how to develop staff work schedule
- Employee & Labor Management - Assign daily tasks
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand how to train farm workers (e.g. fieldwork, efficiency, equipment safety and personal care)
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand different management techniques to supervise farm workers
- Employee & Labor Management - Understand how to evaluate staff work performance
- Employee & Labor Management - Conduct staff meetings
- Financial Management - Understand financial plan (e.g. annual budget, expense and sales forecasts, cash flow projections, break even analysis, capitalization plan)
- Financial Management - Understand needed insurance policies
- Financial Management - Process invoices
- Financial Management - Prepare bank deposits
- Financial Management - Proces reimbursements
- Financial Management - Understand how to process payroll
- Who Should You Know? - Understand what an FSA agent offers a farm operation
- Who Should You Know? - Understand what Extension Agents offer a farm operation
- Who Should You Know? - Understand what CFSA Farm Services staff offer a farm operation
- Who Should You Know? - Understand what NRCS Agent offers a farm operation
- Marketing - Understand basic concepts of marketing plan
- Marketing - Identify customers and target market
- Marketing - Knowledge of different marketing channels and how to set-up business accordingly: direct-to-consumer (farmers markets, CSA), working with food hub/purchaser (intermediate); wholesale; agritourism
- Marketing - Perform market inventory
- Marketing - Understand the concept and potential benefits of agritourism
- Marketing - Manage market activities for at least one market channel
- Online Marketing - Understand how to develop brand and logo
- Online Marketing - Plan for social networking presence
- Online Marketing - Understand an online marketing plan
- Online Marketing - Use of online marketing platforms including CSA software, social media platforms, POS software
- Online Marketing - Maintain website
- Online Marketing - Maintain email/contact database
- Online Marketing - Create and post social media content
- Online Marketing - Update product listing and prices
- Certifications - Knowledge of GAP and how certification is achieved
- Certifications - Understand what is Certified Organic Farm status and how certification is achieved
- Certifications - Understand alternative certification programs including Naturally Certified Grown, Biodynamic etc
- Certifications - Knowledge of how to participate in emergency food programs (e.g. SNAP at farmers market)
- Social Implications of Ag Systems
- Development of US Agriculture - Understand the history and current implications of the colonization of US lands for native peoples
- Development of US Agriculture - Understand the historic roots of and current implications of slavery in US agriculture
- Development of US Agriculture - Understanding the history of farmworker rights and movements in US agriculture
- Development of US Agriculture - Understand the history of development of conventional agriculture as it relates to fuel, chemical inputs, seed patents etc and environmental implications
- Environmental Issues in Modern Agriculture - Understand the methods associated with and social roots of the term: organic, sustainable agriculture, permaculture, biodynamics, resilient agriculture, resilient ag, climate smart ag
- Environmental Issues in Modern Agriculture -Understand the term "regenerative ag", its tenets and relation to indigenous practices of agriculture
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Awareness of community networks, organizations, and dynamics where the farm is located
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Understand the social and economic motivators and outcomes of hosting events for farmer and farm
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Understand the social and economic motivators and outcomes of participating in community organizations and events for the farmer and farm
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Create schedules that reflect personal desire for wellbeing including time off farm, personal relationships, non farming activities during the agricultural season
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Awareness of local businesses that support the farming community
- Nourish Family & Community Relations - Cooperative relationships with other farmers, businesses, and organizations
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Understand systemic racism for BIPOC farmers related to US governmental programs and agencies (e.g. USDA, EPA)
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Understand systemic racism for BIPOC farmers related to land access
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Ability to articulate the land back movement
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Ability to articulate the meaning of terms: hunger, food security, food desert and apartheid, food sovereignty
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Ability to articulate the elements of a community food system
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Understand injustices and labor movements of US farmworkers (CIW)
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Understand how local and regional food systems contribute to resilience in an emergency (COVID-19) and overall
- Social Justice in Agriculture - Understand concepts of US emergency food system including government (SNAP) and community programs (food pantries)
- Season Extension
- Tunnel Production - Understand how to install high and/or low tunnels
- Tunnel Production - Understand the different properties of tunnel plastics
- Tunnel Production - Understand the proper placement of tunnels
- Tunnel Production - Understand the costs and benefits of tunnels
- Tunnel Production - Establish beds in tunnel
- Tunnel Production - Soil management in tunnel
- Tunnel Production - Perform pest management in high tunnels
- Tunnel Production - Manage temperature/climate in high tunnels
- Variety Selection - Select varieties that are best suited for each season
- Variety Selection - Time planting of crops and varieties suitable for each season
- Variety Selection - Evaluate what worked and didn't to improve crop planning in following season
- Row Covers - Understand different characteristics and uses of row cover
- Row Covers - Understand different models of hoops for placing row cover
- Row Covers - Understand conditions that warrant the use or not of row cover
- Row Covers - Store row cover for long-term use
- Mulching - Select and evaluate mulch properties and uses
- Mulching - Lay down landscape fabric for season extension
- Mulching - Lay down black/white plastic on beds for season extension
- Mulching - Apply organic mulches for season extension/capture warmth
- Mulching - Remove and store landscape fabric
- Mulching - Remove and dispose of black plastic
- Shade Protection - Select shade cloth for season extension
- Shade Protection - Install shade cloth for season extension
- Post Harvest Handling & Crop Quality
- Food Safety - Certified in safe food handling
- Food Safety - Conduct safe food handling of vegetables post harvest
- Post Harvest Handling & Quality - Clean crop
- Post Harvest Handling & Quality - Cool crop
- Post Harvest Handling & Quality - Sort crop
- Post Harvest Handling & Quality - Grade crop
- Post Harvest Handling & Quality - Record crop harvest
- Packing - Label crop
- Packing - Determine packing order
- Packing - Pack product
- Storage - Store crop in appropriate box/container
- Storage - Store crop in appropriate temperature (e.g. cooler, warehouse)
- Storage - Cure crop
- Storage - Store crop in appropriate temperatures for longevity
- Shipping & Delivery - Load products
- Shipping & Delivery - Establish delivery times and pickup points
- Shipping & Delivery - Determine packing order
- Shipping & Delivery - Total sales
- Shipping & Delivery - Maintain return inventory
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