Farm Manager

Overview :

A 20-hectare agricultural operation in Cato Ridge focusing on high-value horticultural crops, including 2 hectares of tunnel-grown blueberries, 2 hectares of open-field tomatoes, and a honey production and pollination unit. The farm integrates modern practices, including fertigation, packhouse operations, and value-added processing. We seek a hands-on, strategic Farm Manager to oversee all aspects of production, labour, infrastructure, and compliance, ensuring efficient and profitable operations.

Key Responsibilities :

Crop Production Management

• Plan and manage the blueberry tunnel systems, including pruning, pest management, fertigation, harvesting, and scheduling.
• Oversee open-field tomato cultivation, managing rotations, input programs, and labor cycles.
• Ensure optimal use of fertilizer and irrigation systems (including drip irrigation and fertigation tanks).

Honey & Pollination

• Manage the integration of beehives for pollination and honey production.
• Oversee honey harvesting, processing, and bottling in a hygienic and compliant manner.
• Explore potential pollination services for other farms.

Packhouse & Post-Harvest Oversight

• Supervise the packhouse (18m x 30m) from receiving to grading, cold storage, dispatch, and traceability.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene protocols in packing, processing, and storage.
• Manage value-added product lines (e.g., jams, juices, sundried tomatoes).

Infrastructure & Equipment

• Coordinate maintenance of irrigation pumps, packhouse machinery, cold room (10m x 6m), and farm vehicles.
• Oversee daily use of tractors, electric carts, and tools within tunnels and fields.

Water & Environmental Management

• Operate within the Water Use License conditions and manage inline dam storage (including 3rd dam once approved).
• Monitor borehole use, irrigation scheduling, and water efficiency across crops.

Labor Management

• Recruit, supervise, and train permanent and seasonal farm workers.
• Maintain productivity, task delegation, and compliance with 200-day labour cycles.
• Foster a safe and positive working environment.

Record Keeping & Reporting

• Keep daily, weekly, and monthly records on yield, input use, labor, and sales.
• Work closely with the owner on budget tracking (R10 million budget), timelines, and compliance.

Qualifications & Experience :

• Degree / Diploma in Agriculture, Horticulture, Agribusiness, or related.
• Minimum 10 years of farm management experience, ideally with high-value crops.
• Strong understanding of tunnel farming, fertigation, irrigation systems, and cold chain logistics.
• Knowledge of value-added processing, honey production, or small-scale agri-processing is a plus.
• Experience managing packhouse and export processes (especially blueberries) is an advantage.

Key Skills :

• Excellent organizational and leadership skills
• Problem-solving and adaptive thinking
• Understanding of farm budgets and input planning
• Proficiency in basic tech (Excel, farm software, WhatsApp, drone apps a plus)
• Communication and people management
• Managing automated fertigation systems