Farm Hand Full Time

General Farmhand- Broadacre Sheep and Cropping Operation

Kilamarup Farms is a progressive mixed broadacre family farming operation in the Boyup Brook and Kojonup Shires producing sustainable food and fibre. We have a 2350ha cropping program and run 9,000-17,000 sheep on owned and leased land. Our self-replacing sheep operation produces merino/suffolk cross prime lambs, merino lambs and wool. Our cropping program is predominantly canola and barley. We require an energetic and capable farmhand to work alongside the farm managers and senior farmhand. The operation is a 70:30 split between cropping and livestock giving a variety of work throughout the year. The successful applicant will be based in Boyup Brook and will be responsible for assisting in executing the operational plan throughout the year. The role can be tailored to the individual’s skills and preferences where possible.

General Duties

·       Operating a sprayer (if keen, competent and capable)

·       Operating a spreader

·       Operating an air seeder during the day

·       Operating a header and/or chaser bin

·       Driving a small road train (if keen, competent and capable)

·       General repair and maintenance of plant and equipment

·       Fencing and assisting in infrastructure construction

·       Preparing paddocks for cropping

·       Sheep handling throughout the year including mustering, drafting, drenching, feeding, needling, loading, jetting, dipping, marking and assisting with crutching and shearing operations.

·       Assisting other 3 workman/owners on the farm with general duties

Specific Duties

Pre-Seeding/Shearing (Jan Feb March)

·       Clean down harvesting equipment

·       Assist with a 2-3 week shearing operation

·       Spreading lime and pasture fertiliser

·       Preparing paddocks for cropping: raking stubbles, stubble crunching, putting in fire breaks, pushing up dead trees and picking sticks

·       Sheep feeding

·       Assist with putting rams in for mating and pull out

·       Fencing

·       Summer weed control

·       Assist with basic machinery maintenance

·       Ideal summer holiday period for everyone on the farm (1-2 weeks each)

Seeding (April May)

·       Sheep feeding

·       Pre-lambing drenching

·       Operating a self-propelled and or tug along sprayer (if keen, competent and capable)

·       Operating an air seeder for day shift

·       Assisting backpackers picking rocks and sticks

·       Spreading fertiliser

Post Seeding/ Lamb Marking (June July August)

·       Rock Picking

·       Lamb marking crossbred lambs

·       Spreading fertiliser

·       Assist with infrastructure maintenance: Sheep yards, sheds, fence and houses

·       Assist with infrastructure construction

·       Spray firebreaks, edges, contours and around sheds, houses, and yards

·       Repairs and maintenance in workshop on wet days

·       Spraying

·       Ideal mid year winter holiday period for everyone on the farm (1-2 weeks each)

Lamb Marking/Crutching/ Jetting/Hay (Sept Oct)

·       Lamb mark merino lambs

·       Assist with crutching operation of all sheep: mustering, pushing up, wool sorting

·       Repairs and maintenance in workshop on wet days and harvest preparation

·       Fencing

·       Assist in jetting all sheep for fly control

·       Fencing

·       Moving hay

·       Drenching and needling lambs

·       Spraying

Harvest (Nov Dec)

·       Pre-harvest maintenance of all harvest equipment

·       Chaser bin operation and some header driving (if capable and competent)

·       Working and communicating closely with header and truck drivers

·       Morning blowing down, monitoring, servicing and maintenance of all harvest machinery

·       Escorting and moving field bins and harvesting equipment

·       Loading grain trucks

·       Help prepare for the shearing operation

Why Us?

·       Opportunity to be part of a team in a progressive top 25% family owned and operated business.

·       Recently renovated 3-bedroom family house.

·       Located 10km from Boyup Brook town, a friendly vibrant community with modern facilities, 3 schools and multiple sporting clubs.

·       South West WA based: 3hrs to Perth, 1hr 20m to Bunbury Busselton, 2hrs to Albany. (DIDO opportunities)

·       Healthy work environment

·       Variety of work throughout the year

·       Learning and professional development opportunities: truck licence, chem cert, local field days and workshops, possibility to assist with a cert 3 or 4 in Ag

·       Access to an in-house family livestock vet and agronomist to assist with any questions and your learning

·       Modern machinery and infrastructure

·       Progressive business always adopting new technology and practices to improve efficiencies and quality

Requirements

·       ‘Can do’ attitude and a willingness to learn and have a go

·       Drivers licence

·       Communication skills

·       Ability to work in a team

·       Ability to work independently

·       Basic mechanical aptitude, experience and understanding

·       Be physically fit and in good health.

Preferable/Favourable

·       Spraying experience

·       Experience operating a variety of heavy-duty machinery

·       Experience in broadacre agriculture

·       Technology skills: phones, GPS systems, apps

·       Livestock experience, specifically sheep

·       Fencing skills

·       Heavy rigid or Mc truck licence

·       Mechanical and auto electric skill

·       Metal work skills

Package

·       Based on experience and performance over probationary period

·       3×2 recently renovated house available on farm

·       Work ute

·       The position will require long hours and weekend work at peak times of the year and offer an excellent exposure to broadacre agribusiness.

Please contact Alex, Peter or Carolyn Reid to discuss we would love to have a chat!

Alex:      0488 138 120

Send your resume to alex.reid@kilamarupfarms.com.au

Tagged as: animals & conservation), farm labour (farming