Lead Agroforester – Regenerative Agriculture (Tiskilwa, IL)

Part-Time (Contract-to-Hire; Full-Time Potential) | $18,000–$20,000/year | Hybrid

Grow trees, grow people, grow a movement—right here in the Midwest’s most beautiful outdoor classroom.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re in startup mode—building a long-term, regenerative agroforestry vision from the ground up—and we’re looking for someone who wants to grow with us.

This role begins part-time (~20 hrs/week) and can expand into a full-time, salaried position as we meet our earned income and fundraising goals in 2026. It’s ideal for someone who wants to help shape a long-term agroforestry program and be part of a values-driven team focused on healing land, growing food, and inspiring people.

Are you a tree-loving visionary who also geeks out over spreadsheets, soil tests, seed trays, and silvopasture maps? Do you know how to build a propagation bed from scratch and enjoy sharing the story behind it with guests, donors, and social media followers?

This role blends planning, hands-on implementation, and daily guest engagement. You’ll build out agroforestry systems while helping guests connect with what they’re seeing, doing, and eating—from elderberries and mushroom logs to riparian buffers and tree-integrated pastures.

If you’ve studied permaculture, watched Savanna Institute webinars, or keep a spreadsheet of dream orchard species—but also love giving impromptu walking tours and saying “yes!” when kids want to help water the trees—this might be the place you’ve been looking for.

You don’t need to know everything yet. Skills can be trained. But passion, personality, and purpose are essential. If you just want to plant trees, this probably isn’t your gig. If you want to teach, co-create, and help lead a living classroom, welcome home.

About Hungry World Farm

Hungry World Farm is a 175-acre nonprofit regenerative farm in Tiskilwa, Illinois. Our purpose is to cultivate healthier people and a healthier planet through regenerative agriculture, which includes:

  • Growing nutrient-dense, chemical-free food
  • Restoring ecosystem health through forest, prairie, pasture, and soil stewardship
  • Inspiring and educating people through immersive guest experiences and hands-on learning

We host thousands of overnight guests annually and in 2026 plan to offer an expanded number of workshops, volunteer opportunities, and working examples of how food, ecology, and people can flourish together. Enterprise areas include livestock, agroforestry, market gardening, hospitality, and education.

We are in startup mode, refining how each enterprise connects to our mission and developing comprehensive 3-, 5-, and 10-year goals for ecosystem health, financial sustainability, and people-centered impact—our 4Es: Ecosystem, Economics, Engagement, and Entity (organizational capacity). The Lead Agroforester will play a key role in shaping and advancing that vision.

Culture & Community

We believe the work is only sustainable if the culture is. We are not a corporate environment. We’re a values-based farm community where people matter, diversity is welcomed, and relationships are just as important as responsibilities. People thrive here when they:

  • Care deeply about the mission and land
  • Enjoy building meaningful connections with their team
  • Want both freedom to lead and responsibility to deliver
  • Show up cheerful, generous, and open to growth

We say thank you. We check in. We celebrate wins and pitch in when it’s hard. Living on the farm, you’ll be part of a team-building process—a shared journey of learning, understanding one another, and practicing what it means to live and work well together.

While not required, the position is ideal for someone living on-farm, potentially with a partner involved in another enterprise.

The Role

This is a dynamic hybrid role that combines planning, physical implementation, and guest-facing engagement. You will guide the design, establishment, and care of our agroforestry systems—while also helping visitors connect with them as part of our broader educational mission. You won’t just be planting trees—you’ll be telling their story, helping others see their purpose, and building a vibrant, beautiful, living system that aligns with our mission and moves others to act.

Start-up context: This role can begin as an independent contractor or part-time employee (~20 hours/week), with flexible scheduling and room for growth. As funding increases, this position may expand in scope, pay, and hours—potentially becoming full-time in 2026.

Key Focus Areas

2026 Potential Priority Projects & Initiatives

  • Design of two different pastures/fields/locations for perennials and agroforestry guest experiences
  • Shiitake mushroom production (cutting, inoculating, fruiting ~120+ bolts)
  • Elderberry variety trials integrated into the market garden and guest areas
  • Tree planting and silvopasture support species in pastures (including grazing integration)
  • Guest-accessible nursery plant sales (bare root, cuttings, potted)
  • Riparian buffer design and implementation for Plow Creek
  • Accessible food forest design with trail integration
  • Educational workshops: propagation, seed saving, tree planting, mushroom inoculation
  • Assistance with invasive species removal and forest conservation

System Design & Land Stewardship

  • Lead planning, planting, and maintenance of silvopasture trees, riparian buffers, orchard crops, forest mushrooms, and agroforestry-integrated guest spaces
  • Manage the on-site propagation nursery to support plantings and guest plant sales
  • Plan and perform seasonal tasks: seed collection, pruning, mulching, irrigation, monitoring
  • Coordinate with the Livestock Manager for silvopasture timing, fencing, and grazing compatibility
  • Partner with the Facilities Manager for infrastructure, fencing, water access, and trails

Education & Engagement

  • Collaborate with the Executive Director and Farmstay Manager to host casual guest interactions (e.g., tours, “ask me anything” moments)
  • Post quick, informal photo/video updates to social media
  • Design and lead workshops (free, donation-based, or paid)
  • Support signage, storytelling, and educational messaging
  • Be visible and accessible to farmstay guests, volunteers, and school groups
  • Communicate directly with volunteers and interns who assist with agroforestry tasks

Planning, Recordkeeping, & Funding

  • Create planting plans, planting records, and mortality/survival logs
  • Contribute to annual planning and budgeting for the agroforestry enterprise
  • Assist with grants (SARE, JoinTrees, etc.) and fundraising storytelling
  • Collect and share data to improve methods and tell our impact story

What You Bring

Required

  • Hands-on experience with trees, woody crops, or forest systems in the Midwest
  • Ability to engage with people and enjoy sharing what you’re working on
  • Physical ability to lift 50 lbs and work in all weather
  • Valid driver’s license and transportation
  • Willingness to flex, learn, and collaborate with diverse teammates and volunteers

Preferred

  • Knowledge of silvopasture, riparian restoration, permaculture, or agroecology
  • Plant nursery or propagation experience
  • Familiarity with grant programs and conservation cost-share tools
  • Comfort with basic land tools, tractors, fencing systems
  • Social media fluency (or willingness to learn) for informal daily storytelling
  • Experience leading workshops or educational demos

Position Details

  • Start Date: Flexible, between Oct 2025 and March 2026
  • Status: Independent contractor or part-time, growing into a full-time, year-round salaried position (PT may be possible if paired with Livestock Manager or Facilities & Maintenance)
  • Pay: Total compensation valued at $29,120–$41,600 annually (equivalent to $14–$20/hour) depending on role, experience, and housing arrangement
  • With housing provided: Cash wages typically $14–$17/hour, with on-farm housing, utilities, internet, and food access bringing the total package into the $14–$20/hour range
  • Without housing provided: Cash wages typically $15–$19/hour, ensuring fairness with peers in housing-inclusive roles
  • Schedule: Flexes seasonally; full-time roles include weekends and rotating responsibilities such as animal checks or guest services, depending on the role
  • Housing: On-farm housing is not required, particularly as the position starts up, but may be available if combined with other roles or an on-farm partner. Housing is valued at $600–$1,200/month, is non-taxable, and includes utilities/internet.

How to Apply

We’re happy to chat before a formal application. Please send:

  • A short intro letter (why you’re excited about this)
  • A resume or bulleted list of relevant experiences/skills
  • Any questions you’ve got—we welcome curiosity

Email: hungryworldfarm@gmail.com
Mail: P.O. Box 297, Tiskilwa, IL 61368
Website: www.HungryWorldFarm.com
Phone: (815) 200-8688

Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis. First review begins September 15.

JOB APPLICATION (Google Doc.)
JOB APPLICATION PDF