Families / steward

Steward

Work that keeps something alive across a long horizon.

• Market Farmer

  field · $30k–$75k · 5y to competence · no licence

  Grows and sells produce on small acreage direct to households and restaurants. Biology sets the schedule; weather sets the risk.

• Livestock Rancher

  field · $35k–$90k · 6y to competence · no licence

  Manages grazing animals, land and herd health across seasons. Capital-heavy and largely inherited or slowly assembled.

• Arborist

  field · $45k–$90k · 3y to competence · licence required

  Assesses, prunes and removes trees, often at height near structures. Certification and insurance separate the trade from the truck.

• Landscape Architect

  mixed · $70k–$120k · 7y to competence · licence required

  Designs outdoor systems where plants, water and use must all work. Results only become legible after a decade of growth.

• Certified Accountant

  desk · $78k–$150k · 5y to competence · licence required

  Prepares, audits and defends financial records. A licence, a client list, and a genuinely portable practice.

• Archivist

  desk · $55k–$85k · 5y to competence · no licence

  Appraises, arranges and preserves records so they remain findable. Quiet work with a long time horizon.

• Museum Conservator

  studio · $55k–$90k · 8y to competence · no licence

  Stabilises and restores objects using chemistry, craft and documentation. Every treatment must be reversible and recorded.

• Water Treatment Operator

  site · $55k–$90k · 3y to competence · licence required

  Runs and tests the systems that keep municipal water safe. Licensed, essential, and quietly ageing out of the workforce.

• Historic Restoration Contractor

  site · $62k–$160k · 8y to competence · licence required

  Repairs old buildings using original methods and materials. Combines a trade, a licence and archival research.