Earth Apple Organic Farm in Abbotsford, BC is hiring a Field Manager, Harvest Manager, Market Manager, Farmers’ Market Stall Operator, and Farmhands for the 2019 season! They are also looking for volunteers on Saturdays. These are full time on-farm and part-time on farm and at farmers’ markets. Join their crew and get ready to farm hard!
ABOUT EARTH APPLE ORGANIC FARM
Earth Apple Organic Farm was established in 2011 and is based at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op in Abbotsford, BC as of January 2016. Our roots quite literally are earth apples or les pommes de terre, but we’ve since expanded, growing over 50 different varieties of fruits and vegetables, herbs, cut flowers and raising hens and ducks for eggs. We cultivate over 6 acres of land and pasture-raise our hens and ducks.
Earth Apple Organic Farm’s mission is to continue to evolve through shared learning and practice into a reliable, safe and healthy contributor to food security in our communities. Through optimum utilization of the landscape for annual crops production, we are stewards of the land and respect local wildlife and the environment. Our foundation lies on the sturdy and sustenance-offering potato (earth apples), hence our particular penchant for growing hearty root crops to this day, but we also grow a wide assortment of other greens, nightshades, brassicas, legumes, alliums and fruit! This will be our 9th year running a Community Shared Agriculture Harvest Box program and we will be attending two farmers market each week throughout the summer and one in the fall/winter season. Many hands make light work so they say- we work together as a team, however we also ensure quality work via assigning key roles and responsibilities to each crew member. If you are a committed, responsible, keen and energetic farmer or farmer-in-training interested in both independent work and sharing the duties of getting big jobs done with a crew- read on!
Learn more about Earth Apple Farm:
Website: http://earthapplefarm.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthappleorganicfarm
Position Title: Field Manager
Commitment & Compensation: F/T (Mon-Fri & occasional Saturday optional) Starts at $13/hr and increases to $14/hr beginning June 1, 2019
Contract: March 1 to November 1, 2019
Location: Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op, Abbotsford, BC
Application Deadline: February 15, 2019
Summary of position:
Earth Apple Organic Farm is seeking a Field Manager. This is a fantastic opportunity for folks that enjoy working hard outdoors, are detail oriented, a systems thinker and want to learn about and gain more experience in the field of small-scale organic agriculture. The Field Manager works closely with the Director, Harvest Manager and Field Crew. This position includes a high level of on-going training and is in conjunction with our apprenticeship program. Ideally you have at least one year experience apprenticing previously, field management experience or farmhand experience.
Field Manager position responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Works with Director and field crew to ensure crop plan implementation and schedule is followed
- Works with fellow team members on bed prep, mulching, laying irrigation, seeding, transplanting, weeding, fertilizing, and general field maintenance
- Field tool maintenance and inventory
- Tools include possible use of tractor & implements, rototiller, weed trimmer, hand tools, flame weeder
- Maintains a high pace, whilst ensuring quality work
- Works with crew on group tasks such as harvesting, cleaning, market prep, barn cleaning etc.
- Has a positive can-do attitude, enjoys problem-solving and all the challenges inherent in outdoor, all weather work
- Has a working understanding of excel spreadsheets and sufficient in basic computer software programs
- Attend regular weekly crew check ins/meetings providing feedback and suggestions for the week(s) ahead
- Occasionally may include other general farm maintenance activities and possibly working the farmers markets in Vancouver
Position Title: Harvest Manager
Commitment & Compensation: F/T (Mon-Fri & occasional Saturday) Starts at $13/hr and increases to $14/hr beginning June 1, 2019
Contract: April 1- November 30, 2019
Location: Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op, Abbotsford, BC
Application Deadline: March 1, 2019
Summary of position:
Earth Apple Organic Farm is seeking a Harvest Manager. This is an opportunity for someone that knows or has a keen interest in learning their fruit and vegetables, is excited to lead weekly harvests of fruit and veg for our CSA program, restaurant orders, and farmers markets. This position includes a high level of on-going training and is in conjunction with our apprenticeship program. Ideally you have experience harvesting fruit vegetables/ farmhand experience and management experience of some kind.
Harvest Manager position responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Working with Director to develop pick lists based on weekly field assessments
- Working closely with Director and Field Manager on Harvest schedules
- Leading the team, setting a high pace and ensuring quality standards in harvests for restaurant orders, CSA boxes and farmers markets
- Cleaning, preparing (bunching, bagging, packing) products for sale, ensuring high quality, standardized quantities and keeping inventory
- Working with CSA packing team to fill weekly harvest boxes
- Maintaining and cleaning harvest tools, bins and other equipment
- Ensuring and implementing food safe standards in product prep
- Assisting crew with seeding, planting, pruning, weeding and other group field management tasks
Position Title: Market Manager
Commitment & Compensation: P/T (Thurs-Sat) Starts at $13/hr and increases to $14/hr beginning June 1, 2019
Contract: April 1- December 21, 2019
Location: Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op, Abbotsford, BC
Application Deadline: March 1, 2019
Summary of position:
Earth Apple Organic Farm is seeking a Market Manager. This is a fantastic opportunity for folks that enjoy harvesting fruit and veg, love talking about food preparation, have an eye for quality and standardization, efficiencies and systems thinking and want to learn about and gain more experience in product and marketing aspects of small-scale mixed farming. Ideally you have sales and management experience, and know your fruit and vegetables well! Experience driving a large truck also an asset, but not required. Drivers License is required.
Market Manager position responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Working with the Harvest Manager and field crew to harvest for 2+ farmers markets
- Picking, cleaning and preparing high quality products, ensuring standardization of quantities, inventory and systematized packing with field crew
- Packing and driving market truck (a Hino Cube Van with 14’ box) and drives to markets
- Heavy lifting and repetitive motions
- Setting up at farmers markets, leading volunteers/staff in set-up, sales, sampling, follows food safe precautions, packs up, drives truck back to farm and unloads into farm fridge
- A proficient, basic level of math for addition, subtraction and counting of cash and product inventory
- Ensuring safe cash management and completing accurate inventory requirements of products
Position Title: Farmers Market Stall Operator
Commitment & Compensation: P/T (Saturdays) Starts at $13/hr and increases to $14/hr beginning June 1, 2019
Location: Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op, Abbotsford, BC
Application Deadline: March 1, 2019
Summary of position:
Earth Apple Organic Farm is seeking someone to manage our Trout Lake or Riley Park Farmers Market. This is a fantastic opportunity for folks that enjoy harvesting fruit and veg, have an eye for quality and standardization, efficiencies and systems thinking and want to learn about and gain more experience in product and marketing aspects of small-scale mixed agriculture. Ideally you have sales and management experience, and know your fruit and vegetables well!
Requirements for the Market Stall Operator include:
- Working with Market Manager, Director and other market staff to ensure high quality standards and high volume market sales
- Unloading and setting up weekly farmers market following standard operating procedures
- Packing and driving a market truck (a Hino Cube Van with 14’ box)
- Heavy lifting and repetitive motions
- Leading volunteers/staff in set-up, sales, sampling, follows food safe precautions, packing up
- Ensuring safe cash management and completes accurate inventory requirements of products
- Maintaining a high level of understanding of all products and our general growing practices to ensure proper communication to customers
- A proficient, basic level of math for addition, subtraction and counting of cash and product inventory
- A good understanding of the variety of fruits and vegetables we grow and has a keen interest in food preparation and discussing recipes with customers
Position Title: Farmhand
Commitment & Compensation: P/T $12.85/hr to start and $13.85/hr beginning June 1, 2019
Contract: May 1 to October 18, 2019
Location: Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op, Abbotsford, BC
Application Deadline: March 1, 2019
Summary of position:
We are looking for folks to aid us with everything from harvesting, planting, weeding, bed prep, berry picking, tomato pruning and everything outside and in between! We move at a quick pace and get the job done as a crew, although there is some independent work at times too. Looking to get your hands dirty? Want to put that systems thinking into play? Enjoy a good hard days work? Geek out over fruit and veg? Inquire within!
Requirements for the Farmhand include:
- A deep interest in learning and gaining experience in small-scale organic vegetable farming.
- The ideal candidate has experience in fieldwork and/or outdoor labour. Farm experience is a bonus, but not required!
- Should be able to lift up to 40 lbs and be comfortable using and/or learning to use a variety of tools and farm equipment.
- Many tasks are repetitive, physically demanding and require attention to using core strength and an awareness of ergonomics to avoid injury and maintain good health.
- An ability to be flexible, move quickly, work independently and also with a team is super important, as well as an attention to detail.
- Able to accommodate early mornings and occasionally long days and ready and willing to work rain or shine!
To Apply
Submit your resume by email and a one-page cover letter clearly stating which position you are interested in applying for and why you want to work at Earth Apple Organic Farm, as well as your suitability for the position based on your education, experience, skills and qualifications. Please pdf your submission into one document (example: farmer_Jane.pdf) We will also require 2-3 character and work experience references.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews. Earth Apple Farm is committed to hiring based on merit and does not discriminate based on race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, political belief, or sexual orientation. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in Canada.
Volunteer at Earth Apple Organic Farm!
We are looking for help at our farmers markets! Love fresh local produce and want to lend us a hand on Saturdays? Get in touch with Shirlene about opportunities to lend a hand and take some fresh local fruit and veg home with you!
On the farm there are many opportunities to lend a hand in the beautiful setting of Earth Apple Farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-op. Help collect and wash the chicken and duck eggs, harvest veggies, meditate over weeding and lend a helping hand at the weekly farmers markets! If you’re interested in spending some time in the soil, let us know by email and we will follow up with you for a visit ?
View other farm jobs and apprenticeships here.
