Brandeston Farm in Fenelon Falls, Ontario is seeking Market Garden Farm Staff!
ABOUT Brandeston Farm
We’re a market garden with just under 2 acres in production. Our garden field is in the centre of a 100 acre farm with fields and forested areas throughout. We have a small tractor for heavy work (moving compost, woodchips, etc) but we do most of our work manually. We use Jang push seeders, a variety of hand tools for weed management, tilthers, carts, wheelbarrows, and so on. We operate a CSA program, run an on-farm stand, attend farmers’ markets and make weekly donations throughout the season to area food banks.
Philosophically driven by sustainability and self-sufficiency. We aren’t a closed system but we’re mindful of our imported inputs (e.g. compost, tools), and select strategies that afford us the most resilience and adaptability.
DESIRED QUALITIES
- Meaningful prior experience farming or gardening
- Experience doing physical labour and working outdoors
- Reliable, Honest, Hardworking
- A “safety first” attitude
- Organized with an attention to detail
- Ability to adapt to changing circumstances
- Comfortable working with power tools (hand drills, power washer, etc)\
- Effective communicator
- Willing to ask questions and seek clarification
- Able to provide and receive thoughtful constructive feedback
- Willing to work during sub-optimal weather
- Ability to use hand tools (shovels, hoe, pitchfork, rake, etc.
- Comfortable working both alone and collaborating with others
- Physically capable of undertaking gardening duties
- Crouching, kneeling, bending, squatting, lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying
- Occasional lifting up to 50lbs (Vegetable boxes, wheelbarrow, buckets, etc)
- Repetitive tasks
- A valid drivers license
JOB TASKS
- Seedling production work and management of succession plantings throughout the season
- Making potting mix
- Seeding trays
- Watering
- Preparing and maintaining garden beds
- Shaping beds and pathways
- Spreading and incorporating compost
- Applying and securing landscape fabric where needed
- Assisting with deploying and moving large tarps to smother weeds
- Seeding and transplanting
- Weeding, hoeing, raking, and general upkeep of garden beds
- Pruning and trimming
- Assist with field scouting and monitoring
- Identifying pests, diseases, and other issues and suggesting corrective measures
- Monitoring plant growth and development
- Assist in building greenhouse structures
- Cleaning and sterilizing tools, flats, pots, and other equipment
- Harvesting – picking, digging, pulling, and gathering produce
- Post-harvest operations including washing, weighting, sorting, and packaging
- Assist with CSA pick-ups and deliveries
- Farmer’s Market Activities
- Prepare produce and load vehicles for market days
- Attend Markets, interact with customers, handle payments
- Assemble, troubleshoot, and repair irrigation infrastructure
JOB DETAILS
Term: Start date is in May 2024, specific date flexible and TBD.
The end date for the season will be end of October 2024, with the possibility for extension into fall and winter.
Hours per week: 40
Wage: $20.60 / hour
TO APPLY
Please submit your resume and cover letter to hello@brandestonfarm.ca
Deadline to apply: March 1, 2024
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
LEARN MORE ABOUT Brandeston Farm
Website: www.brandestonfarm.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandestonFarm.ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandestonfarm/
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