Root Radical CSA in Kingston, Ontario is hiring an Organic Farm Worker for the 2019 season!
ABOUT ROOT RADICAL CSA
Root Radical Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a successful organic farm growing a diversity of vegetables. Entering our 13th season, we sell our vegetables through the CSA model to about 250 households in Kingston and on Howe Island. We are known for our high-quality great-tasting vegetables, our friendly, organized and accommodating customer service, and the environmental education opportunities offered to our community.
In the garden, most work is done by hand or with human-powered tools. We use tractors for moving compost and soil mix, preparing the gardens for planting, and for other heavy lifting. We use drip irrigation and several techniques for season extension in our fields. We also produce tomatoes, cucumbers, greens and transplants in our 2300 sq. ft. greenhouse.
Root Radical CSA is located on Howe Island between Kingston and Gananoque. The CSA garden is about 2 acres on Doublejay Farm, an organic grass-fed beef farm. Doublejay Farm is about 400 acres, including hayfields, permanent pastures, gardens, riverfront and wooded areas. Root Radical CSA is a woman-led farm and Emily Dowling is the main CSA farmer.
We use organic practices. I, Emily, left home during my late teens and early twenties. I traveled and went to university for environmental science. However, I was frustrated with mainstream attitudes about social and environmental issues.
I knew I had to find a way to make a living and I didn’t see many career opportunities that would allow me to make an immediate positive difference.
And then I heard about the Community Shared Agriculture model of farming. I realized that I was in a unique position, having grown up on an organic farm. I decided to start exploring the ways that growing vegetables organically could have positive impact in my community and for the Earth.
For more information about Root Radical CSA, visit their website at rootradicalrows.com
Or find Root Radical CSA on Facebook and on Instagram @rootradicalcsa
DESIRED QUALITIES
We are seeking passionate and hard-working individuals to take full and part-time roles working our 2-acre organic vegetable gardens and greenhouse in 2019!
- We are looking for folks who are ready to dig in, get dirty and work hard! We want to work with other committed reliable people who will show up on time and always strive to do their best at work. Applicants must be prepared and willing to work in all sorts of weather conditions.
- The successful candidate will be trained in most aspects of operating the CSA, however flexibility, dexterity and endurance are required. Must be able to lift and carry heavy bins. Tasks are generally varied but staff are often assigned to areas where they excel.
- Experience in agriculture, completion of an organic farm internship, or work in a related field is a strong asset. Special consideration will be given to those applicants who can demonstrate their commitment to local organic agriculture. Ability to commit to the full season is a requirement and an openness to coming back to work again in 2019 is a plus.
- Having a G or G2 driver’s licence is a must. However, having your own transportation to the farm is negotiable for this position. A commuting vehicle and ferry pass may be provided for a staff person that is able to commit to the use agreement and able to commit to providing transportation to fellow staff. Please indicate in your application whether you have your own vehicle to get to work or if you would need to have a commuting vehicle provided for you.
JOB TASKS
On harvest days, the main tasks include harvesting, washing and packing vegetables. The rest of the week we do seeding, greenhouse management, making soil mix, planting, hoeing and hand weeding. In the shoulder seasons we work on infrastructure and ecological projects, garden preparation and clean up. The successful candidate will be trained in most aspects of operating the CSA, however flexibility, dexterity and endurance are required. Must be able to lift and carry heavy bins. Tasks are generally varied but staff are often assigned to areas where they excel.
JOB DETAILS
Job type: Full and part time positions available
Hours: 35 to 40 hrs per week for full time, 16 to 24 hrs per week for part time
Wage: $14 per hour plus a CSA share
Schedule: Typically, we start work at 6:45 or 7:30 AM and finish between 3:00 and 4:30 PM depending on the day. Lunch is unpaid and is usually a half hour in length. Whenever possible two 15 minute breaks are incorporated into our day.
Duration of Employment and hours of work: This position starts May 1 and ends in November. Full-time staff must be available to work about 7 to 8 hours a day, 5 days per week during our busy season (early May to mid/late September). Depending on the weather, the number of work hours is reduced in spring and fall (in early May and again from mid/late September to November). Please see the note below about weather dependent work.
Weather: On harvest days, we work rain or shine. However, our other work (planting, weeding, etc.) can be weather dependent. There may be some days when we would not work because of heavy rain that day or the day before. In exceptional weather circumstances, during our busiest times in the season, staff may be asked to work weekends to make up for days missed during the week due to inclement weather.
Benefits
Farming is hard work but working at Root Radical CSA also has benefits including:
- Lots of high quality, organic vegetables to eat. Staff receive CSA shares and have access to seconds and leftovers.
- Work-life balance. Weekend work is not required and farm staff finish between 3:30 and 4:30 PM most days. Additionally, we are a farm that structures breaks into our daily schedule and we are a team that coordinates and plans ahead so that days off for staff to recharge are an option.
- Diversity of work. Working on a small acreage with a diverse set of crops means less monotony and doing a lot of different kinds of tasks throughout the week and as the seasons shift.
- Teamwork. Being a part of a team of self-motivated, hardworking, caring people who are nice to be around. We have structured team building activities and make a point of celebrating together throughout the season.
- Learning. Opportunity to master farming skills and to be rewarded with incremental wage increases as you develop those skills.
- Responsibility. Keeping the work interesting and challenging by finding your niche on the farm and taking on areas of responsibility and/or working on your own side-projects. We encourage staff to take on additional responsibility when they are ready.
- Clear expectations. As part of the hiring process, an eight-page document is provided explaining how to succeed at Root Radical. Throughout the season, we meet regularly as a team to share weekly work goals.
- Outdoor work. Being out in beautiful weather (most of the time), and not sitting at a desk.
- Pride in your work. Doing important work, raising great organic vegetables for local people who really appreciate good food and their farmers.
- Challenges. Becoming stronger both physically and mentally by challenging yourself.
- Building a better world. Contributing in a very real way to environmental and social justice. Helping a local family farm succeed.
- Ecological connection. Learning about ecology first hand and deepening your relationship with the land that feeds you.
TO APPLY
Send your resume and cover letter to Emily at emily@rootradicalrows.com
SEE MORE FARM JOBS AND APPRENTICESHIPS ON OUR BLOG.