Four Beat Farm in Pemberton, BC is seeking Farm Crew for their horse-powered vegetable farm!
ABOUT Four Beat Farm
THE FARM: Four Beat Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm in the Pemberton Meadows in Lil’wat Territory. The farm was started in 2016 and is led by Naomi with the help of two draft horses, a sassy dog, and lots of human power. The farm is all about “Quality food for everyday eating” and to provide a fulfilling life and livelihood for people growing it. We are looking for motivated, hardworking individuals to join our farm team for 2022 and beyond.
We have 3.5 acres in vegetable production with 30+ varieties, with a focus on summer and fall storage crops. Roughly ¾ of the farm is set-up in row crop style for horse-drawn mechanical cultivation, with a quarter in more intensive production for salads and fresh herbs. We are primarily a CSA farm, with about 200 households who get weekly veggies from us. We do not currently have a tractor, and instead make efficient use of hand tools and our team of draft horses.
Pemberton has a short and intense growing season with hot summer days and lots of mud, rain, bugs, and cold in the spring and fall. Farming here requires a real appreciation for good food, being outdoors in all kinds of weather, moving quickly to make the most of the summer months, and celebrating the seasonal nature of farming.
DESIRED QUALITIES
If you are a person who:
- Is smart, strong, kind, and takes pride in hard work
- Will take direction and pay attention to detail
- Enjoys working independently and in a team
- Is physically fit; able to bend over for long periods of time; able to lift up to 50lb
- Will balance speed and quality to meet (and exceed) our production standards
- Is reliable
- Is comfortable around and respectful of large animals
- Is excited about local food and farming
Please apply!
JOB TASKS
All members of the farm team will be part of: planting, seeding, weeding, irrigating, harvesting, washing, and packing many types of vegetables. Farming experience is an asset but not required. Horse experience is not necessary, but a level of comfort and respect for large animals as well as dogs is important as they are part of the day-to-day operations of the farm.
Workdays are generally 7am-3:30pm in peak summer or 8am-4:30pm in spring/fall, with a break for lunch (30 minutes, unpaid) and a mid-morning break for tea (paid), Monday to Friday. We may start later in the spring/fall and earlier in the heat of summer, and adjust based on the needs of our team. For 2021, there will be a core team of 3-4 people with extra hands during peak season.
We will work with your other work/play/life commitments and, in turn, we expect you to give 110% in the field.
We have 2 spots on our Field Crew, with the potential for additional leadership responsibilities if you have prior farming or closely related work experience.
–Field crew ($16-$18/hour DOE): Must be comfortable being outdoors in all weather, learning new tasks, and working alongside fellow crew members, volunteers, and independently as needed. You will be expected to learn tasks, get faster (and faster), and provide feedback on how we can do better as a team. Farming can be repetitive and it can be hard. A can-do attitude and sense of humour is crucial.
–Lead roles ($17-$20/hour DOE): If you have prior farming experience, we have additional leadership roles open in the areas of Nursery/Greenhouse Lead as well as Field Production Lead. Along with field crew responsibilities, you will have additional duties in your designated area and, with training, will be expected to give direction to other crew members/volunteers, help with decision-making, and look after record keeping (ie watering and seeding in the greenhouse). These roles are intended for a person with a minimum of 2 years vegetable farming/market garden experience, and for the right person who wants to work hard they have the potential to lead to a salaried management role in future seasons and/or year-round employment with the farm.
For every member of the farm team, we emphasize that increasing efficiency and speed in daily tasks opens doors for individuals to develop your skills and knowledge in farming. Employees who show initiative have often taken on more responsibilities in specific areas of interest (i.e. seeding, organizing CSA delivery, draft horse care, social media outreach, etc.).
JOB DETAILS
We are hiring for part- and full-time positions (20-40 hours/week). A full-season (mid-April to mid-November) commitment is ideal, but we are flexible for the right fit and everyone is encouraged to apply, students included. Beyond just a season, there are opportunities for long-term employment and growth with the farm for the right candidate.
TO APPLY
In your application, let us know the following:
- Experience with horses
- Experience vegetable farming
- Experience in physically-demanding jobs or recreation pursuits
- Valid BC Class 5 and clean driving record
- Availability (start/end dates and days/week)
- Eligible to work in Canada (required)
Employees generally live in the town of Pemberton; there may be a camper on the farm available for rent or pad rental for your own unit. Please specify if you are interested in living on the farm and/or if you already have local housing secured.
The farm is 12km from town so reliable transportation in the form of a personal vehicle or a healthy appetite for bicycling is a must.
This is a paid position with an hourly wage dependent on experience, plus access to veggies, paid sick days, and a health/wellness allowance. We work hard not only to grow quality food, but also to create a positive work environment that values clear communication and empowers folks to thrive both individually and as a team.
If you are interested in applying, please read through the farm website at www.fourbeatfarm.ca and on social media.
Send your resume along with a genuine letter of interest to Naomi at fourbeatfarm@gmail.com
We will review applications as they are received and begin interviews the week of January 17th, so we suggest applying ASAP if you are interested.
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
LEARN MORE ABOUT Four Beat Farm
Visit them online at fourbeatfarm.ca
Like Four Beat Farm on Facebook
Follow @fourbeatfarm on Instagram
View more Farm Jobs and Apprenticeships on our Job Board
