Tatlo Road Farm is hiring field hands (2 full-time) and a Harvest Helper/ Market Assistant (1 part-time) for the 2018 season!
ABOUT TATLO ROAD FARM
Our farm is located on Vancouver Island, in the village of Crofton (population ~2000). We’re also about 20 minutes from Duncan and there is public transportation that stops right at the farm. We currently grow on about 2 of our 7 acres, producing over 40 different vegetable crops- the whole gamut really! We have one 20’ x 100’ and two smaller cold frames (one of which is movable on rails) where we grow heat-loving crops in summer and some greens over winter. We are working on season extension and over-wintering more crops.
We use our 40hp tractor for tillage as well as 7hp BCS for mowing and tilling in tight spaces, plus a lot of human power. Last year we began construction on an improved wash/pack area, which we plan to complete this summer- we value having a comfortable and efficient work space for these tasks. Our main marketing outlets are the Duncan Farmers Market, as well as a small CSA and Farm Gate Sale, plus a few local wholesale accounts. 2018 will be our sixth year in business, but we still consider ours a new farm; we are still growing in terms of production and marketing and we are also still busy installing and improving infrastructure- each year we have new projects on the go.
That said we have 8 years of experience working on other farms prior to starting our own and feel we have lots of knowledge to share. If you are interested in a career in farming yourselves (which we hope you are!), this is a great opportunity to be involved in the continuing set-up and development of an economically viable farm- learn firsthand what it takes to get a new farm going!
Our farm is Certified Organic with the Island Organic Producers Association (IOPA). We have great appreciation for the certification process and are active members of IOPA, as well as our farmer’s market and local Agricultural Advisory Committee. In addition, we feel strongly about selling high quality, beautiful and delicious produce! In general, our overall goal is to run a farm that is efficient, financially successful (i.e. able to support our family), and beautiful- an ethical farm business that is built on ecology, integrity, and quality.
To find out more: https://tatloroadfarm.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatloroadfarm
QUALIFICATIONS
Our ideal candidates would:
- care about the quality of their work and pay special attention to detail
- have the ability to follow instruction well, but not be afraid to stop and ask for clarification
- show initiative and the ability to think ahead as a way to improve overall efficiency of a task(s)
- work fast, and be thinking about ways to work even faster -have the ability to maintain focus throughout long stretches of repetitive tasks (think harvesting hundreds of carrot bunches, without losing count or letting quality slip)
- be receptive to feedback and adjustments for work processes
- be neat, tidy, and organized
- have a general love of food, working outdoors, and being physical
- be interested in agriculture and learning from us about the type of farming we practice
- be a team player and generally want to do good work
- previous farm experience not required, but can be an asset as well as general experience working with plants
- applicants for the Market Assistant position should also be friendly and outgoing, have a sharp memory as well as ability in quick basic math
JOB TASKS
Field Hands (2 full-time positions): In the spring Field Hands will help with propagation, bed prep, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, and infrastructure set up (e.g. irrigation, greenhouses, etc.). As the season progresses more time is spent on harvesting, washing and packing; although we continue to have planting and weeding jobs until the end of August. Regular harvest work continues into the fall with the addition of bigger harvests of storage crops, plus general clean up and prep for winter. July-October there will be opportunity to help with marketing at our Farm Gate Sale and packing CSA boxes on Wednesdays.
Harvest Helper/ Market Assistant (1 part-time position): This position is 3 days/week and would focus on helping with the harvest on Thursdays and Fridays, and then assist us at the Duncan Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
JOB DETAILS:
Field Hands (2 full-time positions): mid-April through end of October, Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week
Harvest Helper/ Market Assistant (1 part-time position): July through mid-October, Thursday-Saturday, 24 hours/week
*We have some flexibility around specific start and end dates, and we may be open to discussion about slightly different work schedules than those outlined above.
Wages: starting at $12/hour for all positions, but this is negotiable based on experience.
Perks: free veg, plus donuts on Wednesdays! Not to mention other random baked treats and the semi-regular post-work beers and chips…
Bonus: $0.50/hour (for total hours worked during the season) if worker fulfils his/her commitment of staying until the end of the season.
Housing: tiny house may be available to rent on farm. Please let us know when you apply if you’d like more info.
TO APPLY:
To apply for a position email us with the following information:
- Your contact information
- A cover-letter/ letter of interest stating which position you are applying for and highlighting your qualifications for this role
- Your resume
- The names, relationship, and contact information for three references
- The date you are available to start and an end date, if any
Please send your application to: tatloroadfarm@gmail.com