Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society in Vancouver, BC is seeking a Schoolyard Farm Crew!
ABOUT Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society
Fresh Roots’ two Vancouver Schoolyard Farm sites are in East and South Vancouver and total approximately 1.1 acres of growing space.
The Fresh Roots (FR) Farm Team operates our educational farms towards our production, sales and educational goals. In Vancouver, FR operates a 20-week onsite Market and Veggie CSA (60 boxes) and an 8-week flower CSA. We also get our food into our in-house programming (day camp, Community Eats, and LunchLab) and supply restaurants and events.
Under the guidance of the Director of Farm Operations and Farm Production Lead, Field Crew positions are designed to empower new farmers to maintain the ½ acre site or market stand that they are assigned through the season. We are looking for farmers, gardeners and landscapers and will train less experienced applicants who are motivated to learn
FR aims to contribute to thriving, biodiverse ecologies and treats our sites as holistic systems that include youth and education. Farming practices are organic but not certified.
DESIRED QUALITIES
Qualifications:
FR recognizes that applicants from oppressed groups, including folks who are Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) may be hesitant to apply for positions where they don’t perfectly meet the listed qualifications. If you are excited about the job description, believe you could learn to perform the responsibilities and can meet the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply.
Essential Qualifications
- Pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations
- Meet Canada Summer Jobs Requirements (ie. under the age of 30 and Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status)
- Able to lift and carry 50+ pounds (ie. a tote of carrots)
- Equipped, willing, and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions
- Access to reliable transportation for travel to and between FR sites
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working on a farm, market garden, or in landscaping
- Experience working with youth or in diverse community settings (ie. a soup kitchen / day camp / student council).
- Motivated to learn new skills, ask questions, and take initiative
- Attention to detail and able to follow quality standards
- Able to work independently and as part of a small, diverse team.
- Able to meet goals within a limited time frame (ie. harvest quotas)
- Effective communication in English across various mediums
- Comfortable giving, soliciting and receiving feedback
POSITION TASKS
Duties & Responsibilities
- Field work: harvest, field & crop maintenance, often with youth
- Grow crops using organic & low-impact farming techniques
- Monitor and seek out solutions for crop failures or other farm challenges
- Safely use and maintain farming tools and infrastructure, including hand tools, gas-powered tools, seeders, flame weeders, etc.
- Connect with FR education teams to ensure the farms are both productive growing space and safe, engaging learning environments
- Help maintain perennial herbs, flowers, berries, etc.
- Admin: Keep field records & communicate with the farm team on slack
POSITION DETAILS
Term: Seasonal Position, May 5 to August 31. *Some flexibility on start date and possibility of extension into October
Hours per week: Full-time, Average 37.5 hrs/week. Expect more hours during peak season (July – Aug) and less in the shoulders.
Schedule: Hours generally fall between 730am and 5pm on weekdays. Help may be required at market shifts which operate 12-8pm on Wednesday evenings and/or 730-330pm on Saturdays.
Wage: Compensation: $18.50-$20, depends on experience, plus 4% vacation pay and 5 sick days
Note: Position availability is dependent on Canada Summer Jobs funding. Start and end dates may change. Candidates must meet CSJ requirements.
TO APPLY
Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.
Please apply through our posting linked below, on BambooHR. Submit a resume/description of past experience and your choice of: a short cover letter (500 words max) uploaded as a document, OR an introduction video (3 minutes max) linked in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line of the application form.
Your cover letter or video should introduce yourself and share why you are a good fit for this position. Please let your passion and personality shine!
Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that is best for you.
We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
Deadline to apply: January 15, 2025
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
Please note that Young Agrarians does not have the capacity to pre-screen job opportunities. Please screen your potential employer to ensure that you are entering into a fair exchange that meets your needs and expectations. Try asking the farm for references of past workers, or ask people in the community if you are unsure.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society
Website: https://freshroots.bamboohr.com/careers/83
Facebook: facebook.com/freshrootsfarms
Instagram: @freshrootsfarms