FARM JOB: Vancouver, BC - Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society, Schoolyard Farm Market Lead

Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society in Vancouver, BC is seeking a Schoolyard Farm Market Lead!

ABOUT Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society

Fresh Roots’ (FR) two Vancouver Schoolyard Farm sites are in East and South Vancouver and total approximately 1.1 acres of growing space with an onsite cooler and two onsite market stands. We also do some deliveries to neighborhood houses and restaurants. This translates to a lot of driving around with vegetables stuffed in every crevice of the Fresh Roots’ truck.

The Fresh Roots 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.

In this key role under the direction of the Director of Farm Operations, the Market Lead will operate our Vancouver produce markets and CSA program, often with youth from Fresh Roots’ SOYL program. We are looking for a skilled salesperson, however will train less experienced applicants who are motivated to learn.

By partnering with schools and school districts, we take under-utilized land in heavily developed cities and transform it into thriving biodiverse agroecosystems using low-tech, organic practices (not certified). In doing so, we increase the availability of fresh local produce available to our neighbours. Our farms also serve as dynamic and inclusive learning spaces for people of all ages, but especially children and youth, to learn about food and the ecological and human systems that support the food we all depend on.

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 Federal Wage Subsidy Requirements for Young Workers: ie. be between ages 15-30 and have Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status. If you are unsure of your eligibility, review these guidelines or contact us.
BC Driver’s License Type 5 and able to drive a large pickup truck.
Able to lift and carry 50+ pounds (ie. a tote of carrots)
Access to reliable transportation for travel to and between FR sites
Confidence leading teams of peers and youth
Experience working at a market, cash register, or in a retail setting
Ability to describe and effectively sell vegetables
FOODSAFE certification or commitment to obtain

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working on an urban farm or market garden
Experience and/or training for working with vulnerable, underrepresented, BIPOC youth and youth with diverse learning capacities
Skillful in welcoming customer service
Attention to detail and able set quality standards
Able to work independently and as part of a small, diverse team.
Able to multitask, prioritize duties, problem-solve and remain flexible within a fast-paced and changing environment
Motivated to learn new skills and evolve the market
Effective communication in English across various mediums including social media and newsletters

POSITION TASKS

Lead Fresh Roots’ Markets. This includes driving produce to and from markets in a truck with a trailer.
Lead CSA: weekly communications with the DFO and Production Lead, writing newsletters, and overseeing pickup at markets
Work with SOYL Facilitators to Lead Youth at market: establish a supportive atmosphere for skills acquisition, guided by values in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, food security and accessibility
With the Production Lead, lead harvest and set quality standards
Maintain market tents, tables, scales, cash box, float and iPad
Oversee the cooler, dry storage, produce inventory & cull rotation
Track and report market sales, and contribute to the year-end Market Report

POSITION DETAILS

Term: Seasonal Position, May 11 to Sep 4. *Some flexibility on start date and possibility of extension into October

Hours per week: 37.5 hrs/week. Expect more hours during peak season (July – Aug) and less in the shoulders.

Wage: $21-25, DOE; plus 4% vacation pay; 5 sick days; additional mid-season paid vacation on August long weekend. Unlimited access to farm culls and 30% staff discount at our market.

Note: Position availability is dependent on funding. Start and end dates may change.

Location: Metro Vancouver Schoolyard Farm sites & Farmer’s Markets. Ideal applicants will have their own transportation.

Schedule: Monday – Friday. Market shifts operate 12-730pm on Wednesday and Friday. Farm shifts for this position are 930am-430pm.

TO APPLY

Please only apply through our hiring platform here.

You will need to submit a resume 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.

Deadline to apply: January 26, 2026

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: www.freshroots.ca
Facebook: facebook.com/freshrootsfarms
Instagram: @freshrootsfarms

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