Fresh Roots Urban Farming Society in Vancouver, BC is seeking a Good Food Field Crew!
ABOUT Fresh Roots Urban Farming Society
The Fresh Roots Good Food Farm Team cares for two ~½ acre farms on secondary school grounds in Vancouver. The farms produce annual vegetables, flowers, and herbs which are sold at our markets and through a CSA, are used by kids and youth in our programs, and contribute to food security programs. We strive to foster a growing space that models sustainable ecosystems and acts as the living classroom for our education programs.
Our schoolyard farms are the fertile ground for both delicious food and powerful learning. We envision resilient, sustainable, and equitable food systems that support human growth and connection. To bring that vision to life, we cultivate educational farms and place-based programs where youth develop healthy relationships with food, land and community through growing and sharing food that nourishes themselves, their communities and the planet! To learn more about Fresh Roots, visit our website.
DESIRED QUALITIES
- 1-2 years experience in gardening, farming or landscaping preferred
- Willingness to learn new skills and techniques
- Enjoy working independently as well as in collaboration with a team
- Strong communication skills
- Interest in or experience teaching is a plus
- Able to give and receive feedback
- Adaptable and flexible
- Able to meet goals within a limited time frame (harvesting, weeding, etc.)
- Initiative to solve problems, while knowing when to ask for information or help
- Able to carry out a variety of physical tasks that involve bending, squatting, lifting up to 50 lb, and repetitive motion
- Equipped, willing, and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions
- Type 5 Driver’s License preferred; experience driving large vehicles an asset
- Must pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations
- Must meet Canada Summer Jobs Requirements
JOB TASKS
Together with the Farm Manager, the Field Crew will:
- Prepare farm beds, plant (direct seed and transplant), tend, harvest, and prepare a wide variety of crops for sale based on an existing crop plan
- Crops include greens, root vegetables, squashes, hot crops, peas and beans, herbs, and flowers
- Grow crops using low-impact farming techniques
- Monitor and seek out solutions for crop failures or other farm challenges
- Safely use and maintain farming tools, including hand tools, gas-powered tools, seeders, flame weeders, etc.
- Communicate and coordinate with the education teams to ensure the farms are both productive growing space and safe, engaging learning environments
- Help maintain perennial herbs, flowers, berries, etc.
- Keep field records
JOB DETAILS
Term: Seasonal Position, May through Sept; some flexibility in dates is possible
Hours per week: Full-time, Average 40 hrs/week. Expect more hours during peak season and less in the shoulders.
Schedule: Hours are typically M-F between 7:30 and 5:00; exact hours depending on seasonal demands.
*Note: Two positions available – they are dependent on funding, which may change the number of hours or length of the position.
Wage: Compensation: Starting at $18/hr
Other perks:
- Paid Sick Leave
- On the job training and professional development workshops
- Discount on produce and access to culls
*Successful applicants may be eligible for a bursary of up to $3000 through the Summer Student Farm Worker Bursary Program, funded by IAF. For more information about the program, please visit: https://iafbc.ca/summer-student-farm-worker-bursary-program/
TO APPLY
Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.
Submit a resume, a short cover letter, OR video introduction, and names, phone number, and email address information for 3 references who are not friends or family members. At least one reference should be able to speak to your gardening, farming or landscaping experience.
Your cover letter or video should introduce yourself, share why you want this position and what makes you uniquely qualified. Share what you hope to gain from the position if hired.
Videos should be no more than 3 minutes, and must be shared via a link in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line. Cover letters should be no more than 500 words and must be uploaded as a document. 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 best lets you shine.
We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
Apply at: https://freshroots.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=67
Deadline to apply: Application Deadline: Application review will commence January 15th. Applicants are Interviewed on a rolling basis.
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
LEARN MORE ABOUT Fresh Roots Urban Farming Society
Website: https://www.freshroots.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=fresh%20roots%20urban%20farm%20society
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshrootsfarms/