FARM JOB: Victoria, BC – Three Oaks Farm, Farm Manager & Farmhands

Three Oaks Farm in Victoria, British Columbia is seeking a Farm Manager and Farmhands!

ABOUT Three Oaks Farm

Seeking crackerjack new Farm Manager to bring their experience and energy to one of the three Saanich Organics farms just outside of Victoria, BC. We have 2 certified organic acres in the beautiful Mt Newton Valley. Our systems are moving from mechanized to low-till and we welcome innovation from a person who has used no-till methods. Owner has 20+years experience to contribute, and together we can make a great team and bring the farm to new heights. For the right person this could become a long-term project with profit sharing. We’re also looking for Farmhands for this season!

All of our produce is marketed through a farmer-driven distribution business, Saanich Organics. We have a 200 member CSA, attend 2-3 Farmers Markets, and do restaurant sales. We have a seed business called Seeds of the Revolution! which supplies our farms with seed as well as packet sales on our website, for markets, shops, and Seedy Saturdays.

Three Oaks Farm has been in operation at this location since 2006. We have 4 greenhouses and the rest of the 2 acres is in field crops or cover crops. We grow 30-40 different crops and emphasize succession planting, lots of emergent weed hoeing, broadforking, use of landscape fabric and silage tarp, fertigating through driplines, and are always looking to make our methods more efficient. Salad greens, veggie starts, tomatoes, strawberries, leeks, peppers, and carrots are some of our bigger crops.

Veggie seedling sales have exploded in recent years and we attend plant sales as well as stock our farm stand in Spring and Fall. We use a tractor and spader for the bulk of our cultivating in spring, and for individual beds are moving from rototiller use to no-till methods. Irrigation is through a mix of drip lines and overhead watering. We work hard but have fun at it and if we’re ahead of the game we like to take an extra long lunch or go for a swim.

Our team at Three Oaks Farm and Saanich Organics is a hard-working, progressive, communicative, fun loving, inclusive, and community oriented group and we welcome more of the same. At Three Oaks we are usually a core group of four plus two part-timers including the owner. The owner is committed to growing the sustainable food movement and has mentored many farmers. Seeking someone who likes and has enthusiasm for this aspect of management!

Saanich Organics has a great reputation among our CSA subscribers, market customers and chefs for reliability and excellent quality. We are grateful to all the individuals, chefs, and small grocers in Victoria who have made purchasing local and organic a priority. We are committed to what we do and enjoy it very much and hope you do too.

DESIRED QUALITIES

Farm Manager Applicant must:

• have at least 2 years experience in diversified organic vegetable production
• have had experience supervising others in a farm setting
• be a fast, organized, efficient, and tidy worker
• be able to cope with the physically demanding nature of the work
• ideally have experience with no-till methods and also be keen to operate farm machinery when needed (tractor, mower, rototiller)
• be proficient in irrigation methods
• be committed to certified organic principles
• be an excellent communicator
• be able to work under pressure while maintaining supportive and communicative atmosphere with co-workers
• be able to see the whole picture while being extremely detail oriented

JOB TASKS

Farm Manager Responsibilities:

• Management of day to day operations of seeding, potting up, transplanting, weeding, irrigation, prepping beds, harvesting, washing and packing produce for sale
• Close communication with owner
• Packing orders and market produce with high degree of detail
• Management of employees and occasional volunteers
• Oversee irrigation schedule and repairs
• Estimate harvest amounts 2 days ahead of harvest
• Record keeping re seeding info, dates, fertilizer application, manure management
• Tracking and ordering/picking up supplies as needed
• Cooperative attitude with other 2 farmers of Saanich Organics when it comes to marketing
• Maintaining long term farm fertility and attentiveness to the big picture for the farm
• Integrating new methods with tried and true old ones

JOB DETAILS

Term: The position starts the first week of March part time and becomes full time in April until mid-end October, then drops to part time again for Nov/Dec. Layoff for winter till we have more work the following March. For the right person this could become a permanent position with potential to take on more ownership and profit-share. Hence preference given to longer term applicants:)

Hours per week: There is a little flexibility but it could be from 4-5 days/week, Mon-Thurs or Mon-Fri, approx 9-5.

Wage: Farm Manager: $19-25/hour and Farmhand: $16-18/hour, depending on experience, and includes 4% vacation pay, WorksafeBC coverage, and unlimited access to produce.

TO APPLY

Please send cover letter and CV to rachel@saanichorganics.com. Please indicate if you are applying for Farm Manager position and/or a Farmhand position.

Deadline to apply: February 25, 2022

When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org

LEARN MORE ABOUT Three Oaks Farm

Website: http://www.saanichorganics.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/threeoaksfarm

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