WoodGrain Farm in the Kispiox Valley (north of Hazelton, BC) has a unique full-time opportunity for an experienced Market Gardener for the 2019 season!
ABOUT WOODGRAIN FARM
WoodGrain Farm is a small-scale, mixed farm surrounded by the mountains, rivers and wilderness of northwest BC. While this position is focussed on the market garden, there’s also plenty opportunity to gain experience in homesteading, small flock sheep raising, poultry, keeping a family cow, grain growing, hay making, building, and other small farm activities. Wilderness hiking and canoeing opportunities are plentiful.
At WoodGrain Farm, we grow by time-honoured methods and philosophies epitomized by the organic movement. We don’t spray poisonous chemical pesticides and herbicides on the food we grow, we build biodiversity in the garden, maintain healthy soils, and keep a watchful eye to prevent pest problems. We don’t feed our plants with chemical fertilizers, we feed and enhance the health of the soil with on-farm compost, green manures and crop rotation, which in turn raises healthy plants. We don’t grow a mono-crop of one or two vegetables, we grow a diverse mix of well over 50 different kinds of plants which attract a wide array of pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden, enhancing biodiversity.
We don’t rely on off-farm ‘inputs’ in the garden, fertility and nutrients are derived from our 60 acres of organic pasture and haylands which feeds our animals, which in turn feeds our garden in a traditional closed loop system. We value our water as we value our soils, without which (together with a bit of air and sunshine!) there is no life. We water the garden through drip irrigation from a gravity-fed, rain catchment reservoir. We are careful with our use of mechanical tillage in the garden, to avoid compaction and soil degradation and to maintain a healthy tilth.
We source certified organic seeds where possible, so that we are not supporting environmentally damaging agriculture elsewhere. We like growing heirloom varieties and open-pollinated seeds, good for seed saving and to keep old varieties alive and growing.
We strive to minimize the use of plastics and waste created both in garden production and in packaging our produce, as nothing in the world exists in a bubble.
Desired Qualities
Qualifications for this position include:
- A love of food and growing things!
- Experience of one or more full seasons working on a market garden operation, preferably on a certified organic farm
- Experience in working a market stall or a similar fast paced retail sales position
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to work well self-directed
- Good interpersonal and customer service skills
- Good attention to detail and record keeping, and appropriate care of tools and equipment
- Good supervision skills when working with occasional farm volunteers (wwoofers)
- Valid Driver’s Licence with manual transmission experience
Also important is a strong appreciation of nature, periods of solitude, and living in a wilderness setting. The farm is 25km from the nearest small town and near the end of a gravel road, and can be incredibly quiet at times. This land is the traditional territory of the Gitxsan Nation, and an understanding of that history and respect for and curiosity about local culture is beneficial.
Job Tasks
This year we are looking for the right person to take on the bulk of the day-to-day operations of the acre of market gardens, so we can focus on other farm activities. This includes everything from planting out and garden maintenance, to the harvest, washing/preparation, transportation and sales at two weekly farmers’ markets.
Job Details
Term: The season runs for 24 weeks from the beginning of May to Thanksgiving.
Weekly hours: Salary is based on an average 40 hour, 5 day work week (with Tues and Wed off), though in the cyclical nature of farming some weeks will be longer and some shorter.
Wage: Salary is $600/week ($15/hr) paid bi-weekly, plus 5% of gross market vegetable sales upon successful completion of the season.
Accommodation: Good on-farm accommodation options are available, details to be discussed.
This position may be job shared between a couple, and the start and end dates are flexible for the right person. Longer term arrangements may be an option.
To Apply
Apply by email with résumé and cover letter to farm@woodgrain.ca, or email us your questions.
Learn More About WoodGrain Farm
Website: woodgrain.ca/
Facebook: facebook.com/WoodGrainFarm/
Instagram: @woodgrainfarm
View other farm jobs and apprenticeships here.
