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Are you an aspiring ecological farmer who wants hands-on experience growing organic vegetables and living in community? Solstedt Organics in Lytton, BC, might be the place for you!
About the Farm
Solstedt Organics is grateful to be on the unceded traditional territories of the Nlaka’pamux peoples, surrounded by Lytton First Nation’s reserve land.
“Solstedt” means “sun home” in old Norse.
Solstedt Organic Farm is a woman-owned and -operated Certified Organic vegetable farm that sits on the side of a mountain, North of Lytton, BC. It is off-grid, solar-powered and beautifully remote!
There are approximately five cultivated acres divided into gardens and orchards. Lytton regularly is recorded as “Canada’s Hot Spot” in the summer and this climate is perfect for heat loving annuals as well as succulent tree fruit. The gardens grow heat-loving crops, like hot peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and squash among others. The orchards grow peaches, cherries, apricots, plums, apples and pears. All field crops are grown outside, not in high tunnels. Recently, a small focus on medicinals has been explored and small batches of herbal teas and salves are created for market sales.
The produce is sold to some of the best Vancouver restaurants and at a farmers’ market weekly from July through October.
Ashala values farming and living in an off-grid environment, being more in tune with nature, water, sun, wind and temperature while continuing to have a small footprint in the farming world. The remoteness and being off-grid are the most interesting things as well as what she is most proud of. It takes a special kind of person to thrive in this location as there can be a lot of solitude.
Solstedt Organics is certified organic and they are very interested in regenerative agriculture. Ashala is very conscious of organic accepted methods that may still harm the delicate ecosystem she lives in.
Solstedt Organics is grateful to be on the unceded traditional territories of the Nlaka’pamux peoples.
Website: solstedtorganics.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/solstedtorganics
Instagram: www.instagram.com/solstedtorganics
Workplace Culture
Ashala is the only full-time employee of the farm and every year she welcomes apprentices who learn and work with her for the season, and WWOOFers who typically come from all over the world.
These are perks that come with the job:
- On-farm accommodation in cozy cabins
- Access to all the food essentials and the food grown on the farm
- An extensive library of farm related books as well as a large Indigenous Fiction collection
- Music night once a week during the growing season – neighbours all gather and sing song and play instruments together
About the Farmers
Ashala Daniel, owner and operator of Solstedt Organics, began her farming journey later in life when she left behind her career of administrative work. She spent several years farming with friends while working at the Richmond Farm School, running a canning CSA, and mentoring practicum students. In 2015, she discovered her new home on the side of a mountain and began cultivating crops similar to those grown by the previous farmers, Sapo Bravo Organics, who had stewarded the land for 20 years. Each year, Ashala experiments with new crops, steadily developing her own unique “playlist” of produce that she hopes will define Solstedt Organics for years to come.
About the Apprenticeship
Spring work includes crop planning, field prep, seeding and transplanting, and building key farm infrastructure such as our gravity-fed irrigation systems. Seedlings are started in a wood-stove-heated greenhouse, making fire-building an essential skill to learn early on. We hand-build beds up the mountainside, establish irrigation, roll out black plastic, transplant ground crops, and prune fruit trees.
In summer, the farm settles into a rhythm of weeding, planting, bed transitions, moving irrigation, harvesting thousands of pounds of cherries, and preparing produce for restaurant and market sales. Fall focuses on harvesting storage crops, cover cropping, reviewing the season, crop planning, compost building, and field and infrastructure cleanup. Our small flock of chickens rotates through the orchards, offering hands-on experience with poultry care, predator management, and a daily supply of fresh eggs.
Ashala enjoys teaching, has lots of patience with people, and doesn’t get tired of being asked questions. She is certain she doesn’t know everything and is eager to learn something new. In the ten years of operating Solstedt Organics, Ashala has mentored twelve apprentices and hosted many WWOOFers.
The ideal duration of employment is April 1 to October 31, 2026.
The job requirements are:
- Adaptability and flexibility, with a genuine interest in off-grid, organic agriculture
- Comfortable living and working in a remote location for the season
- Having a personal vehicle is a huge asset for exploring the area on days off
- Willingness and ability to do physical farm work on a day-to-day basis
- Physical fitness, including the ability to lift 30–80 pounds
- Ability to start early (harvest can begin around 7 a.m. on hot days) and work longer days between June and August
- Confidence in making decisions, completing tasks, and helping guide others in a dynamic environment
- After training, the ability to work efficiently, calmly, and safely through physically demanding tasks and variable weather—while still having fun!
Apprentices are willing to learn these skills:
- Observing biodiversity
- Techniques to minimize tillage
- Techniques to encourage plant diversity
- Crop planning & rotations
- Working in a zero/low-till system
- Seeding & transplanting
- Setting up irrigation
- Cover-cropping
- Harvesting crops
- Getting harvest to market
Compensation
Minimum wage with weekly deductions for education, housing, and food.
About the Community
The farm is nestled among Crown land and First Nation reserve lands, on the west side of the Fraser River, about 20 km north of Lytton. It sits close to the stunning Stein Valley, known for exceptional hiking, and the Stein and Fraser rivers offer beautiful spots for swimming and exploring when not farming.
The nearest neighbour is another certified organic farm that hosts WWOOFers and apprentices, and the surrounding area includes vineyards, cattle ranches, and homesteads, creating a small but vibrant rural farming community.
The closest town, Lillooet, is 64 km away.
Accommodation
Accommodations: yes
Accommodation details: Apprentices will have access to a separate cabin, with a double bed, power, running water, outhouse and cook area. The cabin has a wood stove and is comfortable to live in in the spring through fall. There is an outdoor, shared shower for the summer months and an indoor, shared shower for the cooler, shoulder seasons. Access to the main house is available for showers, laundry (washer only), landline, internet (limited accessibility) and a huge library of farming-related books, etc. is available until 5pm each day.
Accommodations shared with other employees/apprentices: no
Access to a full bathroom with running water: no
Type of dwelling: Four seasons
Accommodation checklist:
- Furnished
- Clean
- Running water (potable)
- Private bathroom
- Shower
- Shared Laundry
- Private kitchen
- Heating
- Electricity
Pets permitted: no
Guests permitted: yes
Rent: $162.50/week
Accommodation Agreement: yes
Other information:
- All the food essentials (pasta, grains, dry beans, cheese, butter, coffee, tea, herbs/spices) and all the food we grow on the farm are provided. Meat isn’t provided, however they are happy to purchase some and have the apprentice reimburse.
- Ashala appreciates having evenings to herself, and asks that food staple refills or anything else needed of her are arranged before 5:00pm any day.
Solstedt Organics look forward to seeing you!
