Organic gardening, farming

Full Time Seasonal Position

Position: Farm Program Lead
Camp: Camp Amy Molson
Farm Program: Young Roots Farm
Also hiring: Farm Apprentice

Location: Grenville-sur-la-rouge, Québec (half-way between Montreal and Ottawa)
Housing: provided

• Type: 25 weeks full-time (May 4 – Oct 23)
• Salary: $16.60/hr for 40 hours/week for 25 weeks with housing, transit and food covered.
• Acting Supervisors: Farm Coordinator and Director of Operations, Camp Amy Molson

About us:

Camp Amy Molson (C.A.M.) is a summer camp with a 77-year history of providing outdoor experiences and life skills to at-risk populations from Montreal.

Located in the beautiful foothills of the Laurentians, on traditional Kanien’keha and Anishinaabe territory, between Ottawa and Montreal, we engage over 550 participants in our programs throughout the year (summer camp, family camp, youth farm and wilderness immersion camp). We are committed to providing some of the most affordable programs in the province. Our main activity is summer camp for 150 children at a time (ages 5-13), focusing on fun, excitement, self-esteem building as well as important time for decompression in contact with nature away from the city. Other programs include Farm and Wilderness Camp for 12-17 year olds, family getaway weekends for inner-city community centres, harvest events for families and the public, and outdoor retreats for other groups.

Young Roots Farm (YRF) is the community farm at C.A.M. For over 10 years, its mandate has been to spread the joys of growing vegetables, fruit, and animal products, as well as to strive for balance with our environment.

With an outdoor kitchen, micro-scale livestock rotation, and a third of an acre of forest-garden under our care, we teach self-sufficiency, Indigenous cultural lessons, and the discovery of new flavours. Young Roots Farm promotes direct contact with the soil, sweat, and ecological cycles that we depend on for food. We teach cooking and farming, and we encourage strong relationships with nature. We provide vegetables to the camp kitchen and operate a youth entrepreneurship program that brings our produce (including pesto, pickles, and hot sauce) to market. We combine the excitement of hundreds of youth, organic growing methods, and a unique farm landscape that has been designed for discovery and engagement to nurture a direct connection between people and their food.

Young Roots Farm on: Youtube | Facebook | Instagram

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The Farm Program Lead:

Under the guidance of the Farm Coordinator, and as part of a four-person Farm Team, the Farm Program Lead will be responsible for managing 1/3 acre of mixed vegetable, fruit, and micro-scale livestock rotation. YRF team members are program staff of Camp Amy Molson, working with over 150 campers and a staff team of around 80 people to provide children living in vulnerable circumstances with an affordable, happy, outdoor experience.

The job responsibilities will change seasonally as follows:

• May - June: Orientation for the season with Farm Coordinator, planning and coordinating farm tasks for the season; Managing farm operations (seeding, transplanting, planting, compost delivery, equipment management, small construction and repair projects), lesson preparation for summer camp, driving for transplants, seed, grocery and farm team pick up; helping to create a strong team dynamic for the busier part of our season (summertime with the kids).
• July - August: Managing farm operations, delivering educational programming for summer campers ages 5-14, participating in C.A.M.’s Leaders in Training program, involving campers in aspects of the farm such as composting, caring for chickens; Assisting in special days with other program staff and participating in all tribal activities such as picnics, night duties, mealtime, and camper bedtimes; Being punctual and respecting the schedule for daily camp jobs such as free-play duties, meetings, the bell, curfew, activities, and daily cleaning duties; Leading role in Farm and Wilderness Camp at the end of August;
• September: Managing farm operations, delivering programming for community and family groups, preparing products for market, organising Harvest Event for families;
• October: Closing of garden beds and farm, preserving leftover produce, managing slaughter or relocation of chickens, seed keeping, and planting garlic.

Qualifications:

• Organic gardening experience, ability to create and follow crop plans, and manage farm operations including, but not limited to: pest control, caring for chickens, and composting all food leftovers from camp’s kitchen;
• Basic level of maintenance/repair knowledge and ability to make small repairs, troubleshoot compost or irrigation systems or other low-tech farm equipment (no tractors or BCS knowledge required);
• Proficiency with Word and Excel;
• Ability to keep records and write reports;
• Ability to manage a small team, communicate openly, work with different peoples’ strengths and weaknesses, provide feedback, and delegate;
• Ability to work independently for certain periods as well as within a tight-knit and intense social environment of the Farm Team and summer camp at large;
• Ability to work in physically demanding conditions (rain, cold, bugs);
• Familiarity or willingness to learn about Black and Indigenous agrarian and food systems;

• Sensibility, experience and/or enthusiasm for working with children from different backgrounds and for delivering educational programming that include topics from planting, animal theater, and cooking, to food sovereignty, racism, seed keeping and trust building;
• Respect for a space that honors and uplifts all team members, camp staff and children, especially Black, Indigenous and People of color, and people from LGBTQ2SI+ communities;
• Full driver’s license and good driving record;
• Fluency in English;
• Fluency in French is an asset, but not necessary;
• Proficiency with Instagram and Wordpress is an asset, but not necessary.
• Restaurant, kitchen, or hospitality experience is an asset, but not necessary.

We encourage applicants from underrepresented or marginalized communities to apply.

Please send your CV and cover letter to:
garden(AT)campamymolson.com

Please mention you saw this at rcen.ca or goodwork.ca.