EDUCATION GARDEN / TEACHING JOB

Position: Education Farm - Teaching Staff Assistant / Summer Job 
Organization: Stable Harvest Farm
Location: Langley, Metro Vancouver Regional District,  BC

About us

Stable Harvest Farm runs educational tours to help kids understand where their food comes from and the importance of protecting our environment. We are a not-for-profit organization working in partnership with public and private schools in the Lower Mainland area. In addition to our work with schools, we are a valuable partner to many local food banks donating over 340,000 lbs. over the last 3 years. Examples of organizations we worked with include Langley Food Bank, Source Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army, Langley Hospice Society, Raphael House, Lower Fraser Valley Aboriginal Society, and the First Nation communities of Kwantlen and Katzie.

In 2024 we will invite students from our educational program to be involved. This opportunity helps students develop their entrepreneurial skills and gain a more holistic view of our food system and how farms are run.

On the farm, we practice regenerative organic principles to improve our local environment and ensure that our soil can continue to be farmed in the future. Regenerative farming is known to increase biodiversity, restore soil fertility (otherwise diminished by the heavy use of machinery and chemicals on standard farms), and capture carbon from the atmosphere. Educating all visitors on sustainable farming is a central part of what we do.

We run community workshops on seed-saving in partnership with Farm Folk City Folk. Seed saving is crucial for food security and developing locally adapted seeds best equipped to withstand our specific climate.

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to be involved with, and learn about, the following activities that take place on the farm:

• Regenerative agriculture – cover cropping, nutrient cycling, minimal tillage
• Conservation – fallow land, wildlife corridors, removing invasives
• Pollinator corridors – we have 40 beehives on site!
• Wetland rehabilitation – creating habitat for seasonal migratory birds
• Horticulture – native plants, edible flowers, tree planting
• Seed Saving – legumes, drying beans, drying corn, quinoa, sunflower, wheat
• Chickens – we have a flock of heritage breeds
• Organic food production – educational demonstration garden, greenhouse growing

What we are looking for:

In 2024 we will need to grow enough food to run our education program and donate to local food banks. This requires a team of hard-working individuals who enjoy being outside and performing physical tasks. Workers will report to and be supported by our Farm Manager. They will finish the season with a working knowledge of organic food production from seed to harvest.

Duties and Responsibilities

• to lead small groups of school children through our education garden, covering key talking points and guiding them through their task book.
• supporting team with set-up and clean-up for the programs
• Assist in all aspects of crop production, including but not limited to Bed preparation, seeding, planting, weeding, irrigating, harvesting, post-harvest processing, and packing. Record keeping for all required field activities.
• work in collaboration with other activities as needed.

Qualities

• Strong communication skills
• Physically fit and able to work outside in all weather conditions, able to lift 50 pounds
• Work positively in a group setting
• Status of Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment.
• Be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment (meeting funding requirements).
• Has a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and is legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.

Position details:

• Rolling starts in April until September. Possibility of full/part-time extension to the end of September/October.
• The work schedule is 40 hours of work per week. Flexible schedule.
• The wage is $20.50 per hour.

Please email a cover letter and resume along with your availability to Maggie: info@stableharvestfarm.com .

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