ECOLOGICAL & ORGANIC FARMING

Hiring: Farm Operations Assistant
Employer: Earth to Table: The Farm
Location: Earth to Table: The Farm, in Waterdown, Greater Hamilton-Burlington area

• Start Date: May 2023
• Reporting to: Farm Operations Manager
• Schedule: 35-40 hours per week, 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday, perhaps with very occasional overtime
• Wage: $17-19 per hour, depending on experience, plus paid time off (statutory holidays & vacation)
• Number of positions: 2
• Benefits: Great discounts on Dining, Accommodations, Spa, and Golf at Pearle Hospitality properties & delicious farm fresh veggies!
• Winter: Part-time winter work may become available at the farm, and non-agricultural employment opportunities are available at other Pearle locations.
• Housing: On-farm accommodation may also become available.

The Context

Earth to Table: The Farm is a 97-acre property practicing ecological agriculture. We have a 1.5 acre market garden, 3 acre apple & pear orchard, 0.4 acre berry patch, 60+ acres of hay (rented to a neighbour), and in 2023 we are planning to launch a year-round composting program. The Farm is part of Pearle Hospitality, which operates numerous restaurants, hotels & spas. The Farm itself is a venue for weddings (and other events) in the beautifully renovated barn. A Chef and his team cater the weddings using food grown at The Farm. Harvests are also distributed to all the other Pearle Hospitality restaurants, which specialize in creating delicious food using local & seasonal ingredients. We are developing a program that will collect food waste from Pearle properties and compost it at The Farm. We are seeking Assistants who are excited and ready to grow amazing vegetables, fruits, herbs & edible flowers for Pearle Hospitality!

The Details

Depending on the needs of The Farm and their interest and experience, Assistants could be focused on work in the market garden, orchard, berry patch, and/or composting program. In the market garden, they could be involved in any aspect of market garden operations, including bed preparation, seeding, transplanting, weeding, irrigation, pest & disease control, harvesting & post-harvest handling. In the orchard and berry patch, they could be involved in pruning, thinning and harvesting. For the composting program, they could be involved in collecting the food waste, feeding it into the composter, monitoring progress, and collecting the finished compost. The exact amount of work each staff member would spend in each area of The Farm would depend on the needs of the farm and the experience and interest of the Assistants.

Experience in market gardening, orcharding, and/or large-scale composting is desired but not necessary. The Farm Operations Assistants will be trained and mentored by the Farm Operations Manager and the Market Garden Coordinator, who they will work alongside. Assistants who already have experience, knowledge, and skill in market gardening, orcharding, and/or composting will be able to take on some leadership & responsibility, and their wage will reflect that capacity. Assistants who are new to market gardening, orcharding, and composting, but who develop their knowledge & skill & capacity, will see their wages increase as they continue to work at The Farm. In-depth training and ongoing supervision and mentorship will be provided, and as the farming-season progresses, Assistants will be able to take on some leadership & responsibility, and their wages will increase. Regardless of experience, what is most important is that our staff are highly motivated to learn and develop farming skills, knowledge, and experience. Please clearly indicate in your cover letter any relevant experience or interest in these farming projects.

Required approach:

• Desire to learn & develop farming and market gardening skills
• Passionate about small-scale ecological/organic agriculture
• Commitment to working at least until the end of October
• Able to follow instructions and dedicated to completing tasks efficiently
• Ability to work independently and with a small team
• Attention to detail, quality, & timelines
• Desire to help maintain an organized, beautiful & safe farm
• Ability to do repetitive tasks and hard physical labour in all weather conditions (heat, cold, rain)
• Punctual, dependable, reliable & accountable
• Able to communicate openly & respectfully with others
• Desire to offer constructive critical feedback to co-workers
• Wish to participate in Performance Reviews, and able to receive & act upon feedback
• A positive attitude, even in challenging situations

Applicants must be legally allowed to work in Canada. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected factors. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment and strive to create an inclusive and positive work-environment for all. We encourage applications from folks who are under-represented in rural-Canadian agriculture -- Indigenous, Black, and people of colour, LGBTQ2S+, as well as those with disabilities.In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, we will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs to ensure your equal participation.

Only applicants that include a cover letter explaining why they are interested in working at Earth to Table: The Farm will be considered. We thank all applicants, but only those selected to move forward in the hiring process will be contacted. Send cover letter and resume to carl.leslie@pearlehospitality.ca

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.ca.