Good food and community

Hiring: Organic, no-till veg, seeds and more
Farm: Persephone Market Garden

Location: Park Head, Ontario (between Owen Sound & Sauble Beach), Bruce-Grey, Ontario
Housing: Accommodation is available on-farm, in our walk-out basement apartment. It includes a separate entrance, living/dining area, kitchen and washroom. Access to laundry facilities and internet (We now have reliable internet!). $500/month per bedroom.

Persephone Market Garden is at home on 100 acres of forest, swamp, and meadows, between Owen Sound and Southampton, on the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.

We focus on thoughtfully relating agroecological principles with the land on which we find ourselves, nurturing community, and developing and adapting human-scale, efficient systems.

Kristine is the primary farmer, supported by Thorsten and our 3 kids. She started market gardening in 2010, so 2026 will be our 17th growing season. Our production has grown from 0.75 acres to 1.5 acres. We transitioned to organic, no-till methods in 2019, which we love. In 2023, we started growing vegetable, herb and annual flowers for seeds for bioregional seed companies, which is why we are now certified organic. We are increasingly growing native plants for seed and are part of the Southern Ontario Seed Strategy. Our fresh veg are marketed through a local (within about 50 km) Community Shared Agriculture program, with a delivery season of 20 weeks (June – October). We do not attend farmers’ markets.

Staff are involved in all practical aspects of the farm, especially seeding, planting, trellising, mulching, weeding, harvesting (and more harvesting), washing and packing produce. Some animal husbandry is also involved, as we have a small flock of geese, ducks and chickens. We are probably taking a break from sheep in 2026. We value respect and reciprocity. If you are looking for an enriching learning experience about land, water, biodviersity, climate, food & agriculture, in addition to employment, then we are happy to work and learn with you.

Our work week is generally 35 hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm with 1 hour off for lunch and a 1/2 hour break in the morning. Weekends and statutory holidays are off.

We adapt our work day to the weather, with earlier starts during the summer.

More hours may be available during peak times, based on performance and if desired by staff. We value work-life balance, for ourselves and our staff. We have the equivalent of two full-time positions available for the 2026 season. Consistent part-time arrangements are also possible.

Qualifications

• Awareness of and curiosity for what is happening around you.
• Ability to work physically, on repetitive tasks, with a passion for efficient processes and quality.
• Attention to detail and awareness of the bigger picture.
• Self motivated, flexible, and respond well to feedback.
• Ability to work well in a team and independently.
• Passion for learning.
• A collaborative and solutions-seeking attitude.
• Interest in food, farming, ecosystems and community is very helpful

Please note these positions are often funded through grants and there are grant eligibility requirements.

• between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment,
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or a status refugee

Job Details

• Start/End Date: April/May to late October/November
• Wage: $19 to 21/hour starting wage + lots of fresh vegetables

Accommodation is available on-farm, in our walk-out basement apartment. It includes a separate entrance, living/dining area, kitchen and washroom. Access to laundry facilities and internet (We now have reliable internet!). $500/month per bedroom.

To Apply

Send an email with Subject "Employment 2026" to Kristine at: kristine@persephonedays.ca wherein you tell us a bit about yourself and respond to the following questions:

• When are you available?
• Are you looking for on-farm accommodation?
• What do you do to stay mentally and physically fit?
• What type of experience do you have with manual labour?
• What are your primary goals for this position/why are you interested in working in a market garden? Are you interested in a small scale operation that works primarily and intentionally with hand tools (no tractors!)?

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

We will ask for references and we can provide you with references from past staff.