Farm Staff

ORGANIC FARMING

Join our oustanding farm crew! Do you like digging in the it, being a part of a team, working hard while having fun, eating high quality produce and joining a team of passionate growers?

If this sounds like you, read the job description below and apply to join us this season!

Have 3+ seasons of farming? If being a farm manager is interesting to you, see our Manager Posting Here)

ABOUT THE FARM

Joyfully Organic Farm is a skilled, successful and dynamic Certified Local Organic vegetable farm in the Greater Toronto Area.

We have a deep love of amazing food + strong farming practices. We have a large community of customers who share our love of eating well.

We provide food for prominent Farmers Markets in Toronto, a large CSA, and wholesale relationships to local food purveyors.

STYLE OF FARMING

We practice an innovative model of farming that focuses on lean operation efficiencies, bio-intensive planting, high yields per acre, multi-succession planting and laughing a lot.

The farm is in its 11th year of production, with 4 production vegetable fields, a nursery production green house, in-field caterpillar tunnels, and a cut flower garden.

The farm maximizes the efficiencies of two unique and distinct farm production systems. Some crops are grown on a 30 inch bed system with the use of walking tractors and managed with hand tools.

Most of our other crops are grown in a tractor based system designed by our farm, that retains the strengths and efficiencies of the smaller tool production system, but leverages the efficiency of farming with tractors.

See a video of our farm + practices on the hiring page of our website!

We are proud of the success we have had thus far and look forward to growing our team and our production.

LOCATION : Markham, Ontario (Near Markham / Stouffville / Pickering) 40 Minutes from Toronto, Ontario

ACCOMMODATIONS : Shared accommodations are available if needed, in either a clean and attractive apartment or tiny house on the farm.

EXTENSION OF SCHEDULE : Optional opportunity for work in winter months, after the main season is completed so that staff have access to year-round work if they would like.

THE POSITION

As a member of our farm staff team you'll work alongside a small team of enthusiastic young + highly trained farmers, who are passionate about feeding their local community.

During the season you will be exposed to all aspects of organic farming and deepen your knowledge of our farming methods, produce and operations, season extension, cover cropping, soil quality, harvesting and packing, customer delivery, and selling.

And eat wonderfully along the way!

DESCRIPTION

As a core member of our farm team, you will contribute to all aspects of our farm production. Training to our particular farming systems will be provided.

Main Areas of work will include :

• Planting Crops
• Harvesting Vegetables
• Weed and Pest Management
• Washing / Packing Vegetables
• Preparing for and Selling at Farmer’s Markets
• CSA Distribution
• Winter Farming Season Extension
• Building Projects
• Fertility and Land Management

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Positive attitude that contributes to an efficient and enjoyable work environment
• Keen to contribute ideas and demonstrate problem solving abilities
• Experience with physical labor or outdoor work
• Physically fit and capable of repetitive physical tasks and + repetitively lifting 50 lbs
• At least one season of farming / horticulture / outdoor work experience
• Knowledge of organic farming practices is an asset
• Self-motivated and hardworking
• Ability to work at a swift pace in groups or alone
• Ability to work in all types of weather (hot, rainy, and cold)
• Good sense of humour and desire to work in a team setting

A Farm Staff position at Joyfully Organic Farm is ideal for someone who has some related experience, and is looking to engage in a more production-focused type of growing.

We seek motivated individuals who are focused and thrive in a production farm environment.

If volunteering would be a better fit you, please see our application on our website.

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY : Staff that remain with the farm past the first season will have opportunity to have increased roles in management and planning with pay raises based on demonstrated ability.

Past staff members have become farm managers, assistant farm managers, market managers and crew managers. Staff that have moved up into these roles have afterwards go on to to become high level managers of other farms or begin their own farm business.

SCHEDULE : Full time staff are expected to work 5 days per week, plus approximately 2 market shifts per month.

WAGES : $3000-$3400 / month. Wages will be determined in accordance with skills and experience, with the possibility of a seasonal bonus.