Ecological Farming / Agriculture

Job posting: Farmer
Farm: Earth to Table: The Farm
Location: Earth to Table: The Farm, in Waterdown, Greater Hamilton-Burlington area

• Duration: May to October
• Reporting to: Farm Operations Manager

• Schedule: full-time, generally 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday
• Wage: $19-21 per hour, plus paid time off (statutory holidays & vacation)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be between 15-30 years of age, legally allowed to work in Canada, have a valid Social Insurance Number, and be a Canadian citizen, or permanent resident, or have refugee status. This position is paid for in part through a government grant.

The Context

Earth to Table: The Farm is a 97-acre property practicing ecological agriculture. We grow 1.5 acres of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers, as well as 3 acres of apples & pears, 6+ bee hives, and 60+ acres of hay (rented to a neighbour).

The Farm is part of Pearle Hospitality, which operates numerous restaurants, hotels & spas. The Farm itself is a venue for weddings 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 a small team of 5 full-time and part-time Farmers, seeking someone who is excited and ready to join us in growing amazing vegetables, fruits, herbs & edible flowers for Pearle Hospitality!

The Details

The Farmer will spend most of their time growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. They will work alongside other Farmers involved in all aspects of growing, including bed preparation, seeding, transplanting, weeding, irrigation, pest & disease control, harvesting & post-harvest handling.

Experience in farming or growing vegetables is good but not at all necessary. The most important quality of a Farmer is a strong work ethic. Regardless of experience, what is critical is that our staff are highly motivated to learn and develop farming skills, knowledge, experience, and speed. We work hard, and we have fun; we enjoy our work, and we get the job done.

The Farmer will be trained and supervised by the Farm Operations Manager. The Manager has 15+ years of experience farming, and will provide in-depth training and ongoing supervision and mentorship in a friendly and supportive environment. As the farming-season progresses, if the Farmer meets expectations, they will be able to take on some leadership & responsibility, and their wages will increase from $19 per hour up to $21 per hour. (And if they return in future years, responsibilities and wages will increase.)

Of course, experienced farmers are also welcome to apply! In this situation, they could be fast-tracked to a higher wage sooner rather than later. The goal is to create a work environment that supports Farmers to continue working at The Farm for years to come. At the end of October, for those interested in returning the following year, we strive to provide non-agricultural employment opportunities at other Pearle Hospitality locations.

Required approach:

• Desire to learn & develop farming skills & speed
• Passionate about small-scale ecological/organic agriculture
• Commitment to working until the end of October
• Able to follow instructions and dedicated to completing tasks quickly & efficiently
• Desire to co-create an open, supportive & fun work environment
• 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

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 particularly encourage applications from folks who are under-represented in rural-Canadian agriculture -- Indigenous, Black, and people of colour, LGBTQ2S+, newcomers to Canada, folks living in a low-income household, single parents, early leaver of high-school, as well as those with disabilities (inclusive of physical, mental-health related, or learning).

Only applicants that include a cover letter explaining why they are interested in working at Earth to Table: The Farm will be considered. Be sure to confirm in your letter that you meet the eligibility criteria. 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 . 

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