BC Jobs, Organic Vegetable Farming

Positions: Organic Farm Field Crew – With Optional Lead Roles
Farm: Rootdown Organic Farm

Location: Pemberton, BC

Housing: We may be able to connect you with housing options reserved for Rootdown staff but we do not have traditional staff housing (that we manage) available. Staff should be prepared to search for their own housing in the Pemberton area.

ABOUT ROOTDOWN ORGANIC FARM

Rootdown Farm is a Certified Organic mixed veggie farm in the beautiful Pemberton Valley that strives for environmental, economic, and social sustainability in all its operations.

Established in 2009, we grow and sell 30+ different types of vegetables within Whistler and Pemberton through various sales channels (CSA harvest boxes, restaurants, grocery stores). We are committed to serving the communities of Pemberton and Whistler with high quality, healthy food.

We’re committed to a workplace culture of growth, learning, gettin’ stuff done, and fun!

JOB DESCRIPTION

In 2025 Rootdown will be looking to hire 4-5 new team members, mostly full time, with part time an option for the right candidates. We are looking for people to work from approximately May 1-October 31, with a couple positions available for peak season only (May 1-August 31).

Rootdown is a dynamic, fast paced workplace (comparable to working in a kitchen, house cleaning, landscaping, tree planting, or a busy restaurant or cafe). There are daily, weekly, and seasonal deadlines, and work needs to be completed in an efficient and timely manner. We have but a short window every year to grow an abundance of vegetables for our community and ourselves (including our team) to enjoy!

The work at Rootdown varies widely over the course of a farming season. However, all positions will include the following in some capacity:

• Transplanting and weeding field and/or greenhouse crops
• Harvesting and washing a variety of vegetable crops
• Repetitive work of some kind, at some times

All positions will also include some of the following tasks, depending on an employee's specific role, past experience/interest, and the needs of the farm:

• Tray and/or field seeding of vegetable crops
• Watering and managing seedling trays
• Using hand tools such as stirrup hoes, shovels, rakes, etc.
• Using small machinery such as line trimmers, cultivating tractors, and/or small tractors (with prior experience)
• Pruning and trellising greenhouse crops
• Applying organic fertilizers and/or pest management to fields and greenhouses
• Packing a variety of vegetable crops for various sales channels
• And more!

Note: If you have prior mixed vegetable farming experience, and would like a position with more responsibility and specialization, we also have Lead Roles available. In 2025 we are specifically looking for folks to step into specialized roles in:

• Equipment/Field Lead (must have tractor experience)
• Harvest and/or Wash/Pack Lead
• Greenhouse/Hoophouse Lead

*If you are interested in these roles, please indicate this in your application and we can send you more information specific to the role(s) you are qualified for and interested in.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILL SETS

Our seasonal farm staff are integral to Rootdown’s success as a farm, and we truly appreciate each and every person who joins us to make our dream of running a successful organic farm a reality!

Farm experience is not necessary, though it is appreciated and preference may be given to those with commercial mixed vegetable farm experience. We have found that individuals with certain qualities tend to do best when working with us. We are looking for folks who:

• Are hard working and kind and are committed to a drama-free workplace
• Have a reliable transportation plan to/from work - the farm is located 13 km up Pemberton Meadows Rd from the Village of Pemberton
• Value and practice good communication skills with management and co-workers, including taking and giving constructive feedback well
• Are excited about growing - at eating! - good, organic veggies!
• Have experience with physical labour and/or work in fast paced industries (landscaping, food service, kitchens, etc.) – this is an asset but not necessary
• Have a healthy body (especially back and knees) and the ability to repeatedly lift 30-40 lbs
• Practice good self care (i.e. getting enough sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, etc.), especially in challenging working conditions (i.e. heat, bugs, cold) so that they can efficiently complete the tasks at hand
• Come to work on time and prepared with appropriate gear (i.e. appropriate footwear, waterproof gear, sunhat, kneepads, snacks, lunches, etc.)
• Have the desire to learn new skills and then improve and get faster (and faster!) at them with practice and coaching from management
• Have the ability to be self motivated - will hustle and work quickly and efficiently to meet deadlines without constant supervision
• Have good attention to detail and/or systems for working in a detail oriented environment
• Can work independently or as part of team to accomplish common goals
• May be interested in multiple seasons with Rootdown, with the option to take on more responsibility (if desired) in subsequent seasons
• Are legally able to work in Canada at the time of application. Regretfully, we will not respond to applicants who do not meet this requirement.

Rootdown is committed to being a non-discriminatory workplace, and we encourage folks of all race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation to apply, so long as you feel you possess the qualities above.

Remember! Mixed vegetable farming experience is not necessary, but if you do not have it, please highlight other work/life experiences that you think will serve you well in a mixed vegetable farming context (i.e. ability to work in a fast paced environment, ability to learn new skills, attention to detail, etc)

COMPENSATION

The starting wage for all staff in their first season at Rootdown is $20-$23/hr, depending on mixed vegetable farming experience. Raises are generally given when staff return for subsequent seasons and require less training and/or take on more responsibility.

There is also an end-of-season bonus of $0.25/hour for staff who stay until the end of their agreed upon employment contract.

There are loads of free, organic veggies for staff. B-grades or seconds, or produce harvested on your own time (within reason, and in excess of the farms needs) is available for free to all farm staff. We farm well so we can eat well, and we want the same for our whole team!

We may be able to connect you with housing options reserved for Rootdown staff but we do not have traditional staff housing (that we manage) available. Staff should be prepared to search for their own housing in the Pemberton area.

There is the opportunity to learn a lot about small-scale organic mixed vegetable farming while working at Rootdown. We are committed to developing the skills of our employees, and providing a rewarding experience that gives a realistic look at what it’s like to run a mixed vegetable operation. This is invaluable experience for those who are interested in starting their own farms one day, or who want to pursue a career elsewhere in agriculture!

HOW TO APPLY

Interested folks should send their resume, including 2-3 references, and cover letter (can also be included in the body of an email) to the farm’s manager, Ariella, at admin@rootdownfarm.net . Please clearly indicate in your application:

• If you are looking for full time or part time work
• Your preferred start and end dates
• What your transportation plan is to get to and from work (i.e. you have a car, you would be looking to carpool with co-workers, you are an avid bicycle commuter, etc)
• If you are a Canadian citizen and under 30 years of age (not required, but some of our positions are eligible for funding with these requirements)
• Why do you want to work with us!

Please indicate you saw this posting at FoodWork.ca.

We look forward to hearing from you!

-Simone and Ariella