Organic farming & gardening, work outdoors...

Hiring: Seasonal Farm Assistant
Farm: West Coast Seeds Ltd
Location: Delta BC, Metro Vancouver
Salary: $21.50 - $22.00 per hr

Join our team of talented, passionate, and dedicated professionals in a fast-paced, Growing, environmentally conscious company. Located on beautiful farmland in Delta, BC, our head “office,” is a fantastic, renovated farmhouse with scenic views of our lush Gardens and fields. We care about each other and what we do.

We and are looking for an Assistant for our farm coordinator who manages our trial field and display gardens as well, as generally maintain our property. This position is a wonderful opportunity for a person who has a keen interest in organic gardening and farming practices. You will be working with experienced, knowledgeable colleagues and be exposed to a wide variety of vegetable, flower and herb trials as well as the packet seed business.

The Farm Assistant will be a positive and confident individual who possesses strong interpersonal skills. Your strengths will lie in your ability to engage genuinely with our team while demonstrating our core values and contributing positively to the organization.

Our Company

West Coast Seeds believes, first and foremost, in the principles of organic and sustainable agriculture. Namely, we feel that food and all plants can be grown without the use of synthetic chemicals and that the seeds we supply are an important component within the broader approach to organic gardening. We support growers as custodians of the land they grow on — however large or small — and through adopting organic gardening techniques such as composting, companion planting and planting pollinator friendly plants, we help repair the world by nourishing the soil and ourselves.

Founded in 1983, West Coast Seeds’ purpose was to source and supply seeds of a higher quality than had been available to home gardeners, and to this day, we continue to provide top quality seeds backed by strict quality controls. Following the traditions of organic farming and gardening, the focus was on offering untreated seeds suitable for organic growing. Today we offer over 1,000 varieties of untreated, non-GMO, open-pollinated and hybrid vegetable, herb and flower seeds, as well as a wide range of unique bird feeders and quality gardening supplies.

The Role:

• Assist and support the Farm Coordinator in all aspects of the following.
• Plant, maintain and harvest our trial and display gardens and raised beds using sustainable organic practices in accordance with annual plans.
• Evaluate and document trial results from planting to harvest.
• Attend to greenhouse planting and maintenance.
• Lawn cutting, weeding, irrigation, and general cleaning and maintenance of farm property.
• Provide information to organic farmers, gardeners and other visitors interested in organic agriculture about our trial and display gardens.
• Engage with visitors and provide information about our trials during farm tours and other on-site activities.
• Work with community organizations on donating excess harvests to local foodbanks and soup kitchens.
• Maintain upkeep of the overall farm field, garden and landscaping to ensure it reflects the West Coast Seeds brand as the “go-to” center for organic farming and gardening resources.

Attributes and Skills:

• Strong work ethic and willing and able to undertake manual labour outdoors including preparing soil, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting.
• Ability to work independently as well as take direction from the Farm Coordination and Product Manager.
• Knowledge and belief of organic farming practices as well as composting, recycling and other sustainable practices.
• Some experience in gardening or farming-related activities and eagerness to learn.
• Ability to use basic farm equipment & tools.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Highly organized with good time management and attention to detail and tidiness.
• Ability to observe and document detail from variety trials clearly and accurately.
• Strong sense of community mindedness.

The Perks

• Each employee has an opportunity to grow their own vegetables, flowers and herbs on-site.
• The opportunity to participate in community & educational events promoting organic growers & supporting gardeners.
• Take home fresh produce harvested on-site from our trial and demonstration gardens in-season.
• Participate in a culture of charitable giving, where we support numerous charities both financially and through seed donations, and donate upwards of 6,000 lbs. of fresh produce annually.
• Join our Cooking Club in making delicious meals using our on-site fresh grown produce and participate in our summer-time barbecues.

How to Apply:

Forward your resume via e-mail to donna@westcoastseeds.com complete with a cover letter (Optional).

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however; only those who qualify for in interview will be contacted.

Job Type: Full-time Seasonal
Compensation: $21.50 - $22 / hour