Ecological, Regenerative Farming

Title: Livestock field worker
Farm: Evermeadow Farms

Location: Northumberland County, near Cobourg, Ontario
Job Type: Full time
Duration: April to December 2025

About Evermeadow Farm:

Evermeadow is a regenerative, pasture-based livestock farm in the rolling hills of Northumberland County. The livestock production component of Evermeadow Farm is a part of a larger ecological land management project aimed a restoring ecological resilience and biodiversity on the lands we steward.

Our Mission:
Our mission is to operate an ecologically restorative farm that:
1. Provides premium, nutritious, ethical, and ecologically beneficial food for our communities;
2. Increases the biodiversity and productivity of the land we manage;
3. Fosters land-based lifeways as alternatives to extractive and unsustainable production and consumption patterns.

We work with animals that contribute to our ecological vision by exercising their instincts on the land, while also providing ethical and nutritious food for our community. Our hens scratch up compacted soil and spread seed and fertile manure; our sheep manage the grass, distribute nutrients, and build soil; our pigs recycle waste nutrients and disturb the soil to prepare for re-seeding pastures; and our broiler chickens bring fertility into the farm as they move daily across the landscape.

In 2025 we will continue growing into our new farm, raising pastured chicken and pork, growing our sheep flock, and building out our agri/eco education programming offerings.

About the job:
The role will involve a rich variety of activities encompassing the full range of field operations on a functioning, start-up regenerative livestock farm.

The successful candidate will be responsible for helping with most day-to-day field operations of the farm, including but not limited to:

• feeding and managing animals including meat chickens, hens, pigs, and sheep
• building and moving fences
• hauling feed and water
• maintaining and building diverse farm infrastructure
• meticulous record keeping and ensuring regulatory compliance
• environmental and ecosystem health monitoring
• silviculture and forestry work: cutting trees and brush, planting trees and shrubs etc.
• loading animals destined for processing
• helping with inventory management and order preparation

While expected to work self-sufficiently, the candidate will be provided comprehensive training and a clear Standard Operating Procedures Manual, and will enjoy the ongoing support and daily collaboration with management.

Requirements/ qualifications/ experience:

• Detail oriented, meticulous, and fastidious. This job requires careful observation, adjustment, repetition, monitoring, and precision. Our business and thousands of animals’ lives depend on your accuracy, consistency, and diligence.
• Self-motivated and task oriented (ie: not deadline oriented) – we need someone who is proactive and eager to execute necessary tasks without extensive oversight.
• Confident and empowered but ALSO able to take instruction and correction – a key attribute.
• At least 1 season working on a farm with livestock is ideal, but not absolutely necessary.
• Experience and skill with basic carpentry, plumbing, and other manual trades is strongly preferred.
• Good writing, editing, and record keeping skills.
• Comfortable driving vehicles including 1-ton trucks, skid steers. Ideally you will be experienced driving with trailers, including reversing.
• Posses some fundamental knowledge and understanding of food economy and food security/justice issues.
• Ecologically literate – knowledge of the roles different organisms play within ecosystems.
• Familiar with some of the conversations in the regenerative agriculture space and/or willing to pursue further learning and reading of agricultural literature.
• Excited to work with all aspects of livestock: manure and other fluids, birthing, death, sickness, aggressive animals etc.
• A strong desire to effect positive change and resilience through the nitty gritty hard work of integrating food production and ecological restoration.

Examples of Specific Skills and Responsibilities:

• Driving UTV, truck, SUV, trailers, and other vehicles to transport feed, water, live animals, and finished product.
• Helping to build infrastructure like sheds, water systems, pens etc.
• Moving electric fencing daily to rotate animals to new paddocks.
• Working with broiler chickens from chicks through to maturity and processing, including tending chicks, moving large pasture pens (prairie schooner style) daily and picking chickens on processing days.
• Working sheep: lambing, nail trimming, vaccinations, health checks etc.
• Servicing the Eggmobile with feed and water; collecting and washing eggs.
• Tending to and moving our herd(s) of pastured heritage pigs (and ensuring no escapes!).
• Keeping detailed records of production variables and data as well as collecting information through soil and plant sampling, mapping, and photo documentation.
• Reading, remembering, and complying with all relevant regulation with respect to animal care, bio-security, and Standard Operating Procedures.

Accommodations:
We do not currently have on-farm accommodations, so the successful candidate will need to live locally and have their own transportation. That said, we hope to construct a 3 season living space this year, so there may be accommodations available at some point in the year.

Hours and Schedule:

• Typical workday starts around sunrise (varies throughout the year) and goes 7-9 hours depending on the demands of the day.
• April will be a training and preparation month, 4-5 days a week, approximately 35 hours per week.
• May-Early August are our busiest months and will require 5 days a week, approximately 40-50 hours per week.
• Late August to October are somewhat slower, and will require 4-5 days a week, approximately 35-40 hours.
• November and early December are slow, requiring 3-4 days a week, 30-35 hours.

There will be opportunities for longer stints of time off throughout the season, TBD.

Wage:
$21+ /hr based on qualifications and experience.

To apply:

Send cover letter, CV with work and other related experience and 2 references to info@evermeadow.ca by February 10, 2025. Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.

We expect to finalize the hiring process by mid-February. Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.