Regenerative organic farming / Market gardening

Are you interested in pursuing a career in small-scale farming? This job may be for you...

Where: Whitsend Market Garden, 695 Iron Mine Road, Lanark Highlands. On-site position, applicants MUST have reliable transportation  We are about 30 minutes from Perth, Ontario.

When: April 15 2025 to Sept 30 2025

Remuneration: $20.00/hr, 20 hours/week

Application deadline: February 15, 2025

Whitsend Market Garden grows a broad range of produce using traditional, modern, organic and regenerative techniques. We also produce award winning honey, occasionally raise piglets and are hoping to expand our egg production this year.

I am looking for someone who can commit to 20 hrs per week to learn while they work.

Qualities I am looking for in a candidate:

• Reasonably physically fit, comfortable in outdoor settings in all weather types
• Have reliable transportation to farm
• Able to commit for the entire season, April to September.
• Willing to ask questions when uncertain about particular tasks or new skills
• Farm experience not necessary, but ability to challenge yourself with a steep learning curve is
• Willing to practice and improve your observation skills and note your observations
• Not all outcomes in farming are successful, so ability to smile and make the best of a bad situation is a must.

Farm skills you will learn by doing on this job:

• Growing food from seed to sale (Growing seedlings in nursery, sowing seeds in field, transplanting, tending crops, harvest, preparing produce for store or delivery to customers) using traditional and modern techniques with a variety of hand tools.
• Soil development and nurturing (Applying natural amendments, building compost)
• Fence maintenance (electric and page fencing), irrigation set up and operation

• Developing new growing space from old pastures
• Building a new chicken coop
• Growing a farm that blends itself in the surrounding landscape as opposed to imposing itself on the environment, and builds soil for future generations
• Other tasks may arise as the season unfolds or as the candidates interest dictates
• Most of the learning is hands on; we do have a library of resources for borrowing
• I provide instruction each day as we work, drawing upon fifteen years of experience and a small network of good mentors and local farm colleagues

To apply:

Please contact me by phone (or email to set up phone appointment); if phone interview is successful, you will be invited to the farm to meet the farm family and go into more detail as to what is expected of you and what your expectations of this training job is. Bob Whitmore, (613) 278-1937 e: whitsmg@gmail.com

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.

Please note this job is dependent upon the employer receiving a government grant; candidate must show a sincere interest for a career in agriculture. Diverse candidates from all backgrounds are welcome to apply. Please note that I am a sole proprietor and regret not having time to reply to every applicant considered inelibigle.