Market Gardeners – #7136 – L
Paradise Fields
Come grow with us! We are seeking experienced and passionate organic vegetable growers to join our 2021 team.
About us:
At Paradise Fields we aim to grow the most nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables on the planet.
We do so by fully mineralizing our soil, improving the soil microbiome, investing in state of the art infrastructure, and using regenerative agriculture as a foundation of our farming practices.
Our 64-acre farm, with forests, ponds, and an environmentally sensible area, is located in the Green Belt corridor of Hamilton. We currently farm twenty acres – with 9,000 apple trees bearing 50+ varieties of apples, some pears, and a few plum and paw paw trees.
Around five acres are dedicated to our vegetable production and two acres for a variety of berries, including haskaps, strawberries, raspberries, and kiwi berries. Three acres of land has been designated for a future agri-tourism and wellness centre.
Market Garden Position:
- All jobs involved in small scale organic vegetable production which includes cultivation of the soil using primarily hand tools - there is a small amount of machine equipment used in our production plans (BCS, mower, weed whacker, flame weeder)
- Weeding, transplanting, seeding, raking, hoeing, harvesting, conditioning, packaging
The Ideal Candidate will have/be:
- Experience working in agriculture OR a keen interest in pursuing a career in agriculture
- Ability to work in groups or independently with a positive attitude
- Handle working under pressure and on tight timelines, in physically demanding conditions
- Comfortable with completing repetitive tasks
- Positive attitude, self motivated, flexible, and responds well to feedback
- Able to problem solve and create individualized efficiencies as you work
- Strong observation skills with keen attention to detail and quality
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs
- Ability to lift, bend, kneel and crouch for extended periods
- Respect of yourself, others and the land we work and grow on
- Ability to motivate others in unfavourable weather conditions will be an asset
- Prior experience with market garden or commercial farming, fruit picking, tree planting, landscaping, organic gardening or machine operation including the use of chainsaws and tractors will be considered an asset
- All necessary training will be provided
- Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada
- Only short-listed applicants will be contacted
Accommodation:
No one resides at the farm and accommodation is NOT available. The farm is part of the Greenbelt and very close to the urban boundary of Hamilton, Ontario.
Local bus routes stop 3km from the property which translates to a 10 minute bicycle ride and pickups from the bus could be available. In rural settings a personal vehicle makes transport much simpler and we do consider it an asset but not a necessity.
Schedule:
This is a full-time, seasonal position starting from September - November. A typical shift is from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm with allowances for longer and shorter days based on weather and workload common at any farm. We do not work Saturdays on our farm or at markets. The occasional Sunday shift will be necessary.
Term:
The positions have varying start dates from March to June, and conclude in early November. There is a standard 2-month probationary period, however we will sit down after 2 weeks to discuss if this is a good fit for both the manager and employee.
As the season wanes there will be room for discussion about winter employment opportunities. We have many projects in the pipeline and are looking for motivated folks to join our team.
