Organic mixed vegetable farming

Hiring: Lead Grower
Farm: Close to Home Organics

Location: Abbotsford, Lower Mainland BC
Housing: There is one on-site living space available at a reasonable rate (though off-farm accommodation is also possible).

Close to Home Organics is a family-owned and operated organic mixed-vegetable farm, located in Abbotsford. We farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm as shareholders of the Glen Valley Organic Farm Cooperative. In 2025, our sales will focus on a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program that we run in-house. We are seeking an experienced farmer to work with us through the farming season (from March or April through the end of November). This is a full-time position with a Monday-Friday workweek.

The farmer we are looking for will be our lead grower, responsible for implementing our crop plan in the field and cold-frames. This will include tractor-based bed preparation, nutrient management, irrigation and cold-frame management, along with support in weeding and harvesting and some post-harvest washing. The farmer will work with a team of three other experienced farmers who will oversee crop planning, propagation, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, packing and CSA management. While previous experience is essential, there is also orientation and mentorship to bring a prospective employee up to speed with farm operations.

Our growing area consists of a main 6-acre parcel with a 95-foot coldframe in the lower fields, as well as a set of shorter beds (approximately 1 acre) and three coldframes located in the upper part of the farm.

Our fieldwork happens outside in all types of conditions. The work is physically demanding and is at times solo. Successful farm workers are self-motivated, aware of their body’s need for water and stretching, can leave their phone alone, are driven to get the work done efficiently, and communicate well with others.

In terms of experience, we are looking for someone with:

• Previous work experience on a farm
• Skilled Tractor/machinery operation
• Reference(s) from past farm employers

Examples of tasks include:

Field and Cold-frame Tasks

• Implementing a crop plan, with corresponding record-keeping
• Bed preparation (using a tractor), including nutrient management
• Irrigation maintenance (drip-tape connected to underground lines)
• Weeding (by hand, and mechanized with Power Ox and walk-behind rototiller)
• Harvesting (largely by hand)
• Pathway maintenance (using hand tools and/or walk-behind rototiller)
• Grass and blackberry maintenance

Packing Tasks

• Washing vegetables according to weekly harvest list (mostly with use of rinse conveyer, but some immersion by hand in sinks as well)
• Following cleaning protocols to maintain a food-safe work environment

General Farm Tasks

• General help in maintaining a tidy farmyard

Our farm is a Living Wage Employer in the Fraser Valley, offering an hourly wage of $23.25 plus a personal health spending account of $500. Produce for personal consumption is also available. There is one on-site living space available at a reasonable rate (though off-farm accommodation is also possible).

Interested candidates should contact Chris Bodnar and Paige Dampier at: hello@closetohomeorganics.com or 604-999-4596.

Close to Home Organics is located at Glen Valley Organic Farm, about 15 minutes east of Fort Langley: 8550 Bradner Road, Abbotsford, BC.

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