Ottawa-Gatineau-Wakefield Jobs

Organic Farming & Greenhouse

Hiring: Field Crew members
Farm: Juniper Farm (Organic Farm)

Location: near Wakefield, Quebec (30 mins north of Ottawa-Gatineau)
Housing: Accommodation is possible, in three-season individual rustic cabins, please inquire.

About the Farm:

Started in 2005, Juniper Farm is nestled into the Gatineau hills on a 200-acre property in beautiful Wakefield, Quebec.

The growing food part of the farm is a certified organic, intensive market garden with 4 greenhouses and a few caterpillar tunnels in the mix. Production happens mostly manually with the help of two tractors and mechanical cultivation equipment.

We are a large and varied team when the season is in full swing with everyone from book keepers to kitchen crew to handy people and farmers market folks. We have an intergenerational thing going on with kids and grandparents also in the mix. We call it the FARMily and that is the atmosphere we cultivate alongside our veggies. The field team is integral and we have many returning members who have worked with us for some time! We can get up to 20 staff in the heart of the summer. We are looking for 4 full time field crew members.

We sell produce to many local restaurants in the Ottawa/Gatineau region, farmer’s markets in Ottawa, through on-site and online farm stores and a subscription food box program. As an active member of the thriving local community the farm hosts events and ongoing agri-tourism projects such as a Sunflower Maze and Pick Your Own Pumpkin fields. We have an onsite kitchen and outdoor farm café and the farm is often bustling with visitors or tour groups.

WE ARE HIRING 4 FIELD FULL TIME FIELD CREW

We favour Canadian candidates who are under the age of 30, visible minorities, people who operate as a language minority in QC (English speakers), or are underemployed.

This is for some of the grants that we apply for such as Canada Summer Jobs etc.

We also encourage anyone who feels that they would be a good candidate for our field crew to apply!

Role & Responsibilities:

We are seeking individuals to be part of our field crew and perform supporting roles in all of our field operations. This position would be working directly with and taking direction from the Field Manager.

One or two of the positions will start earlier (April) and support the greenhouse needs of the farm, then the position would transition from full-time in the greenhouse to more time in the field as the season progresses.

Some positions would start primarily as field crew in May. Tasks for the position include but are not limited to:

• Preparing greenhouse trays for planting
• Sowing seeds in the greenhouse
• Seedling maintenance (watering, pest management)
• Maintaining the cleanliness and function of the work environment
• Infrastructure erection, assembly and maintenance of caterpillar tunnels, irrigation, stakes etc
• hand weeding, tractor weeding
• Transplanting
• Harvesting
• Crop maintenance
• Closing and cleaning fields at the end of the season

This is a full-time position (40 hrs a week) from April/May until the end of October with working hours changing through the course of the season based on weather conditions, daylight levels, and work loads. The typical day starts at 7h00 and ends at 16h00 but depending on the time of season we will shift the workday slightly earlier or later. There can be times during the season where the field crew will be expected to work longer work days.

This position is paid an hourly wage (base salary is QC min wage) but will be based on the candidate’s prior farm experience (full seasons). The additional benefits afforded to all farm staff including a 25% employee discount at the farm store, access to fresh harvest from the fields as well as non-marketable produce, and inclusion in weekly communal lunches.

About You:

Ideal candidates identify with having the following qualities and traits:

• Team player in every way – fun, friendly, communicative, supportive (this is not a solo job)
• Possessing a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and diligence
• A minimum of one year’s prior experience in agriculture (asset)
• Able to work independently and finish a task
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Attentive to details and can follow written or verbal instruction,
• Punctual
• Understand the basic economics of production-based work,
• Able and willing to perform hard physical work in all weather conditions,
• Comfortable lifting heavy loads (ex: 40 lbs),
• Flexible and willing to learn new things
• Interested in or moving towards a career in agriculture
• Must be able to commit to completing the farm season

Assets — Bilingual (French and English), a valid driver's license, experience with tractors and implements and some form of first aid training are assets as well but not required.

If interested in this position, please send your resume and a cover letter explaining why you would make a good fit for the role to: alex@juniperfarm.ca

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Check us out online at juniperfarm.ca or on Instagram @juniper_farm

We will be receiving applications starting in December 2024 and will be contacting interested candidates starting late Jan 2025.

---