Sustainable, Eco-friendly Farming

PERMANENT ECO FARM HELPER POSITION     

Position: Eco Farm Helper
Farm: Dalew Farms
Location: Lavigne, between Sudbury & North Bay, Ontario
Eligiblity: post-secondary graduates, 30 & under (see below)

Dalew Farms raises Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef and Pasture-Raised Pork. We are very passionate about small-scale ecological and regenerative agriculture and work extremely hard to grow the healthiest and most nutritious food each season in an environmentally sustainable way, while also supporting our local economy by patronising local suppliers. When we make decisions on our farm, the primary factor is: “Would we feel comfortable feeding this food to our own family?!” The answer to that question is always YES! We have gained a lot of experience over the last 20 years in our current location and are confident in our ability to continue to produce foods of the finest quality while using sustainable methods. 

Click Fork is a sub-company of Dalew Farms; an online Farmer’s Market purchasing and selling local farm products in order to make local food more accessible to “locavores”. Customers can order all of their local food needs from our website and have them all delivered together! We pride ourselves on providing an efficient and friendly service to our community. 

We are looking for candidates with a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, interest in joining our team and family of dedicated farmers and artisans whose unique talents will help shape Dalew Farms and Click Fork’s continued development in a positive way.  

Job Description: 

The type and scope of work for this position is very broad and will vary on a weekly basis. This position will provide an opportunity for us to grow and learn from each other along the way. 

Your tasks may include but are not limited to:

• Daily animal chores/husbandry morning and afternoon
• Equipment repair/maintenance
• Electric fence installation & repair
• Potentially Operating farm equipment to assist with haying and field crops (training is provided)
• Yard & barn maintenance/cleanup
• Helping with various construction projects & building repair
• Feed Bagging
• Firewood cutting and stacking
• Assisting on maintenance and repairs for various farm equipment
• Potentially doing deliveries or pickups of livestock/hay/seed with pickup truck and small livestock trailer and delivering customer orders with company vehicle
• Work conditions will vary based on the task; work outdoors in warm and cold conditions as well as indoor work (packing warehouse, walk-in cooler and freezer). Standing, walking, running, sitting, kneeling, crouching, heavy lifting, etc.…

Required Qualifications: 

• Candidates must be post-secondary graduates between the ages of 15-30
• Ability to perform physical labour on a daily basis
• Ability to work quickly, pay attention to small details
• Ability to work independently and/or with others
• Exhibits reliability and commitment to organization
• Eagerness to learn and ability take constructive criticism
• Valid Class G Driver’s Licence 

Assets (not required however candidates with the most qualifications will be prioritized for an interview) 

• Animal husbandry and general farm chore experience is an asset
• Mechanically inclined
• Fun and easy going personality
• Experience operating farm equipment
• Experience operating a chainsaw (Chainsaw Operator Safety course is an asset, can provide training course)
• Interest in agriculture activities and passionate about sustainability and local food systems is an asset
• Ability to drive/back up a truck and enclosed trailer is an asset

Important details: 

Pay starting at $20/hour + 15 % staff discount on Dalew Farms and Click Fork products. Room for wage and position to grow.
3 to 5 days/week, 24 to 56 hours weekdays, evenings and weekends (depending on weather/season)
Rotating weekend schedule for livestock chores - most times this is not a full day work, unless it’s harvest or planting season and extra help is required for those tasks due to weather pressures
Start time: as soon as possible

This is NOT only a summer job, we are looking for someone to work year-round with more hours from April to December and reduced hours from January to March.

To apply:
Please email your resume along with a brief introduction of yourself and why you think you would be a good fit at our farm, to: dalewfarms@gmail.com, att: Dave Lewington. Please indicate you saw this posting at FoodWork.ca. At least 2 recent references will also be requested if you are selected for an interview.