Organic farming

Position: Crop and Facilities Coordinator
Farm: Foxglove Farm 

Location: Salt Spring Island, BC
Housing: Private on-farm housing inlcuded with nominal fee to cover utitilies etc.

Want to work on one of the most "drop-dead" beautiful places on earth? Do you enjoy working independently and not having your boss breathing down your neck? Love to be outside in an amazing environment working with equally amazing people? Have some farming experience and a few basic skills in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical? If your answer is yes or even maybe to any of the above read on.

Foxglove Farm is a 120-acre organic farm located on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. The farm is located on one of the oldest homesteads on the island, surrounded by hundreds of acres of protected forest, pastures, and fields, bordering Maxwell Lake.

The farm produces berries, asparagus, melons, greens, roots, a wide range of annual Mediterranean vegetables, as well as diverse orchard fruits. We also produce grains and pulses and manage a small flock of pastured laying hens.

Foxglove Farm also offers accommodations and retreats in beautifully restored cottages and in the original log home on one of the island’s oldest heritage working farm properties.

The farm’s owners Michael Ableman and Jeanne-Marie Herman have over five decades of farming experience, have written numerous books on food and agriculture, and have been teaching and mentoring others throughout their careers. Their hope for this coming season is to build a team on the farm that will allow them the time to devote to other projects.

Position Description

This position works with the farm’s owners in the management of all perennial crops, and in the maintenance of buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and grounds.

Specific responsibilities

• Care and oversight of small orchard and perennial crops (asparagus, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, culinary herbs) including weed control, irrigation, harvest, post-harvest,and direct marketing
• Management of all irrigation and irrigation system maintenance
• Weekly mowing and weed-whacking
• Care and oversight of small flock of chickens
• Some limited off-season forestry management
• Basic maintenance and repairs of buildings and farm infrastructure
• Basic maintenance and repairs of machinery, tools, and equipment
• Maintaining a clean and orderly environment

Required

• General farm experience, preferably with fruits and vegetables
• Self motivated and ability to work alone
• Good interpersonal skills
• Strong self organizational skills
• Sense of humor

Assets (nice to have)

• Basic mechanical, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical experience
• Basic tractor and machinery operations/maintenance experience
• Chainsaw safety, operations, and maintenance experience

Compensation/Housing/Term

• $22-$26/hour depending on experience
• May-November (off season housing/pt employment may also be available if needed)
• Private on-farm housing inlcuded with nominal fee to cover utitilies etc.
• Internet, laundry, and select farm products available for personal use.

Single people or couples are welcome to apply regardless of background or identity.

Please send a simple resume to m.ableman@fieldsofplenty.com . Please put Crops and Facilities Coordinator in the subject line of your email.

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.