ORGANIC FARMING

Position: Manager of Crew
Organization: Joyfully Organic Farm
Location: Markham (Near Markham/Stouffville/Pickering) 40 Minutes from Toronto, Ontario

(Please note: If a Farm Crew position is better suited to your experience, please see our 'Farm Staff' posting)

ABOUT THE FARM

Joyfully Organic Farm is a skilled, successful and dynamic Certified Local Organic vegetable farm in the Greater Toronto Area. We have a deep love of amazing food + strong farming practices. We have a large community of customers who share our love of eating well. We provide food for prominent Farmers Markets in Toronto, a large CSA, and wholesale relationships to local food purveyors.

STYLE OF FARMING

We practice an innovative model of farming that focuses on lean operation efficiencies, bio- intensive planting, high yields per acre, multi-succession planting and laughing a lot. The farm is in its 11th year of production, with 4 production vegetable fields, a nursery production green house, in-field caterpillar tunnels, and a cut flower garden. The farm maximizes the efficiencies of two unique and distinct farm production systems. Some crops are grown on a 30 inch bed system with the use of walking tractors and managed with hand tools. Most of our other crops are grown in a tractor based system designed by our farm, that retains the strengths and efficiencies of the smaller tool production system, but leverages the efficiency of farming with tractors.

We are proud of the success we have had thus far and look forward to growing our team and our production.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Join our oustanding farm team! Do you like digging in the it, being a part of a team, working hard while having fun, eating high quality produce and working with a team of passionate growers? If this sounds like you, read the job description below and apply to join us this season!

POSITION: Management position on an organic production farm. This person will provide leadership to our farm staff crew, while under the mentorship and supervision of the farm directors. You will be a key leader in the farm. This is an exciting opportunity for those who want to help run a well established and profitable production farm with robust sales channels.

- Lead team to meet daily and weekly production and harvest objectives
- Maintain quality and safety standards
- Provide guidance to staff
- Maintain efficiency of the staff team through proper directions, allocation of resources, effective transitions between tasks, pace setting and good field judgement
- Meet daily with Farm Director to receive daily farm objectives:
- including field, transplanting, harvest + wash pack tasks
- curate a productive, well paced work atmosphere
- Teaching and modelling field tasks to crew members effectively
- Transplanting
- Row Cover Protection - Hand Tool Weeding
- Harvesting
- Washing
- Continuously monitoring crew’s performance, pace and quality and providing feedback for improvement
- Anticipate what is needed for the next tasks of the day, and facilitating smooth transitions for the crew
- Monitor overall pace and efficiency of the crew
- Ensure organization of tools, vehicles, tractors, supplies, etc.
- Help to create a positive and focused work environment for the team
- Ensure crew is following safety protocol for any task
- Contribute to farm leadership meetings

QUALIFICATIONS

- 3+ seasons working at a production focused vegetable farm
- Experience managing/leading staff/teaching staff in a workplace setting
- Proficiency with hand tool weeding techniques and for all types of vegetable crops
- Proficiency with row cover systems
- Experience with irrigation systems
- Proficiency with harvesting techniques for all types of vegetable crops
- Proficiency with post harvest handling of vegetable crops
- Knowledge of food safety standards
- Ability to identify quality standards for vegetables and sort / grade accordingly
- Excellent communication + leadership + teaching + motivational skills
- Excellent organizational skills, the ability to organize ones own work and the work of others
- Ability to efficiently manage and motivate people during field, weeding, harvesting and packing tasks - The ability to lift up to 50 lbs
- Ability to work in heat, cold, rain and snow
- Ability to stand, bend kneel and lift frequently

(Please note: If a Farm Crew position is better suited to your experience, please see our 'Farm Staff' posting)

Schedule: Full Time ’
April to December: Main Farm Season - 5 to 6 days / week
January to March: Winter Farm Season - 4-5 days / week

BENEFITS
Contract: 9-12 months renewing
Remuneration: $ 40,000 - 44,000 (annual equivalent) starting, pro-rated by contract length

OTHER PERKS:
Additional seasonal bonus
Free fresh produce from the farm
Paid winter vacation days
Flexible schedule Jan-March
Potential for very afforadable On-Farm Accommodation

TO APPLY: 

Fill out our Farm Staff Applicant Form on our website + attach your resume.

Please mention you saw this posting at FoodWork.