ORGANIC / MARKET GARDENING

Position: Organic Farming
Farm: Root Radical CSA
Location: Howe Island, Kingston area, Ontario
Housing: No on-farm housing. Please indicate in your application whether you have your own transportation, or if you will require carpooling.

We are seeking a passionate and hard-working individual to work our 3-acre organic vegetable gardens and greenhouse in 2024.

Full-time summer position available.

About us:

Root Radical Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a successful organic farm which has grown a wide variety of vegetables since 2007. We sell our vegetables through the CSA model to about 250 member households in Kingston and on Howe Island. We are known for our high-quality great-tasting vegetables, our friendly, organized and accommodating customer service, and the environmental education opportunities offered to our community.

We are a team of about five people. In the garden, most work is done by hand or with human-powered tools. We use a tractor for moving compost and soil mix, preparing the gardens for planting, and for other heavy lifting. We use drip irrigation and season-extension techniques in our fields. We also produce tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, greens, and transplants in our greenhouse and caterpillar tunnel.

The main tasks for this role are planting, hoeing, hand weeding, pruning and trellising, harvesting, washing, and packing vegetables.

Root Radical CSA is located on Howe Island between Kingston and Gananoque. The vegetable operation is located on 3 of our 84-acre farm which also includes hayfields, permanent pastures, and wooded areas. Root Radical CSA is a woman-led farm, and Emily Dowling is the main CSA farmer. For more information on Root Radical CSA, please browse our website: http://rootradicalrows.com/

Requirements:

• Be ready to dig in, get dirty, and work hard. Applicants must be committed, reliable people who will show up on time, who will work to understand and help us meet our business goals, and who are able to work in all sorts of weather conditions.
• The successful candidate will be trained in most aspects of operating the CSA. Physical strength, flexibility, dexterity, and endurance are required. Must be able to lift and carry heavy bins. Tasks are generally varied but staff are often assigned to specialized areas where they excel.
• Training provided. Experience in agriculture, work on organic farms, or in a related field is plus but not required. Special consideration will be given to those applicants who can demonstrate their commitment to local organic agriculture.
• Having your own vehicle to get to work on Howe Island is preferred. Please indicate in your application whether you have your own transportation or if you will require carpooling.

Wage: Starting at $16.55 per hour. Increases incrementally every 160 hours and will be $20.60 after 480 hours or approximately 60 workdays.

Schedule: Typically, we start work at 6:45 or 7:30 AM and finish between 3:00 and 4:30 PM depending on the day. Lunch is unpaid and is usually a half hour in length. There are also two 15-minute paid breaks.

Duration of Employment: We are currently hiring for a summer role that runs from May 1 to Aug 30, 2024. An openness to coming back to work again in 2025 is a plus.

Hours of Work: Applicants for full-time roles must be available to work about 8 hours a day, 4 or 5 days per week. Please see below re: weather-dependent work.

Weather: On harvest days, we work rain or shine. However, our other work (planting, weeding, etc.) can be weather-dependent. There may be some days when we would not work because of heavy rain that day or the day before. In exceptional weather circumstances, during our busiest times in the season, staff may be asked to work weekends to make up for days missed during the week due to inclement weather.

Equity Hiring: We acknowledge that not everyone starts from the same place because of systemic advantages and barriers. We understand this and encourage and welcome applications from people who typically face barriers to working in the alternative agricultural sector.

Perks: Farming is hard work, but working at Root Radical CSA also has benefits including…

• Lots of high quality, organic vegetables to eat. Staff receive CSA shares and have access to seconds and leftovers.
• Benefits package. Ferry passes, end of season bonuses, some reimbursements for health and dental, specialty work clothing and pre-season strength training.
• Work-life balance. Weekend work is not required, and farm staff finish between 3:00 and 4:30 PM most days. Additionally, we are a farm that structures short breaks into our daily schedule, and we are a team that plans so that days off for staff to recharge are an option.
• Diversity of work. Working on a small acreage with a diverse set of crops means less monotony and doing a lot of different kinds of tasks throughout the week and as the seasons shift.
• Teamwork. Being a part of a team of self-motivated, hardworking, caring people who are nice to be around. We have structured team building activities and make a point of celebrating together throughout the season.
• Learning. Developing your farming skills and keeping the work interesting and challenging by taking on new responsibilities as you are ready.
• Clear expectations. As part of the hiring process, an extensive document is provided explaining how to succeed at Root Radical. Throughout the season, we meet regularly as a team to share weekly work goals.

• Outdoor work. Being out in beautiful weather (most of the time), and not sitting or standing in one spot all day long.
• Pride in your work. Doing important work, raising great organic vegetables for local people who really appreciate good food and their farmers.
• Challenges. Becoming stronger both physically and mentally by challenging yourself.
• Building a better world. Contributing in a very real way to environmental and social justice. Helping a local family woman-led farm succeed.
• Ecological connection. Learning about ecology firsthand and deepening your relationship with the land that feeds you.

To apply please email your resume and cover letter to: rootradicalcsa@gmail.com

Please indicate you saw this posting at FoodWork.

Deadline to apply: Please send your application as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.