Backyard Bounty is looking for a new Senior Farmer for the 2012 growing season.
Backyard Bounty is an urban farming business in the lovely City of Guelph, Ontario. Our mandate is to use under-utilized urban space for food production. To do this, we lease parcels of land from homeowners throughout town. 2009 was our first growing season, using about 30 properties and totalling approximately 2 acres of land in production to feed a CSA of 23 families and sell to restaurants and markets. We have grown considerably and have increased that number to 35 properties and increased the area used to about 5 acres. We employ organic methods in our cultivation, though we are not certified organic due to a number of complications in our design (i.e. so many gardens!). We run as a farm business and a serious market garden. We sell at the Guelph farmers market and a couple of other local markets; have a vegetable box program (CSA) of 85 members; and fill substantial restaurant orders.
There is one position available. Experience in vegetable growing is a must. Preference will be given to persons with some management experience and at least two full seasons in organic market gardening.
This is a very intense and demanding job but with great rewards. It involves managing a lot of different small and large plots with varying challenges including: soil, sun exposure, pest and weed pressure, as well as keeping homeowners happy. The farmer is expected to manage the planting and cultivation of these lots along with the other employees, interns and volunteers, working closely with another Senior Farmer, the Manager, and the Owner.
Qualifications and Skills
-Strong work ethic
– Strong team player
– Good communication skills
– Leadership skills
– Able to work independently
– Enthusiastic
– Physically fit
– Willing to work in difficult weather
– Experience working with volunteers and other staff
– Class ‘G’ drivers licence
– Experience using a walk behind tractor (roto-tiller)
– Mechanical and carpentry skills an asset
– Basic computer skills (excel, word processing, internet communication)
– Use of a functioning bicycle
Work schedule and compensation
This is a seasonal position beginning in March or April and continuing until November of 2012. Contact for more details. This is a paid, full time position, with a salary based on an hourly rate of $10.75. Work is generally during week days, with occasional work on weekends if needed.
Contact
Send a resumé and cover letter to the current Senior Farmer, Tom Armitage at
tom@backyardbounty.ca. Check out http://www.backyardbounty.ca for more information about the social enterprise. Applications due December 31st, 2011