C.R.A.F.T. Ontario

Beginning of May 2012 — end of Oct 2012

Requirements: hard working, responsible, adaptable, organized, fun, enthusiastic, and hopefully holding an undergraduate degree.

About us:

Roots and Shoots Farm is a small organic vegetable farm offering 200 summer and fall CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares to our local community. We also attend markets in Ottawa, Manotick and Kanata. We grow over 75 varieties of vegetables on 8 acres, rotating on 30 acres. We have three 2600 square foot greenhouses to produce seedlings and greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. We are focusing on season extension and winter production. Projects this year include erecting another greenhouse and field tunnels, building an equipment shed, and expanding our cold room and wash station.

By interning with us you will participate in all the different aspects of running of a farm, including greenhouse production, driving tractors and using implements, running irrigation, transplanting, crop management, direct seeding, harvesting, marketing, preserving, etc.

Learning Opportunities:

We started our farm with very little capital, and we feel our interns get a good grasp how an efficient and profitable farm can be built without loads of money. Our farm is part of the Ontario CRAFT network. Each month we take half a day to have an educational tour of another farm in the area. We have an extensive farm library and we encourage our interns to spend time adding to their farm education. We are open to our interns taking on side projects (that do not interfere with the weekly work schedule), ie. herb gardens, seed saving projects, cob ovens. We will do our best to educate and enable interns through their projects. We schedule for and prioritize interns having time on all the equipment, including seeding, tractor work, cultivation, irrigation, etc.

Community:

We are community minded and love to host monthly potluck dinners and tours for our CSA members. We also grow an acre of produce for the Ottawa Food Bank, and we host farm tours for local school kids through COG’s Growing Up Organic program. We encourage our interns to participate and become involved in the coordination of these events.

Living:

We are a team of four (two young couples). We work hard and joke frequently. A comfortable relationship with sarcasm is appreciated. We eat lunch together everyday. We rotate lunch duties and everyone is expected to participate in cooking our organic produce.

Interns have the option of staying on the farm. We have a full kitchen, hot water shower, and washing machine available exclusively for employee use. Intern lodging is available on farm. Downtown Ottawa is a short 25 minute drive, and can be accessed by the Osgoode trail (a converted railroad for bikes and walking), which connects to OC Transpo. The farm is surrounded by trails for walking or biking, and Manotick, with shops and swimming, is a short 10 minute bike ride.

Hours and Pay:

We pay our interns $200/week. Interns are responsible for their own food, outside of what we grow on the farm or trade at market. All of our employees are paid legally, and are covered by WSIB. We work a 5 day work week, with rotations for Sunday/Monday chores (be available on the weekend once a month). Weekends are Sunday-Monday, or Monday-Tuesday, depending which market you attend.

To Apply: Please read our website thoroughly to familiarize yourself with the farm, and send us your resume and cover letter, to: robin rootsandshootsfarm.com*