Employment Opportunities
Now Hiring! Farmers for the Fall Pumpkin Season
We are looking for new farm tour-guides, our weekend festival team, and our fall vegetable and pumpkin harvest team for a short-term commitment to work full-time or part-time positions Monday to Friday, or on the weekends for our Haunted Pumpkin Festival.
The candidates MUST be available weekdays 9am to 2pm daily to be tour guides; Weekend positions are available for Saturdays, Sundays, and Hol. Monday from Mid-September for our Fall-o-Ween Fest to the end of October for the Haunted Pumpkin Fest.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Creating hauntingly boo-tiful displays, farm harvest, picking pumpkins, or arranging and conducting weekday farm tours; assisting with related services for clients on festival weekends, from food services, parking, admissions, trackless train driver, fall crafting, to customer service and pumpkin sales.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
- Strong interest in being outdoors and physically active
- Keen extrovert, retired teachers or tourism related experience all assets
- Boundless enthusiasm for pumpkins and Halloween
Opportunity Details
- Farm Set-up for each Field Trip day
- Guide School Children ages 3 - 10 through activities at the farm
- Drive a tractor, team-build making scarecrows, give a puppet show, have fun
- Pick pumpkins from time to time
- Other Farm duties as required.
- Fall harvest, picking pumpkins, potatoes and farm produce
- Drive a tractor
- Help set up farm pumpkin displays
- Weekend parking
- Customer relations and pumpkin sales
- Scare-crew for Halloween - haunted venues, wear costumes
- Variety of positions from food service, to drive a tractor, farm admissions, farm environment, parking, farm market, country store
- Farm harvest if required
- Haunted house greeter, pumpkin cannon operator, juggler, pumpkin crafter
Job Types:
Short term Commitment Full-time or Part-timeWage:
$15.00-$16.85 per hour + Pumpkin and Vegetable Perks!Prairie Gardens offers jobs and employment opportunities near Edmonton, Alberta at Bon Accord, Spring, Summer and Fall. We have short term commitment positions at each of our fun on-farm festivals through the season. Perfect fall farm jobs for International Working Holidays in Canada!
Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm is an award winning farm, and well known for its innovative sustainable agriculture programs, Market Garden for Chefs, CSA Vegetable Program, School Field Trip Programs, Farm Festivals, U-Pick Strawberries and month long Haunted Pumpkin Festival.
Each year thousands visit from far and wide to learn about the spook-tacular Prairie Gardens.This excitement is due in no small part to our amazing staff with their enthusiastic energy, genuine smiles, hard work and unparalleled dedication.
Current Openings: ALL POSITIONS ARE FILLED
Farm Apprentice (3 Positions Available)
Posted on May 25, 2020
Location: Bon Accord, Alberta (25km north of Edmonton, AB) Accommodation available
Term: June 1 – Nov 15, 2020
Remun.: accom. + food + stipend, more (see below)
Hours: full-time or part-time
Prairie Gardens vegetable farm is growing food for up to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 50 families on 25 acres devoted to vegetable and berry production, with over 150 varieties of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and herbs. We offer our produce at our farm market, to restaurants, and through a CSA membership program.
We are looking for three apprentices who want to learn natural market gardening skills and experience the market gardening life for a full season. We are offering a six month farm immersion on our 50 acres in Sturgeon County, 25 km north of Edmonton.
Apprentices are a key part of our farm. You help us grow vegetables, strawberries, rhubarb and apples for our two weekly markets as well as food for our CSA program, and staples for the farm and restaurants we serve. We also operate an inspected kitchen, with plans to make farm pickles, jellies and fermented preserves, along with sourdough bread!
There’s a lot to learn about the art of growing food naturally! In addition to growing vegetables, we keep a small flock of sheep and heritage chickens that provide the farm with eggs, 3 bee hives for honey, and we have a a small zone 2 apple orchard and several acres of strawberries which provide us with fresh fruit.
We truly appreciate the hard work of our apprentices and do everything we can to make sure their experience at Prairie Gardens is rewarding and fulfilling.
Our apprentices will learn about a sustainable approach to small family farming and develop a wide variety of skills: greenhouse seedling production, field planting, weeding and harvesting, CSA distributions, as well as building and repairing infrastructure, such as re-building a cob oven, and cooking class outdoor studio, which is part of our agri-tourism income stream.
Apprentices will help us with (and learn about) most aspects of running a market garden: farm planning, preparing beds, seeding, transplanting, weeding, thinning, harvesting, post harvest handling, seed saving, record keeping and selling at our farm market. Be prepared for physically active and demanding work, rain or shine. We grow a diverse array of crops and specialize in fall vegetables, pumpkins and winter roots, plus greenhouse heirloom tomatoes and year round greens and herb production.
Apprentices work between 40 – 50 hours a week. In general there are 5 work days a week with 2 week days off for a weekend , with an hour of food and refreshment breaks. On harvest days the work hours can be longer, as we are harvesting to a frost and ground freeze deadline. Apprentices help work our Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday markets at the farm, as well as assisting in our CSA distribution nights on Thursdays at Get Cooking Edmonton.
In exchange we offer accommodation, a monthly stipend of $600 and incredible produce from the farm to cook with. The team eats together a couple of times each week but otherwise apprentices are responsible for preparing their own meals. Each apprentice has a private trailer to live in and they share a common space that is a kitchen/living room with a shower.
We have weekly and daily meetings to discuss upcoming farm tasks. We also use these meetings to teach about farm related topics, to taste and compare new vegetable varieties, to share feedback, to take questions and suggestions and to keep track of personal goals and intentions. Monthly farm walks help us and apprentices view the farm as a whole as it changes throughout the season. Taking the time to do this keeps us all aware of crop health and any areas that need attention.
We produce good food for our community and ourselves by encouraging a healthy environment on our farm. Our flowers and crops provide food for birds, beneficial insects and pollinators.
2020 will be Farmer Tam’s 35th season operating Prairie Gardens. Tam is a horticulturalist, woman entrepreneur, food activist and lifetime learner. She and her daughter Laurel, who is a recent U of Alberta graduate and has a degree in English and German, operate this small sustainable farm, which marries food production with agri-tourism and working with local chefs, including Kathryn Joel who owns and operates Get Cooking Edmonton, a gourmet cooking school both at her studio and at the farm.
This mother daughter team’s favorite things about Prairie Gardens include working with plants, discovering new things to grow, and teaching farming skills to apprentices, learning about gourmet cooking shoulder to shoulder with the chefs that come to the farm, and sharing what she loves with the folks who come to the farm. They enjoy providing good food to our very appreciative CSA members.
Eating well is one of the greatest pleasures we derive from farming. We put a lot of care into our work and we are especially proud to offer our community beautiful and delicious produce. Working with in partnership with mother nature, weather cycles, and our environment throughout the busy growing season makes farming a wonderful and satisfying lifestyle with many rewards!
We want applicants to know that growing for market is challenging and takes dedication.
Responsibilities
- Growing transplants for the field, and field seeding
- Field and greenhouse planting
- Heirloom tomato greenhouse production (pruning, watering and harvesting)
- U-Pick strawberry patch field production and management
- U-pick Pumpkin patch field production and management
- Cultivation and weeding and more weeding
- Organic pest control application
- Harvesting and crop handling
- Post harvest washing, packing, and basic harvest record keeping
- Farmers market customer service and cash register operation
- Farm tours and cooking classes preparation and participation
- Rotating farm chores (harvesting, propagation watering, mowing, feeding the rabbits and chickens and farm maintenance)
Qualifications
While some exposure to commercial agriculture is preferred, it is not required as long as one has a good attitude and work ethic.
Our ideal candidate has:
- A serious interest in farming as a lifestyle and/or livelihood
- Physical ability to carry out farm tasks (repetitive tasks, lifting 30 lbs. repeatedly during the day, crouching and bending for long periods)
- Lots of energy and highly motivated and a great team player
- A mind for efficiency
- Attention to detail and ability to understand and execute quality standards
- Open and positive communication skills
- Willingness to learn
- A friendly personality and willingness to spend time with customers, chefs, and CSA members
- Class 5 Drivers License
- Ability to work outside for long periods of time in all weather conditions
- Be punctual; be prepared to work at the designated time, with the necessary tools, and proper clothing. Closed toed shoes are required at all times on the farm.
- Sense of humour!
Position Details
The Farm Hand position begins in May and ends November 15th. The work will vary during the season as each change in temperature provides a new focus for the work that needs to be done. We share a meal as a crew every week and this is an opportunity to ask questions and enjoy the bounty of the farm.
Two weeks advance notice is required for vacation breaks.
To Apply
Please apply below with a cover letter and resume:
To apply, please send an email to tam@prairiegardens.org or apply online.
Your application should contain your preferred start and finish dates, your resume, two contacts for references and a cover letter describing what is motivating you to do a farm apprenticeship. We look forward to hearing from you!
Vegetable Field Crop and Vegetable Growing Worker: Seasonal / Part Time
Posted on January 22, 2020 by Prairie Gardens
Job Description - Field crop and vegetable-growing worker
Job details
- Location: Bon Accord, AB
- Wage Rate: $15.00 / hour
- Vacancies: 1 Vacancy
- Terms of employment: Seasonal, Full time 40 hours / week
- Start date: 2020-04-20 End date: 2020-10-31
- Employment conditions: Day
Job requirements: Languages Must Speak English
Education: No degree, certificate or diploma - Experience an asset
Transportation/Travel Information: Must have Valid driver's licence
Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities
Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Repetitive tasks, Handling heavy loads, Physically demanding, Attention to detail, Hand-eye co-ordination, Ability to distinguish between colours, Sound discrimination, Sitting, Combination of sitting, standing, walking, Standing for extended periods, Walking, Bending, crouching, kneeling, Overtime required
Work Location Information
Rural area
Work Site Environment
Outdoors, Wet/damp, Dusty, Hot, Cold/refrigerated
Personal Suitability
Organized, Effective interpersonal skills, Flexibility, Judgement, Team player
Equipment and Machinery Experience
Sprayer, Fertilizer applicator, Farm truck, Planting equipment, Tillage equipment, Tractor,
Vegetable harvester
Specific Skills
Plant, cultivate and irrigate crops, Fertilize and spray crops, Harvest crops, Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment, Detect disease and health problems in crops, livestock and poultry, Examine produce for quality and prepare for market, Write daily basic progress reports
Automated Systems Experience
Automated irrigation system, Automated environmental control equipment
Type of Crops
Zucchinis, Tomatoes, Cauliflowers, Carrots, Cabbage, Asparagus, Artisanal crops, Strawberries, Raspberries, Cucumbers, Field berries, Garlic, Onions
Type of Farm Operations
Other vegetables and melon farming (except potato), Fruit and vegetable combination farming
Apply In person:
56311 Lily Lake Road Bon Accord, AB T0A 0K0 from 10:00 to 14:30
Intended job posting audience
Anyone who can legally work in Canada can apply for this job. If you are not currently authorized to work in Canada, the employer will not consider your job application.
Advertised until: 2020-02-03
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary
Apply Online Today:
Download Employment Application >
Prairie Gardens is located 1 km from Bon Accord, AB. Bon Accord, Canada, and is 25 km North of Edmonton on 97 St. (HWY 28). Our address is 56311 Lily Lake Road, Sturgeon County.
FALL Pumpkin Festival Jobs - APPLY FOR A JOB This FALL
- Tour Bookings Office Assistant - (Educational Tours) September to October
- Educational Field Trip Guides (10 positions)
- Birthday Party Fun Coordinator
- Popcorn Hut & Fudge Shop Keepers
- Haunted Attractions (Haunted House, Corn Maze)
- Activities (Face Painters, Shootin' Gallery , Pumpkin Cannon, Old Thyme Photo Parlour)
- Operations (Parking, Maintenance, Greeters, Kids Area, Mazes, Petting Farm)
- On-site Sales (Admissions, Farm Shop, Trick or Treat Cabin)
- Food Services (Pumpkin Pie Café, Corn Palace Concession, Snack Jack Treats, Ice Cream Stoop)
- On-Farm Retail and Shopping Experiences
Requirements:
In order to work at Prairie Gardens, you must:
- be young at heart - we welcome semi-retired seniors!
- be 15 years of age by September 1, 2020.
- be available to work weekends from the last 2 weekends of September to the first weekend of November
- have your own transportation to and from Prairie Gardens.
- be available for Mandatory Training starting mid September
Haunted Attractions
Description: The Haunted Attractions Scare-Crew is assigned to The Haunted Farm House, the Pumpkin Cannon, where guests shoot pumpkins out of an air cannon. These pirates use a variety of props, costumes and scare techniques to entertain and frighten guests.
Live Shows
Description: The Live Shows Fall Crew includes Strolling Characters, Puppeteers, and Face Paint Make-up Artists. Strolling characters entertain the crowds during opening hours. They also spend time with our birthday parties during their visit to Prairie Gardens. Puppeteers perform our puppet show and entertain the crowds between shows while strolling with the puppets. Our make-up artists transform children into festive creatures with face paints. Pumpkin Races are fun and interactive shows that require the skills of a charismatic 'cheater' referee!
Operations
Description: The Operations Fall-Crew includes Tractor Operators, Maintenance and Creative Crew, Parking, and Custodial Attendants. Our friendly energetic parking attendants greet and park cars in our parking lot. Our custodial staff ensures that the site looks pristine for the many visitors to Prairie Gardens. Tractor operators provide safe and fun wagon rides, and maintenance and creative helps set the scenes, animatronics operations, and on-site set building.
Guest Relations, On-Site Sales & Craft Programs
Description: Our guest relations staff works at the admission booth, or as greeters at the front gate. Birthday Party / Group Use Fun Coordinator keeps birthdays well...fun! Onsite sales staff work in the Boo-Tique or Grandma's Fudge Cabin selling our homemade Fudge, Pumpkins and Halloween décor. Craft programs include painting pumpkins and craft building stations.
Food Services
Description: The Food Services Fall-Crew includes Pumpkin Pie Café, Snack Jacks, the Corn Palace, and the Ice Cream Stoop. The Fall-Crew in each of these locations would be responsible for preparing and selling scrumptious Halloween Food.
Requirements:
- Prior experience in Food Service is an asset, but not necessary.
- Food Safe Handling Certificates an asset
Farm Field Crew and Educational Field Trip Guides (Weekdays - School Hours; Sept - Oct)
Our Educational Tour Guides work Monday – Friday 9am-3pm guiding pre-booked school groups and day cares through the wonders of the harvest season. The children learn about how pumpkins grow, watch a puppet show and take a tour of the pumpkin patch on the wagon ride. Older grades learn about the mazes and explore our a variety of mazes, petting farm, and games area during their visit. It is possible to work from Saturday to Wednesday Shifts, or Thursday to Tuesday Shifts, so you can also work at the Haunted Pumpkin Festival on the weekends. We call these positions Cross-over Fall Jobs.
Requirements:
In order to work on our Educational Tours Fall-Crew you must:
- be available to work Monday to Friday (9am-3pm)
- attend the St. Johns First Aid Training 1 day course we offer in mid September
- have your own transportation to and from Prairie Gardens.
- be available for School Tour Guide Training starting September 8th
Adventure Farm Guides: Summer to Fall (July, August, September, October)
Always wished you had a job that you could tell folks to get lost? Have fun at the Corn Maze with maze operations, customer care, retail sales, phone services, guiding tours, hosting birthday parties, admissions, on-farm festivals, and our horticultural operations including selling the produce we grow! As the season moves from summer to fall, have fun being creative and help set up our festive scarecrows, fall scenes, and pumpkin paradise.