Farm labourer Job in Canada needed by St. Soldier Farms Inc.

Key Responsibilities:

• Crop Cultivation: Assist with planting, weeding, and harvesting crops. This may involve digging, tilling, seeding, and using hand tools or farm machinery to care for the land.
• Livestock Care: Help feed, water, and monitor the health of farm animals. This can include feeding livestock, cleaning animal pens or barns, and ensuring that the animals are well-cared for and safe.
• Maintenance of Farm Equipment: Perform basic maintenance on farm equipment, like cleaning and checking machinery, tractors, or tools. Report any issues to supervisors for more detailed repairs.
• Irrigation and Watering: Assist with watering crops, ensuring irrigation systems are functioning properly, and manually watering plants if needed.
• General Farm Maintenance: Perform physical tasks around the farm, such as repairing fences, cleaning out buildings, and maintaining farm structures and facilities.
• Harvesting and Sorting: Harvest crops when they are ready, pick fruits or vegetables, and sort or pack products for sale. This may involve physical labor like lifting baskets of produce or sorting produce by size or quality.
• Weeding and Pest Control: Manually remove weeds or help apply pesticides and herbicides as directed to protect crops from pests or diseases.
• Transportation of Materials: Move supplies like fertilizers, seeds, tools, or harvested crops to different areas of the farm or to market. This could involve using hand trucks, carts, or vehicles.
• General Support: Help farm supervisors and other workers with other tasks as required, such as assisting with equipment operation, repairing tools, or handling supplies.

Tasks

• Develop specific plans to prioritize
• Grade vegetables and fruits into different grades according to the size, shape, colour and volume to fetch high price in market.
• Greenhouse cleaning
• Mixing fertilizer
• Organize tasks to accomplish the work
• Plant, cultivate and irrigate crops
• Weeding
• Fertilize and spray crops
• Harvest crops
• Assist in the development and implementation of farm safety and bio-security procedures
• Maintain financial and production records
• Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment
• Provide agricultural crop services such as plowing, irrigating, cultivating, spraying or harvesting
• Ensure farm safety and bio-security procedures are followed
• Detect disease and health problems in crops, livestock and poultry
• Perform general farm duties
• Assist in grafting activities

Credentials

Certificates, licences, memberships, and courses

• First Aid Certificate

Experience and specialization

Type of crops

• Bell peppers
• Cabbage
• Cauliflowers
• Cucumbers
• Greenhouse tomatoes
• Greenhouse vegetables
• Tomatoes
• Zucchinis

Additional information

Security and safety

• Criminal record check

Work conditions and physical capabilities

• Ability to work independently
• Physically demanding
• Attention to detail
• Combination of sitting, standing, walking
• Ability to distinguish between colours
• Standing for extended periods

Skills and Qualifications:

• Physical Strength and Stamina: The job is physically demanding, requiring the ability to lift heavy objects, stand for long periods, bend, and carry out repetitive tasks.
• Basic Farm Knowledge: Some general knowledge of farming practices, crops, livestock, and tools is helpful, though on-the-job training is typically provided.
• Attention to Detail: Farm laborers need to be detail-oriented, especially when performing tasks like sorting crops, monitoring livestock, or noticing issues in the field.
• Basic Machinery Operation: While farm laborers typically don’t operate large equipment, knowledge of how to use or maintain small machinery like lawnmowers, tillers, or irrigation systems can be an asset.
• Adaptability: The work varies throughout the seasons and can be affected by weather conditions. Farm laborers must be able to switch between different types of tasks depending on the needs of the farm.
• Teamwork: Ability to work well with others, including farm supervisors and other farm workers, to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
• Safety Awareness: Knowing and following safety protocols, particularly when using equipment, chemicals, or working around livestock, is critical to prevent accidents.

Education and Experience:

• Education: A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required, but formal education beyond that is not usually necessary.
• Experience: Previous farm or manual labor experience is helpful, but many farm laborers are trained on the job. New workers can expect to learn through hands-on training provided by more experienced workers or supervisors.
• Training: Training can include learning how to safely use tools and machinery, understanding farm practices, and gaining basic knowledge of crop or livestock care.

Work Environment:

Farm laborers typically work outdoors in all types of weather conditions—heat, rain, snow, or cold. This role often involves long hours, especially during planting or harvest seasons. The work is physically demanding, requiring workers to be on their feet for extended periods, lift heavy items, and perform repetitive tasks.

Farm laborers may also be exposed to chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides) and machinery, so safety procedures must always be followed. Work environments include large fields, barns, greenhouses, or animal pens, depending on the type of farm.

Career Path:

While farm labor is often an entry-level position, there are opportunities for advancement within the farming or agricultural industry:

• Farm Supervisor: With experience, a farm laborer may be promoted to a supervisory role, managing teams of workers and overseeing daily operations.
• Farm Manager: With additional experience and possibly further education in agriculture, a farm laborer can move into farm management, handling all aspects of farm operations, including finances and logistics.
• Agricultural Specialist: Specializing in areas like crop management, soil science, or livestock care could provide opportunities for more technical roles within farming.
• Equipment Operator: Workers who gain proficiency in operating machinery may transition into roles that involve operating tractors, combines, or harvesters.