Where you will be farming:
Tea Creek is situated just north of the Skeena River and is buttressed by the Kitwanga Mountains to the west and Seven Sisters Range to the south. The land we farm on is part of Simidiks traditional territory. The Gitwangak reserve lies 5 minutes south of the farm and the Gitanyow reserve is about 20 minutes up Highway 37 to the north.
This region, while rich after thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship, is also burdened by the very recent and ongoing effects of colonization. The challenges of intergenerational trauma persist in our local communities. Part of our work at Tea Creek is to understand and address this through the radical and life giving acts of food sovereignty, community building and engagement.
Joining on with Tea Creek’s means that you will be asked to engage participants, staff and the community with this awareness in mind. Our projects and initiatives center around people, community and the land. We farm on Gitxsan territory and seek to model core Indigenous values of respect and compassion for people, animals and the territory.
Tea Creek is located in Northwestern BC in a remote location. Candidates must be prepared to live rurally. Interactions with bears, moose and other wildlife are not uncommon on the farm. The closest major hubs are Terrace (about a 1 hour drive from Kitwanga) and Smithers (about 1 ½ hours from Kitwanga).

Primary responsibilities include:
Greenhouse/nursery: seeding and caretaking vegetable starts for production and community giveaway
Soil preparation and transplanting/seeding, regular rotations of crops and succession planting
Maintenance and monitoring of gardens: weeding (we use a lot of mulches and weed suppression techniques), watering and irrigation systems set-up, pest management, plant health, brush mowing
Assisting in regular grounds maintenance (mowing, brush clearing, site cleanliness)
Harvest, storage and distribution (vegetables are primarily distributed to the community and shared among participants)
Data recording, tracking farm inventory (soil, seeds, irrigation supplies etc), engaging in business systems and online project management tools
Supervision and coordination of volunteers and participants
Teaching and instruction: as we are a training program there will be opportunities to teach, guide and share knowledge with our participants and staff

Requirements:
Previous farming experience: Minimum 2 years experience working with organic or sustainable methods in mixed vegetable farming
Experience solving farm problems, ability to be self-directed and self-driven, can work independently and with teams
Knowledge and experience in crop planning, greenhouse nursery management, vegetable harvest/preparation/storage, record keeping skills
Excellent physical fitness and ability to work hard all day outside in the elements (we farm on hills)
Able to work within a team and have strong interpersonal skills
Be a people person with the ability to listen and engage and learn from others. Candidates will also be able to teach and instruct when necessary as well as supervise work projects and tasks
Innovative, can roll with climatic challenges such as drought, flooding and seasonal frosts
Candidate is Indigenous or an Indigenous ally. Candidates must be willing to work with and in Indigenous communities. Must also be willing to learn about the local Indigenous history and culture and engage respectfully with reconciliatory initiatives
Willingness to learn and approach tasks with openness and curiosity
A driver’s license and clean abstract

Additional Assets:
Agricultural education by way of previous training, internships or post secondary
Experience operating large tractors and equipment safely
Experience in teaching, instruction and supervision
First Aid Training Level 1
Knowledge of safe food handling practices
Technical literacy: can use or learn systems that apply to food storage, recording and communication (Tea Creek uses online project management tools, crop planning applications and some automation)
Passionate about efficiency, planning and using innovative technology to produce high volumes of food without excess labor and cost
Community engagement and team work experience

How to Apply:
Send us your cover letter and resume by email to jobs@teacreek.ca with ‘Tea Creek Farmer Position’ in the subject line. Thank you in advance to all who apply. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.