Farm Labourer Lead Hand
Company: Rooted Shores Farm
Location: Lantzville, BC
Job Type: Full-time
Wage: Starting at $26.00 per hour
Schedule: Wednesday to Sunday split shift, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Reports to: Farm Manager / Operations Manager
About Rooted Shores Farm
Rooted Shores Farm is a working community farm located on traditional Snaw-Naw-As territory in Lantzville, BC. The farm is part of a broader vision to strengthen local food security, create meaningful employment, support hands-on learning, and build long-term community resilience.
Rooted Shores Farm grows food, skills, and confidence through market-scale food production, greenhouse and season-extension growing, animal care, land-based learning, and sustainable farm operations. The farm is rooted in Coast Salish values of respect, reciprocity, care for the land, and working together.
As part of the Snaw-Naw-As Nation’s economic and community development vision, this role supports practical food production, local employment, and responsible stewardship of the land.
Position Summary
Rooted Shores Farm is seeking a reliable, hard-working, and experienced Farm Labourer Lead Hand to support the daily operation of a mixed farm with egg-laying chickens, vegetable crops, fruit crops, and other farm animals.
This is a hands-on role that combines farm labour with day-to-day crew leadership. The Lead Hand will help assign daily tasks, train and support workers, monitor quality and animal welfare, maintain basic production records, and ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with farm procedures.
The ideal candidate is physically capable, dependable, comfortable working around animals, and able to lead by example in a fast-paced farm environment.
Key ResponsibilitiesAnimal Care
The Lead Hand will support and manage the daily care of farm animals, including:
- Feeding, watering, and observing animals daily
- Monitoring animal health, behaviour, ventilation, bedding, lighting, and general barn conditions
- Collecting, sorting, cleaning, packing, and storing eggs in accordance with food safety standards
- Identifying and reporting sick, injured, stressed, or underperforming animals
- Assisting with animal movement, cleaning, sanitation, and biosecurity procedures
- Cleaning and sanitizing animal care and egg-handling equipment
- Supporting humane handling and animal welfare expectations
- Working comfortably around chickens, geese, goats, and other farm animals
Crop Production and Harvest Duties
The Lead Hand will assist with and guide crop work, including:
- Preparing beds, fields, rows, and growing areas
- Working with irrigation systems
- Planting, transplanting, fertilizing, weeding, thinning, pruning, and maintaining crops
- Monitoring crop health for pests, disease, irrigation needs, and harvest readiness
- Harvesting vegetables and fruit as required
- Loading, unloading, and moving crates, bins, tools, supplies, and produce
- Assisting with seasonal crop planning, field cleanup, and crop rotation preparation
- Cleaning, maintaining, washing, packing, and storing harvested products
- Supporting greenhouse, field, wash station, and packing area operations
Lead Hand and Crew Leadership
The Lead Hand will support the Farm Manager by helping coordinate daily work, including:
- Assigning daily tasks based on priorities set by the Farm Manager
- Demonstrating proper work methods and training new or seasonal workers
- Monitoring work quality, pace, safety, and completion of assigned tasks
- Helping organize workflow and keeping the team on track
- Communicating issues promptly to management, including flock health, crop damage, equipment problems, supply shortages, or labour concerns
- Supporting a respectful, productive, and safe work environment
- Helping ensure farm safety and biosecurity procedures are followed
- Maintaining daily records such as egg counts, mortality observations, harvest volumes, packing counts, cleaning logs, task completion reports, and worker hours as required
Equipment, Maintenance, and Sanitation
The Lead Hand will help maintain clean, safe, and organized farm work areas, including:
- Safely operating basic farm tools and equipment as trained
- Assisting with minor repairs to fencing, crates, bins, and farm work areas
- Washing, sanitizing, and storing tools, egg-handling equipment, harvest containers, and packing equipment
- Maintaining clean and organized barns, fields, storage areas, wash stations, and packing areas
- Reporting equipment hazards, damage, or malfunctions immediately
Safety, Biosecurity, and Compliance
The Lead Hand must follow all farm safety, food safety, and biosecurity expectations, including:
- Following WorkSafeBC, farm safety, and internal operating procedures
- Using required personal protective equipment
- Following animal biosecurity procedures, including controlled barn access, sanitization, footwear and clothing procedures, pest prevention, and visitor controls
- Handling eggs, produce, tools, animals, cleaning products, and equipment safely
- Reporting injuries, hazards, unsafe conditions, animal welfare concerns, and food safety risks promptly
Required Qualifications
- Previous farm work experience; 2 to 3 years preferred
- Ability to perform physical labour in all weather conditions
- Ability to lead by example and provide clear direction to other workers
- Reliable, punctual, and able to work independently once trained
- Comfortable working around chickens, geese, goats, and other farm animals
- Basic understanding of cleanliness, biosecurity, and food safety procedures
- Ability to lift, carry, bend, kneel, stand, walk, and perform repetitive tasks
- Ability to keep written and digital records
- Willingness to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak season schedules
- Valid driver’s licence
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous Lead Hand, crew lead, or informal supervisory experience
- Experience with planting, harvesting, washing, packing, and market preparation
- Basic mechanical skills for farm tools, irrigation, fencing, and small equipment
- First Aid certification
- WHMIS training
- Food safety training
- Animal welfare training
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
This role requires the ability to:
- Lift and carry up to 50 lbs when safe to do so
- Work on your feet for extended periods
- Bend, kneel, squat, push, pull, and perform repetitive tasks
- Work in barns, fields, wash stations, coolers, greenhouses, and outdoor conditions
- Work around dust, feathers, manure, soil, insects, plants, cleaning agents, and normal farm odours
- Work in variable weather conditions, including heat, rain, mud, and cold
- Perform split-shift work, including early mornings and evenings
What We Offer
- Full-time employment with a starting wage of $26.00 per hour
- Meaningful work supporting local food security and community wellness
- The opportunity to help build a growing community farm
- Hands-on experience in mixed farming, animal care, crop production, harvesting, and farm operations
- A respectful team environment grounded in care for the land, community, and future generations
How to Apply
Please submit your resume through Indeed. Candidates with relevant farm, animal care, crop production, leadership, or equipment experience are encouraged to apply.
Rooted Shores Farm thanks all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Pay: From $26.00 per hour
Application question(s):
- Are you located in the Nanaimo regional district area (Lantzville, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum)
Work Location: In person
