Harvest Assistant
Company: Good Time Greens
Location: 436 Shaw Road, Berwick North, NS
Compensation: $20.00 / hour + Performance Bonus
Hours: Part-Time (24 hours/week)
Job Summary
Good Time Greens is seeking a meticulous and efficient Harvest Assistant to manage our harvest and packing operations. Working in the harvest barn, you will be the final line of defense in ensuring our organic, ready-to-eat greens meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and presentation for the local market. This role focuses on the critical steps of produce sanitation, drying, precision packing, and strict quality control.
Key Responsibilities
1. Produce Sanitation & Processing
● Sanitization Mixing: Safely handle and mix sanitizing agents (SaniDate 5.0) using required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves.
● Wash Operations: Process freshly harvested greens through primary wash tubs and
● Water Management: Monitor wash water cleanliness and refresh solutions at strict two-hour intervals or when switching beds/crop types.
2. Drying & Moisture Control
● Spin Drying: Scoop greens into spinner baskets and operate basket dryers for designated cycles (60 seconds) to remove excess water.
● Air Drying: Spread spun greens onto drying racks and manage fans to ensure produce is optimally dried (leaving only minor droplets) prior to packaging, preserving shelf life.
3. Packing & Quality Control
● Inspection: Perform rigorous visual quality control during packing—inspecting and rejecting leaves showing with weeds, insects, dirt, physical damage, miscolouration, rot.
● Precision Packaging: Weigh and package greens into 5 oz plastic containers or 48 oz wholesale bags based on custom client orders.
● Labeling & Dating: Accurately apply product labels and crop-specific best-before stamps (ranging from 9 to 14 days depending on the variety, e.g., Spinach, Lettuce).
● Cold Chain Management: Promptly transfer finished packages into the refrigerator.
4. Barn Sanitation & Equipment Care
● Station Cleanliness: Clean and sanitize packing tables, wash tubs, spinning baskets, and drying racks before and after every shift using approved SaniDate 5.0 spray.
● Tool Storage: Properly store and organize all tools for a clean, organized, safe facility.
Required Skills & Qualifications
● Attention to Detail: Exceptional observational skills for identifying minor defects or contaminants during the high-speed packing process.
● Process-Oriented: Ability to strictly memorize and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding hygiene, food safety, and chemical safety protocols.
● Physical Stamina: Comfort standing for long periods, doing repetitive tasks (washing, spinning, packing), and lifting up to 25 lbs.
● Transportation: Must have reliable personal transportation to commute to the farm.
Preferred Qualifications
● Agriculture/Science Focus: Enrollment in or completion of an agricultural certificate or degree program.
● Food Safety Knowledge: Prior experience in commercial kitchen environments, market gardening, or food processing involving HACCP or GAP standards is a major asset.
● Salad Eater: Knowing what goes on the plate or on the barn floor is a plus.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should send a resume and a cover letter directly to [email protected]
Pay: From $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
