The Share the Harvest Community Garden is a welcoming space for all members of the community where anyone can have access to land to grow food for themselves and for the community.
It is a space where gardening skills, education, and mentorship with an emphasis on self-sufficiency are nurtured through the collective support of community members, volunteers, and partnerships with community organizations.

The Community Garden Coordinator will be responsible for garden planning, organizing and general maintenance. He/she will report directly to the Lush Valley Program Coordinator.

This position is supported by Canada Summer Jobs/HRSDC. To be considered for the position, applicants must be between 15 and 30 years of age, and be a registered full time student intending to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year.

The position will run for a total of 9 weeks, 30 hours per week. Remuneration is $16 per hour.
 
Responsibilities

• Responsible for the general maintenance of the Lush Valley Demonstration Garden Beds including planning, planting, weeding, watering and harvesting.
• Responsible for general grounds keeping of the community garden including landscaping and lawn mowing
• Oversee volunteer activities in the garden
• Daily care of garden equipment making sure they are cleaned and returned to the storage area each day
• Collection of litter/debris
• Assist with composting projects
• Be a friendly point person for gardeners. Log on-site questions and concerns and forward to the Program Coordinator
• Responsible for up-keep of garden signage.
• Assist the Program Coordinator in communication and scheduling of garden events, work parties etc
• Assist the Program Coordinator in
• Be aware and work with Program Coordinator on major upcoming projects (ie: fence building, grading etc)
• Oversee onsite safety and report issues to Program Coordinator
• Assist with workshops and garden related projects as needed

 What We Need from You:
 

• Must have prior experience working with gardens, farms or in the agricultural or horticultural sector, and be up to date on sustainable gardening methods.
• Construction skills are an asset
• Strong problem solving, organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Experience working with marginalized people or a background in social work is an asset.  
• Education and/or experience related to planning special events, fundraising and working with the community
• Demonstrated interest in healthy, local and sustainable food systems
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• Proficient in the use of word processing and spreadsheet software

 
Please submit your cover letter and resume to Andrea at communications@lushvalley.org by June 10th, 2016.

​In September 2015, due to persisting structural issues we had to vacate our permanent facility, which housed our walk-in cooler. The cooler was used to store the fresh fruits and vegetables we distribute to community organizations through our Fruit Tree Program.

Last year, we distributed over 6000 pounds of fresh produce to the food bank, shelters, schools, churches and youth programs. We are currently in the process of securing another permanent walk-in cooler, but unfortunately, our new permanent walk-in cooler will not be ready in time. With the growing season right around the corner we are searching for a temporary walk-in cooler space for July to October. The cooler would be used daily to temporarily store produce before it is delivered. The location of the cooler would have to safely and easily provide enough room for vehicles to load and unload boxes of produce and for volunteers to access the cooler space. Availability in the evening is also desirable during our peak fruit picking months.


If you have extra space you’d be willing to loan or rent to Lush Valley or know someone who does please contact Andrea Cupelli at 250-331-0152 or via email at communications@lushvalley.org
 
Your help is greatly appreciated!

It's that time of the year again!

Since 2002, LUSH Valley has run a highly successful Fruit Tree Program that organizes volunteers to pick and redistribute fresh fruit and produce from local homes, farms and orchards to those who need it most.

We are currently seeking a Fruit Tree Program Coordinator for the 2016 season.  This is a temporary, part-time hands-on position that coordinates the gleaning of fresh produce from fruit tree owners and farms for delivery to food programs throughout Comox Valley.

Responsibilities

• Works with Program Coordinator to organize volunteers

• Meets with landowners and is on site to organize and help with picks as well as lead picks when necessary

• Collects and takes account of supplies and equipment, including ensuring an adequate amount of boxes or containers are available for picks

​

• Harvests and WwKnowledge of the amount of produce being collected and stored and responsible for its scheduled delivery and Ensure that the weight of s produce collected at a pick is recorded and ensures its delivery directly to the program’s partner food providers programsor to appropriate storage

 

• Works with Program Coordinator to orientate volunteers to the program and ensures they are aware of safety precautions  and have signed LUSH Valley waivers

 

• Works with Program Coordinator to maintain statistics on the program (amounts of produce collecteddonated, the source from who, deliverieswhere the food was delivered and amount, volunteer hours, and type of fruit, etc) and. sShares them these statistics on a monthly basis with the Executive Director 

 

• Fosters and maintains relationships with emergency food providers and local growers (local farmers, fruit tree owners, and home gardeners) to enhance the distributiondelivery of producefood donations

 

• Responsible for buildingprocuring new relationships with farmers, businesses and land owners in order to help increase awareness of the program and gleaning opportunities.

 

• Organizes region- wide gleaning events for where volunteers to glean at a will come to a farm or orchard to harvest and sort producefood for distribution to partneremergency food providers

 

• Assists in planning a volunteer appreciation activitiesevent, and works with Program Coordinator to send out thank you letters to donors

What we need from you 

• Experience working with emergency food providers, and food producersarmers is an asset.

 

• Understanding the continuum of the food system, with knowledge of the local food security movement.

 

• Have a reliable vehicle with capacity to carry up to 300lb of fruit and equipmentladders (fuel costs reimbursed).

 

• Able to lift up to 50lbs

 

• Ability to build strong working relationships with volunteers, farmers, volunteers, fruit tree owners, and emergency food providers

 

• Good written and oral communication and computer skills, including the ability to use Word and Excel

 

• Demonstrated ability to work professionally

 

• Organized and able to manage multiple assignments and priorities

 

• Team player with professional standards, positive attitude and flexibility

 
The position will run from mid-June till the end of October. Remuneration is $18 per hour, flexibility is a must as hours range from 5 - 20 per week, with an average of 15 hours per week. Must be able to work evenings and weekends.
 
Please submit your resume to Andrea at admin@lushvalley.org by June 3rd, 2016.

Do you consider yourself to be passionate about good, local food? Do you long to pass on your knowledge and enthusiasm to the next generation?

We are seeking several guest speakers for our 6 week ‘Food e-Academy’ program for youth aged 15-18. The program is held each Saturday from April 9th to May 14th from 10am-1pm.
​
Food e-Academy is a new program for young foodies who are passionate about our local food system. They will learn about the local food economy through hands-on experience from production (tour farms and community gardens), processing (visit and learn from local food makers), food policy/security (learn from local food agencies) to eating (create amazing meals with locally sourced ingredients).

Over the course of the session together we will collaborate what we have learned through a digital story which will be shared with the community. Youth will also be invited to start the Comox Valley’s first Youth Food Council.
We are looking for inspiring and dynamic guest speakers with various backgrounds/experience in the local food economy to present and share their dynamic perspectives with our class. Opportunities for field trips and/or hands-on experiences are encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Plan and facilitate a topic ranging from topics on production, processing, food policy, to eating
• Engage program participants
• Introduce new concepts to the students
• Debrief with Program Coordinator after session to for reporting and program evaluation

 
What We Need from You

• Demonstrated experience with the local food economy
• Experience working with or teaching youth is a considerable asset
• Ability to multitask and remain positive while working under pressure
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Ability to build strong working relationships with local farmers, restauranteurs, volunteers and other members of the local food economy.
• Team player with professional standards, positive attitude and flexibility

 
Remuneration is on a per-lecture basis.
Please submit your interest and resume to Andrea at communications@lushvalley.or

We are seeking a facilitator to run our 6 week ‘Chef for a Day’ program for youth aged 15-18. The program is held each Wednesday from April 6th to May 11th from 4:30-6:30pm.
​
The Chef for a Day program teaches youth who already have a keen interest in cooking what it takes to work along side great chefs and create amazing, yet simple meals with unique and fresh, local ingredients.
We are looking for an inspiring and dynamic instructor with a culinary background or someone with demonstrated creative experience in the kitchen to lead this class.  
Responsibilities

• Plan and facilitate the Chef for a Day Program
• Create a menu and lesson plan for each week
• Purchase food each week within budget (preferably locally sourced)
• Engage program participants in cooking and food skills each week
• Introduce new foods and palates to the students
• Ensure and teach kitchen safety
• Ensure kitchen is left clean
• Consult and debrief each session with program partners
• Develop relationships with members of the local food economy
• Assist Program Coordinator with reporting and program evaluation
• Direct and delegate tasks to volunteer assistant

What We Need from You

• Food Safe Level 1 Certification
• Experience working with youth is a considerable asset
• Ability to multitask and remain positive while working under pressure
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Ability to build strong working relationships with local farmers, restauranteurs, volunteers and other members of the local food economy.
• Team player with professional standards, positive attitude and flexibility

Remuneration is $20 per hour, and with an average of 5 hours per week. Please submit your resume to admin@lushvalley.org.