Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Vegetable Greenhouses NEED new, young growers--but where are all the jobs?

Statistics Canada shows that most of the horticulture/greenhouse management is reaching retirement age, and that almost all of these management positions will turnover within the next 20 years, making the demand for young greenhouse growers very high.

 

This is great for me, because I am a young Greenhouse Technician, recently graduated from a 2 year program where I focused mainly on Greenhouse Vegetable Production.

-Entemology

- Integrated Pest Management

-Water, Media, Fertilizer Management

- Priva, Computerized Controls etc.

 

In addition, tomato and pepper greenhouses are starting a new crop RIGHT NOW,

 

The demand is there..so, why is it so hard to find a job?

 

I am very resourceful, and have pooled together all my contacts to maximize my chances of landing a contract in an Ontario vegetable greenhouses as soon as possible. I have been using forums, following up on all leads, and even revisited the Niagara/Chatham/Leamington area several times to secure a Grower position. I have contacted growers and consultants I know, which has given me good leads but I still have not secured a position and contract.

 

I have excellent references, and lots of experience... Help!

Any suggestions, advice or discussion  is greatly appreciated!!

You can find my resume on my website if needed: jamieboland.blogspot.com

 

Thanks!

 

 

Views: 1214

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Ritchie on December 2, 2010 at 3:03am
Jamie, You will have to actually go to many of the greenhouses directly and let them meet you. There are several good operations outside of the areas you are currently looking in. Exeter has a couple large operations, Petrolia has a good one, St Thomas and Jarvis have top rated propagators, and there is a lot of individual greenhouses scattered around Delhi, Simcoe and Bradford.
You should also get a copy of Greenhouse Canada magazine since many job oportunities are posted there.
If you can switch over to bedding plants there are several oportunities in that field also. They should be listed in the same magazine.
Good luck,
Dave
Permalink Reply by Jamie Boland on December 2, 2010 at 4:28am
Hey Dave,
Thanks for your reply to my discussion. I will definitely be checking out these operations in Exeter and I will also check out the propogators you mentioned. I have been checking greenhousecanada.com for job opportunities and have got some really great leads, do you think the hardcopy magazine has additional career listings separate from the ones on the website?

Thanks again for the tips, I'll let you know how it goes!
Jamie
Permalink Reply by David Ritchie on December 3, 2010 at 2:00am
Jamie, I think the hard copy may have jobs posted that may not be online as I see them frequently. Something to keep in mind is that these companies who are looking usually are attempting to find a seasoned grower. Having a new grower coming into the market is also a good thing as they can then train you to suit their needs rather than you changing them. Good luck.

Jamie Boland said:
Hey Dave,
Thanks for your reply to my discussion. I will definitely be checking out these operations in Exeter and I will also check out the propogators you mentioned. I have been checking greenhousecanada.com for job opportunities and have got some really great leads, do you think the hardcopy magazine has additional career listings separate from the ones on the website?

Thanks again for the tips, I'll let you know how it goes!
Jamie
Permalink Reply by Jamie Boland on December 7, 2011 at 7:16am

Dave,

Thanks for the advice! I have now been working as Assistant Grower @ Veris in Exeter for 7 months.

Cheers!

Jamie



David Ritchie said:

Jamie, You will have to actually go to many of the greenhouses directly and let them meet you. There are several good operations outside of the areas you are currently looking in. Exeter has a couple large operations, Petrolia has a good one, St Thomas and Jarvis have top rated propagators, and there is a lot of individual greenhouses scattered around Delhi, Simcoe and Bradford.
You should also get a copy of Greenhouse Canada magazine since many job oportunities are posted there.
If you can switch over to bedding plants there are several oportunities in that field also. They should be listed in the same magazine.
Good luck,
Dave

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Minister’s statement on Canadian Council of Forest Ministers chair appointment

Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement on the annual meeting of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM): “This week, I met with federal, provincial and territorial forest ministers from across Canada to discuss shared priorities, challenges and emerging opportunities for Canada’s forestry sector. “It’s an honour to take on the role of incoming chair of the CCFM for the upcoming year. I want to thank the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Fisheries, Forests and Agriculture for Newfoundland and Labrador, for her leadership over the past year. “As British Columbia’s minister of forests, I’ve seen first-hand the importance of working together across jurisdictions to strengthen Canada’s forest sector in the face of persistent and new challenges. From global trade dynamics and U.S. tariffs, to ever-intensifying wildfire seasons and shifting labour markets, these challenges don’t stop at provincial or territorial boundaries, and neither can our so

Farmers’ market program delivers another bountiful harvest

People in British Columbia will continue to have improved access to nutritious, locally grown foods through the B.C. Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program. “As the weather warms up and more people take advantage of British Columbia’s amazing farmers’ markets, we are helping people and families on lower incomes access fresh and nutritious foods grown in their communities,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program promotes healthy eating and gives people an opportunity to connect with and support local farmers and producers.” The B.C. Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is operating in more than 90 communities throughout the province, reaching families, seniors and pregnant people from more than 8,500 households. “We all want people to be able to access nutritious, healthy food in their communities,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “Our funding will help more people, including seniors and fami

Pulse Market Insight #277

Weather Market or Not? There’s no shortage of question marks about 2025 crop production. StatsCan will issue updated acreage numbers on June 27 and the USDA will release its latest acreage estimates on June 30. These reports should provide some direction for the 2025/26 crop outlooks. It will be interesting to see whether all the trade uncertainty caused farmers to shift acreage, including for pulses. But that’s just the beginning of the story. We’re still just in the first month of the growing season and already, it’s been a roller coaster in many parts of the prairies, in some ways similar to 2024. Prior to seeding in late March, there were a few dry areas on the prairies but overall, conditions seemed positive and there was some early optimism. Move forward to the end of April though and the AAFC Drought Monitor map showed expanding areas of drought, particularly in the northern prairies, where pea acreage is concentrated. By the end of May, the drought situation had spread across

Saskatchewan Topsoil Moisture Improves, but Some Crop Damage Too

Saskatchewan topsoil moisture conditions improved following heavy rain in some locations this past week, although crop damage also occurred in the worst-hit areas. In addition to the rain, with localized amounts in excess of 100 mm, some areas also experienced minor to severe hail and wind damage, “with producers still assessing which crops will be able to recover,” said Thursday’s weekly crop report. On the other hand, some crops also continue to suffer from dryness and drought, with the Northwest Region seeing only limited rainfall in the past week. Areas in the west-central and pockets in other regions received significant rainfall. The Macklin area received the highest rainfall at 108 mm, followed by the Wilkie area at 107 mm. The Semans area reported 99 mm and the Luseland area reported 96 mm for the week. Rainfall significantly increased topsoil moisture in all regions (see map below). Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture was rated as 6% surplus, 74% adequate, 16% shor

Betting on America: How WorkSaver Tripled & Thrives in U.S. Manufacturing

In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson and Tim Burenga take listeners on a 45-year journey of WorkSaver—from its founding by Tim’s father in 1980 to its evolution as a dual-focused manufacturer and OEM contract specialist.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service