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: 1250

▶ 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

‘It’s another blow’: Farmers deal with surging fertilizer prices ahead of seeding

Fertilizer is an essential part of Kevin Peters’ farm in southwestern Manitoba. But since Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran, the average price of urea fertilizer, which is widely used around the world, has skyrocketed, surging around 30 per cent over the last week. Peters says the interruption in supply didn’t come as a huge surprise to him. “We deal with geopolitical issues all the time with markets, be it pork, be it grain, and now fertilizer,” he said. “There’s always some disruption seeming to happen somewhere in the world that is changing our daily prices.” Peters says he pre-purchased his fertilizer for this farming season back in the fall but is concerned about prices later this year when he has to buy fertilizer again. “We’ll see what the market looks like in eight months,” he said. Like Peters, Andrew James also pre-bought his fertilizer in the fall for his farm in Anola, Man., and he says he is happy he did. “My fertilizer bill for that (at the time) was around $350,00

From a Piece of Wire to Contaminated Feed: Preventing Foreign Material Hazards in Beef Cattle Operations

Foreign material and toxin consumption by beef cattle can lead to significant health problems, reduced performance and economic losses. Canadian cattle producers take great pride and care in how they manage their farms and ranches, from providing proper nutrition to stewarding their land and ensuring excellent animal care. Yet even with the best intentions, foreign materials and toxins can quietly find their way into feed, water or pastures. Understanding where they come from and how to prevent exposure is a key part of protecting your herd. Foreign materials and toxins often slip in through everyday farm activities such as repairing fences, running equipment, feeding hay or dealing with weather-stressed crops. A small piece of wire, leftover net wrap or contaminated feed source might not seem like much, but if consumed by cattle, it can trigger health issues, lost performance or even death. Understanding Hardware Disease When cattle consume sharp metal objects like nails or pieces

Farmers Balance Costs and Technology Investments - Tractor Sales Down

Tractor sales fell across most categories in February, but strong combine demand highlights farmers’ continued investment in productivity boosting technology.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Outlook - What Farmers Need to Know in 2026–2027

Brent crude prices surge as Middle East conflict disrupts supply. See the 2026–2027 outlook for oil, natural gas, and electricity—and what it means for U.S. agriculture

Principal field crop areas, 2026

Canadian farmers expect to plant more canola, barley, soybeans and corn for grain in 2026, while they anticipate area seeded to wheat, oats, lentils and dry peas to decrease compared with the previous year. Wheat At the national level, farmers anticipate planting 26.7 million acres of wheat in 2026, down 1.1% from the previous year. If this anticipation is realized, national wheat area would remain well above the five-year average, despite a decrease from 2025, which would likely be attributable to continued strong global demand. Producers expect spring wheat area to edge down 0.1% to 18.8 million acres in 2026. They anticipate durum wheat area to decrease 2.4% to 6.4 million acres, while they expect winter wheat area to fall 6.7% to 1.6 million acres. Farmers in Saskatchewan anticipate planting 13.9 million acres of wheat in 2026, down 1.0% from the previous year. Producers expect spring wheat area to fall 0.6% to 8.7 million acres, while they anticipate durum wheat area to remain

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service