Most farms have a high turnover of people. We want to be different.

Most farms I know have a high turnover of people. People come and go like the wind, a new crew every season. Lots of people I've met start farming because of their love of plants or their garden. However, they crumble and leave instantly when the gruelling reality of production farming emerges. Production farming is not easy. It can be demanding. Not only that, what we've seen too often in the farming industry is farms take a hard job and pair it with a job posting that describes people mainly as a means to get work done and nothing more. This can be discouraging for those who have big goals for their farming career and something more to contribute. This results in great farmers leaving. A to-do list to complete is not enough to bring ambitious farmers to an innovative farm. So, we want to build our farm team differently.

Nothing is really wrong with to-do lists but the lack of investment into the people who are growing the food is what leads to high turnover and ultimately inconsistent product. Having people simply check tasks off a list is not the standard at our farm. We're interested in building a team of people who are striving for excellence in everything they do. We want a team that supports and learns together. Everyone is striving for competitive greatness. That tries new ideas and finds creative solutions. High achieving teams will show up everyday wanting to do their best even when no one is watching or feels like it. That's our standard. Self motivation to be the best version of themselves at the farm won't happen by accident. Attracting this type of farmer means the farm needs to be a place where they feel supported. We must invest in our team. Investing in people requires not just providing clear expectations, standards and goals. It also means getting to know their personal and professional goals individually to see how you can help them achieve it. This can look like giving ownership of projects they want to learn more about, pathways to promotion or providing wellness perks.

If the team feels supported and the expectations are clear, that's when opportunity emerges to build a team that stays.

Production farming is demanding no matter what crop you grow. Indoors or outdoors it's not easy. It's not for everyone. However when leaders build a supportive environment and invest in the individuals on the team, the right people will stay . The goal is simple at our farm, build a supportive environment for ambitious farmers and discover the amazing food they can grow together.

Thanks for stopping by! My name is Zahnia. I am the founder of Everyday Micros Farm. I'm building a farm team that raises the bar. Growing microgreens, micro herbs and edible flowers for Toronto chefs and Hamilton chefs.