Gina Nickels, Produce Harvester
Basic Facts
Employer: Growing Prospects
Typical Education: High School Diploma
Salary Range: $20,000 - $30,000
Skill Type: Primary Industry: Agriculture, Fishing, etc. (NOC 8)
Industry Sector: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (NAICS 11)
NOC Code: 8432
NOC Occupation: Nursery & Greenhouse Worker
Useful High School Subjects:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Math
- English
Unique Business
Unique Business(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"Growing Prospects is probably the only producer of fresh herbs in the province, and our cash crop is basil."
My Job
MY JOBTitle: Production Assistant/Harvester
Key Tasks & Responsibilities:
- harvest various herbs
- fill orders according to daily/weekly customer requirements
- weed the indigenous species garden at the Forks
- harvest for 'walk-in' customers
Year Started: 2000
Works with:
- other harvesters, growers
- administrative assistant
- greenhouse staff
Reports to:
- Primary Grower
- Greenhouse Manager
- General Manager TOC
Flexible Work
Flexible Work(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"I'm what they call 'Production Assistant', which is another word for harvester and person who gets all the orders cut and packaged and ready for the courier.
"A lot of us here do a lot of different things. We work in the wheat grass room and we seed and we sweep and clean and propagate."
Fresh Cut Advantage
Fresh Cut AdvantageThe thing that makes Growing Prospects product special is freshness. Our herbs are fresh cut which is very important to our customers.
We sell our herbs to many local restaurants as well as to fresh food markets and bakeries.
There is also a retail side to the business. People come in and will ask for half a pound of basil or a handful of rosemary and we're pretty good about giving them what they want.
Products
ProductsBasil
We have several varieties of basil. Our cash crop is sweet basil but we also grow Thai, spicy globe and cinnamon basil from Mexico, which wasn't used as food originally. It was put on the table to ward off bugs.
Wheat Grass
We are the only producers in Manitoba of wheat grass. It's used in locally made juice bars and it's so popular now that we have an entire 'wheat grass room'.
Other Herbs
We also grow rosemary, thyme and two kinds of sage - garden and golden. We grow mint, chocolate mint and stevia, which is from Paraguay. Its leaf is a natural sugar substitute.
Short Growing Season
Short Growing SeasonWe have such a short growing season here in Manitoba which makes it hard to have fresh herbs year round. It's often difficult to get your basil going outdoors even in April or May.
So because we grow indoors we can have a fast turnover which meets the steady year round demand.
Where I Work
Where I WorkGrowing Prospects was started by teacher Dave Taylor, who had taught a little boy who became a victim of a gang incident.
This tragedy sparked the idea to put RCMP confiscated hydroponic equipment, usually just tossed in landfills, to good use.
The money made from growing herbs with this equipment is donated to Choices, an organization dedicated to youth gang prevention.
My Resume
MY RESUMEEducation & Training
1999: Native Plant Identification Course - A six week course offered by the Museum of Man & Nature
1999: Growing Prospects - Six month training program that included Botany, English, Mathematics upgrading, Personal Development
1992: Associated Arts Degree - 2 year college program, California
Experience
2000 - Present: Growing Prospects
1999 - 2000: Southern Tropics
1992 - 1999: Various jobs in retail, food service in California and Winnipeg
TOC
Indoors and Out
Indoors and OutI first started working here when they needed somebody to work outside. I had taken their course so I went for it.
Then they needed someone to work inside so I just moved on inside and became the harvester.
So I have the real luxury of doing both. In the winter I'm in here where it's warm and in the summer I'm out there where it can get H-O-T!
Hands-On Gig
Hands-On Gig(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"I did it by just doing it. It's a hands-on kind of a gig. And just going outside and learning the weeds!"
Six Month Course
Six Month CourseI was lucky to get into the six month training program just before it changed to six weeks.
It was more in depth than it can be now so I learned a lot, from working in the greenhouse to botany, harvesting and fertilizers as well personal development skills.
Me and My Job
ME AND MY JOBLikes
- working in such a unique environment
- plants
- meeting different people
- doing plant research
- working outside in summer
Challenges
- trying to keep up with knowing about all the plants
- people who treat indigenous plants as just 'noxious weeds'
TOC
Like a Family
Like a FamilyEverybody here, our crew and our staff, are very supportive of everyone else. They're really compassionate and more like a family.
That's important to me because my own family is so far away. It makes for a satisfying work environment.
Physical Work
Physical WorkIt's hard work inside because we're standing on our feet a lot cutting all day and sometimes lifting big bags of soil and stuff.
But working outside in the prairie garden, weeding and bending tends to be more physical than inside jobs. And it gets quite hot inside too.
The upside is that with all these plants about, it smells so nice!
Farmer At Heart
Farmer At Heart(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"My grandmother was always digging in the dirt. My great-grandmother always had plants all around and she'd love digging in the dirt. My dad was a really good landscaper - still is.
"So I can appreciate it. I've always been really interested in the medicinal plants, the edible indigenous native plants."
"Sounds weird but I always wanted to be a farmer!"
Recreating Nature
Recreating NatureWe try to create June 21st inside here every day. We keep it humid and warm, even hot in the summer months.
Then, like any garden, it needs bugs to keep an organic balance. So we use IPM or "Integrated Pest Management". There's a company in Toronto that sends us ladybugs and other beneficial bugs.
By doing this, we're creating a natural environment inside, not only with light and the sun but with the bug population as well.
My Day
MY DAYHarvester Schedule
8:00 am: Arrive, make coffee, check for new orders
8:30 am: Package orders and prepare them for delivery
10:30 am: Begin harvesting
11:30 am: Lunch
12:00 pm: Resume harvesting
2:30 pm: General tasks like mixing fertilizers, clean up, water 'mother' plants, etc.
3:00 pm: Go home!
TOC
Facility Tours
Facility ToursFrom time to time Growing Prospects gives schools and other groups the opportunity to tour the facility.
We show them the various methods and processes we use and help to educate people on the many benefits of hydroponic growing.
Prairie Garden
Prairie GardenThe Forks created their indigenous species garden to bring awareness of Manitoba's endangered tall grasses and plants.
They contract Growing Prospects to maintain the garden. So I'm the Tall Grass Prairie Meadow Manager or 'Head Weeder', working to keep it lush and healthy.
My tasks include weeding the Prairie Garden of non-indigenous weeds, watering it and informing visiting public about the Garden. I also take care of five other locations located on the Forks site.
Pace
PaceWe have some pretty crazy days where we've already lots of harvesting to do for standing orders and then someone will call in and ask for three pounds of basil or a pound of thyme.
So we have to stop, fill their order and then continue on. We generally cut for the next day and some days are slower than others but Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays in particular can get very hectic.
Pitching in
Pitching in(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"Orders, getting to their right restaurant or grocery store; just making sure that that all goes smoothly.
"'Cause sometimes it can be really crazy and chaotic and so you have to be really clear and make sure that everything's done and ready to go."
About Me
ABOUT MEBackground
- grew up in California
- moved to Manitoba in 1999 with my son
Interests/Activities
- sign language classes
- cycling
- backpacking & camping
- herb gardening TOC
Living in Manitoba
Living in Manitoba(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"Winnipeg's been good to me. I'm in a really good spot right now and, I don't really like the winters but, you know, I still ride my bike in the winter. You've just got to get out in it."
Lots To Do
Lots To DoManitoba is unique. It's very urban and I'm not really used to urban but I can get around on my bike pretty much anywhere.
An hour or two's drive and you can be at a lake or a park where you can go backpacking or camping.
I've hiked the Mantario trail and spent time in the Whiteshell. There's so much to do close to home.
My Future
MY FUTUREI'm looking forward to learning more about both the administrative and practical side of the business.
Growing Prospects encourages its staff to seek out courses for professional development. We're fortunate in that we're starting to talk about taking courses that might help us. TOC
New Greenhouses
New GreenhousesOver the next couple of years Growing Prospects plans to expand their business with the opening of two large greenhouses in Winnipeg.
The first one, scheduled to open in the spring of 2004 will have 20,000 square feet of growing space.
They are also working closely with the town of Lynn Lake in northern Manitoba and the Communities Futures Development Corp. to open a hydroponic facility also using confiscated equipment, to grow fresh vegetables year round.
Advice
AdviceMy advice is to tighten your boots, jump in and just start doing it. You're going to have to want to work and do those jobs that we all do, like sweep the floor and clean the bathroom.
But you'll learn that there's a lot more to gardening and producing herbs than you'd think.
It's fun because it's a good environment and people are pretty laid back, but you'll still have to pull your weight.
Restorative Gardening
Restorative GardeningTrees are lost along the river all the time due to erosion. But there are indigenous plants that can act as stabilizers for the soil that would shore up the banks and lessen the damage from soil erosion.
I think that would be really cool to work on restorative projects like that along the city's riverbanks.
Future Prospects
Future Prospects(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)
"I think there's a future in hydroponics because of our short growing seasons and because of our location.
"There's lots of things that you can grow; tomatoes, cucumbers. I think it would only help Manitoba be more self-sufficient."
Regional Cuisine
Regional CuisineThere's a trend right now for 'Regional Cuisine', which is creating meals from locally available foods.
I think there's a future in that. To grow a garden with that as its focus…wouldn't that be interesting?
Useful Links
MORE INFOStudent Program
Growing Prospects has a six week hands-on training program sponsored by Human Resources Development Canada.
The program teaches hydroponic processes, seeding, harvesting, growing herbs, wheat grass and other plants as well as communication, business and personal development skills. The program is offered to 20 eligible participants each year and is open anyone in any age category as well as to those on EI or Social Assistance.
On completion of the program, Growing Prospects endeavors to connect its graduates with employers such as Rona Home & Garden, Shelmerdine Nurseries and other local horticultural businesses. TOC
Job Market Info
Job Market InfoThe links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges and long range prospects for this career.
The official name for Gina's occupation is "Nursery and Greenhouse Worker" and its *NOC code is 8432.
Manitoba Job Futures
Manitoba Labour Market Information
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupational Classification' code or 'NOC'.
Education
Education
Useful High School Subjects*
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Math
- English
*Source: Job Futures.ca
Below are links to various programs and courses that will put you on the path to a career in greenhouse nursery or horticulture work.
Red River College
Full Time Programs
(Click on "Greenspace Management") Program
University of Manitoba
(Continuing Education)
Prairie Horticulture
Greenhouse Crop Production
Landscaping and Arboriculture
Nursery Crop Production
R. B. Russell Vocational School
Landscaping and Gardening
Industry Association
Industry AssociationFrom french fry factories to fish markets; from fresh herbs to food-based pharmaceuticals, the Manitoba Food Processors Association - MFPA exists to support and promote Manitoba's food industry to the world.
The MFPA gives Manitoba's food producers a powerful voice in the global marketplace and ensures continuous health for our province's food industry, through ongoing training initiatives, networking, industry publications and sales promotions under the "Manitoba Made logo".
Related Careers
Related CareersSome related careers from the Human Resources Development Canada web site:
Nursery and Greenhouse Operators and Managers (8254)
Landscape & Horticultural Technicians and Specialists (2225)
Harvesting Labourers (8611)
Landscaping Labourers, Gardening Helpers (8612)
Professional Associations
Professional AssociationsThe Herb Society of Manitoba is dedicated to promoting knowledge, use and enjoyment of herbs through education, programs, research and sharing the experience of its members with the community. The Herb Society of Manitoba is an affiliated member of the Canadian Herb Society.