Company description

Hayshaker Farm is a small-scale, mix-powered commercial vegetable growing operation based in the SE Washington state. 2026 marks our twelfth season. The business is owned and operated on leased land by Chandler Briggs and co-managed by Caidy Albano + Theo Ciszewski.

We are thrilled that as of June 2025, our farmland was saved by the Blue Mountain Land Trust, which gives us long term tenure and a safe, secure farm home base!

We farm on 8 irrigated acres, growing diversified vegetables and fruit for local families, grocery stores and restaurants. We sell mostly through our online market called the Walla Walla Food Hub. We feature our produce but carry many other producers’ goods from across the region. The food hub is managed by the farmers and is a regular part of the work here.

Our farm is partly draft horse-powered, thanks to the help of our fuzzy teammates, Dusty, Juni and Jane and sometimes other helpful visiting horses + mules. In addition to the compost they help create daily, they help us plow, disc, harrow, cultimulch, cultivate, spread compost, pull loads and harvest crops. We also use a BCS for tilling and flail mowing. We have a small tractor for pallet forks, bucket, flail mower, rotary mower and transplanter. We are 4 miles from downtown Walla Walla and part of a fantastic local community. It is a thriving college-town city of 40,000+, with excellent outdoor activities, restaurants, bakeries, breweries, music, theater, lectures and wine production.

Applicants should desire to work on a small-scale, high production vegetable farm and local food hub. Ideally all candidates have the ability to lift 50+ pounds regularly and work 7+ hour days, sometimes in the rain and wind, and often in a hot, dry, sunny environment. Ideal candidates love food, cooking, being outside, warm weather, and sunshine. Previous farming experience is not required for all positions, and pay varies depending on the extent of your experience and what position you apply for. See each position for specifics.

We are a crew of 4-10 people depending on the time of year. Some work is independent, and some is in a team. You will need to be able to work with others, listen and follow directions well. During the hottest time of the summer, we usually start at 6am but in the shoulder season we have a later start time that varies depending on work load and weather. Our goal is to work efficiently and with efficacy. We believe in time for you to regenerate, explore and enjoy time off the farm so you will get two consecutive days off—Saturday+Sunday. We share weekend chores of irrigation & feeding. We aim to keep everyone under 40 hrs/week but pay overtime of 1.5x when it happens. Winter work is variable and weather dependent but almost always 20+ hours/person. We believe in maintaining adequate work/life balance for everyone on the farm.

Our teams of draft horses power many of our implements. These job positions are not crafted to teach you how to work horses, but you will be working with them at times, when we harvest some crops, or cultivate. Previous experience with horses is not necessary, but a respect for these gentle giants is required.

What you can expect from us:

19 years of farming experience in business ownership
Approaching relationships with care, love, curiosity and compassion
Investment in tools, equipment and improvements
Flexibility for time off
Focus on work/life balance, through communication and time spent
Understanding that no one is perfect
Desire to feed all community members, regardless of income level
Some farm mottos we have painted around the place: “Have fun and be safe,” “Every Farm Needs a Team,” and “Eat the Rainbow”

Our hiring process: applications will be reviewed within 2 weeks. We will schedule a zoom video interview, or in-person interview that should take between 30-60 minutes, which includes time for you to ask questions as well. If you are in the area, we may ask for a paid working interview.

Job description

We are looking for smart, strong and detail-oriented folks to join our 2026 summer/fall farm crew. Ideal farm crew candidates will have a strong interest in food and farming, and enjoy working both on a team and individually. We have a unique and fun business model–growing produce and running a food hub on one property. Join our small but mighty crew growing food and feeding the community. Produce and food hub goods are sold to local, regional and state-wide families, restaurants, groceries, and food banks.

Walla Walla Food Hub is located at Hayshaker Farm and is part of the same business–time worked here is one paycheck, one W-2.

Responsibilities
Work under direction from and in collaboration with farm owner and managers, including the Farm Manager, Food Hub Managers, and Harvest Lead; communicate in person and on Slack

Farm duties (90+%)
Harvest, wash and pack produce 3-5 days/week
Perform field work including but not limited to seeding, transplanting, trellising, hand weeding, hoeing, using row cover, moving irrigation
Perform non-field work: greenhouse work, plant starts, delivering, tractor driving, farm clean up & projects, kitchen work

Food Hub duties (<10%)
As needed, help with packing, organizing and running the food hub (non-farm products)

Background and Skills

Required

• Good communication skills
• Energetic and motivated personality
• Excellent work ethic and positive attitude, adaptability to challenges
• Self-starter mentality, always looking for how to help the team
• Flexibility and desire to learn new methods and farm systems
  Attention to detail, with emphasis on quality control
• Conscientious and able to work with all kinds of people
• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions: hot summers, cold winters
• Ability to drive large van
• Strong back and knees

Desired

• Practical knowledge of local farms, ability to understand the needs of different groceries for proper packing and storage is desired
• Experience working in farming, grocery or food hubs
  Willingness to commit through end of November; returning to work in spring 2027
• Ability to drive stick shift, tractors

Housing: We have a farm crew house ½ mile away with rooms for rent. The house is within easy and safe walking or biking distance of the farm, as well as a local grocery store, and other amenities. We can spread the word in our network to inquire about other open housing in the community. There are also local listings. Everyone who has worked here from out of town has been able to find housing prior to moving to the area.

Food: all farm seconds and some items we grow are available for the crew. Near-cost farmer pricing on other products sold in our food hub. Meals are on your own, with some weekly shared lunches.

Paid Worker’s Compensation: covered with LNI state program

Paid Family Medical Leave: WA state program

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $16.66 - 20/hr

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline

Attachment

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