It’s harvest time in Bonduelle’s fields. Whether it’s in the fields, plants or offices, everyone gathers their troops and works hard during this hectic period. And that’s why we think it’s the perfect time to introduce the people behind our frozen veggies, the people who are in the action every single day. Indeed, without the fieldmen, Arctic Gardens, a Bonduelle’s brand, wouldn’t be the same. They work tirelessly to give you access to quality vegetables that are always fresh and always picked with care and passion. To learn more about them, read our article on The agricultural expertise behind Arctic Gardens vegetables.
To manage the land well, we need fieldmen. They’re Bonduelle employees who serve as intermediaries between growers and the company. They have two main functions: following up on the technical side which includes having a good understanding of the daily crop controls and production follow-ups and executing administrative tasks. Fieldmen work in harmony with growers to ensure smooth operation of the crops. Want to you know more about the harvesting process? Read our article on From field to table.
To learn about these unique people, we met with Jennifer, Ashley, Owen and Brent, four fieldmen in Ontario.
Four fieldmen from here
Jennifer: Field Manager
Agriculture is in Jennifer’s genes. She always knew that she would work in the field even when she was little. When she stops and looks at the field, the first thing she feels is that this is her place, this is where she belongs.
Jennifer works with the fieldmen. “My eyes and my information come from the fieldmen”. They bring her their records so she knows what needs to be changed to be successful in the field. Every day, she wakes up in the early morning to make sure that you get a great crop of your favourite veggies.
Challenges of the trade: the unexpected
According to Jennifer, when you work in the fields, you always have to be thinking one step ahead. “This is our only time of the year. We have to get the harvest right”.
Fieldmen: a profession that makes them proud
Her motivation is feeding people and she gets a lot of pride from that. “My job is never going to be not important. We’re not making potato chips here. We’re making healthy food. People will always need that”.
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Owen: Field Technician
Like Jennifer, Owen is an fieldmen by trade. Although he started out as fieldman five years ago, Owen grew up on a farm where his father grew peas for Bonduelle. “I’ve been around the vegetable crop my whole life”. According to Owen, to be a good fieldman, you have to be confident. When the weather isn’t on your side, you have to stay calm and react really quickly.
Challenges of the trade: the unexpected
The biggest challenge for this natural is the unexpected risks that can come up at any time. Every day is different. “We like to plan ahead, but at the end of the day, we always have to be on our toes reacting to the conditions”.
Fieldmen: a profession that makes them proud
The thing that Owen is the most proud of his harvest is that he can give back to the community. “I feel proud when we give out corn cobs to a school or a church for their fundraisers”.
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Ashley: Agricultural Supervisor
Ashley loves agriculture and the science behind it. “To me, it’s the best way to explain anything and have some sort of a conversation with Mother Nature”. She’s passionate about science and technologies. “I remember the moment I decided to dedicate my career to agriculture. I was in a field super early in the morning. The sun rose on the horizon and the air was fresh. I said to myself, ‘How can it get any better than this?’ Technologies are really important in this area because it evolves every day – and for the better”.
Challenges of the trade: the weather
“Managing working with the weather is definitely one of our biggest challenges. With temperatures that are constantly changing and unpredictable, it can sometimes be hard to do this job”.
Fieldmen: a profession that makes them proud
Working with living things, that’s what makes Ashley proud to be a fieldwoman. She likes to see how vegetables start from seed and grow all the way up till they become a product. She likes to see how well they grow in the field.
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Brent: Agricultural Technician
Brent loves the challenges that agriculture and nature throw at him. Every day is different and there are always new problems that need to be solved. This profession is perfect for him because he always has to prove himself. In fact, he works with living things and has to accept new challenges by developing innovative techniques every day.
Challenges of the trade: the weather
Like Ashley, the biggest challenge for Brent is the weather. “We’re fighting weather from the day we plant the crop to the day we harvest the crop”. But Brent realized that it’s not something he can control, so is always trying his best.
Fieldmen: a profession that makes them proud
The thing that Brent is most proud of are the results of the harvest when the veggies are ready to be eaten and he can see them served at the table.
Did you know?
As you can see, the Arctic Gardens brand from Bonduelle is much more than simply vegetables – it’s the person behind the scenes who works tirelessly to give people high-quality products.
Arctic Gardens is: vegetables, a profession, passion, innovation, perseverance, time, and above all else, it’s teamwork.
