My name’s David, I’m 21 years old and I’m from Kingston, ON. I’ve gained most of my farming experience in Thunder Bay, ON. I’m very passionate about organic food production being a great way to sustain both community and environment, while also being a way to appreciate the value and beauty of good food and good company. I’m super excited for the 2016 season to start so I can work with and learn from a great bunch of people.

Dakota Varen

I started my farming career in 2012 in interior BC, having left my job, my university degree, and my home province of NS in search of a different kind of life style. My first internship very quickly changed the plans that I had set out for myself, and instead lead me across oceans following the growing season in Australia, Canada, and Central America, learning from as many communities and small scale farmers as possible. Farming has allowed me to personally work towards a nurturing healthy food system that doesn’t heavily rely on the mass transportation of products, while also growing enough abundance to help others make the same transition. This year I hope to help minimize the disconnect many consumers have in regards to their food by providing a local organically grown option that keeps soil fertility, biodiversity, and regenerative principles as its strong foundation.

You’re going to live and work on a farm in the winter? What? I had to answer this question a lot this fall. I generally explain there’s always work to do on a farm, but the cozy wood stove, awesome root cellar and the backyard winter wonderland are reasons enough. As the first member of the 2016 team to move in, I’m already excited for the rest of the crew to see firsthand what a special place Jen and David have created. Currently I’m working on shingling the beautiful little cabins around the property. I have a weird farm resume, ranging from a season living on an Ontario tobacco farm and a season in swampy rice fields. So there’s lots to learn here, but I have spent most of my life covered in dirt and blend in pretty well. I love all outdoor activities, recently learned how to ride a bike, tend to haul a small library with me and dabble in visual art. I’m settled in a couple seasons on the farm and in the summer will be running a literacy camp in Cat Lake First Nation, in northern Ontario, where I lived and worked last year.

Sarah grew up in Dartmouth, with familial ties in both the South and North shores of Nova Scotia. Having a broad love and respect for nature, Sarah pursued interests that allowed her to learn from, and interact with, her ecological environment. In 2014, after returning from a tree planting job in Northern Ontario, she became a Environmental Tech. student at NSCC Waterfront. There, she founded a student run Farmers’ Market and became a produce pack distributor. Her goal was to make organic, farm fresh foods more readily available to low-income students, such as herself. Abundant Acres supported this mission, by helping to supply 202 produce packs in just one semester. After sharing plenty of great food and great company, a lasting relationship was formed. Sarah will continue to provide affordable and accessible produce packs to students and youth over the summer, under her new business name: Be the Roots.

Hello everyone! My name is Erin and I was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. I’ve got an avid gardener-mom who always had me out in the gardens with her, and while her passion is flowers, I have discovered mine is vegetables.

Two years ago I WWOOFed across the south of France, seeing as many different types of farms as I could and experiencing as much authentic culture as possible. I saw large vegetable farms… Sheep farms… A small mountain farm where a man lived with his goats and did all his work with horses….. And I learned so much about sustainable living. Last season, I spent the first half on a horse powered vegetable CSA and livestock farm, and then WWOOFed on a few different sheep farms to learn about rotational grazing in more detail. I am now very sure that I’d like to run my own farm, focusing on vegetable production, as well as grazing animals such as sheep.

What I love about farming is being outside all day rain or shine, getting dirty, and above all being connected to the ingredients I cook with. Cooking with ingredients you grew yourself is the best feeling in the world. Second best is seeing happy customers raving about what they cooked with your produce.

I can’t wait for this season to begin at Abundant Acres. I’m excited to work with and learn from Jen and David, as well as the rest of the farm team.

Lori Maxwell

We are very fortunate to have Lori living nearby.  She is a super-co-ordinated, lightning fast, jovial person who doesn’t suffer fools lightly.  She has a catering business, and has worked at Abundant Acres part-time for the past few years.  She is a very focused worker and she’s tough, yet has a very sweet, nurturing heart.