Release Date: July 12th, 2023
What does using your farm as a tool to fight the climate crisis actually look like? Co-host Stuart Oke sits down with four farmers from across the country to learn how when forced to change, age-old skills and tools can serve us well. Scaling up the contextual and unique solutions these farmers use are accessible to all if we use the values behind them as our guide – open-mindedness, adaptability, creativity, cooperation, and reciprocity.
Check out the links below for more on what you heard in this episode.
Cast
Madeline (Maddie) Marmor— Host/Producer
Maddie is a landless farmer born in downtown Toronto. She has been farming for the past 7 years on farms throughout Ontario and has grown food on the current and traditional lands of the Houdensaunee, Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk, Mississauga, Odawa, Wendake-Nionwentsïo, Petun, Saugeene - Ojibiway nations.Over the years she has come to recognize the privilege and political significance of farming on stolen land, knowledge which has informed her dedication to food sovereignty and agroecology. She is a member of the National Farmers Union and sits on the Climate Justice collective for the international social movement La Via Campesina.
Stuart Oke — Co-host/Executive Producer
Stuart is a young farmer from Eastern Ontario who, alongside his partner Nikki, owns and operates Rooted Oak Farm, a 12 acre organic vegetable and cut flower farm. After years of renting land Rooted Oak in 2020 relocated to Eastern Ontario, and the traditional territory of the Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudensaunee and Oneida Peoples. In addition to loving food and taking pride in growing food that sustains people, the farm was founded on the idea that farming is a political act, one capable of creating great change. Stuart is a former Youth President for the National Farmers Union and Vice President for Canadian Organic Growers. He chairs the National Farmers Union climate committee and is a contributor to Canada's Sustainable Agriculture Strategy. He also works on the Farm Resilience and Mentorship Program with the National Farmer Coalition Farmers for Climate Solutions.
www.rootedoak.ca | @rootedoakfarm
Brenda Hsueh — Guest
Brenda farms with her husband Skyler Radojkovic, and their daughter Emma at Black Sheep Farm, where they grow organically and raise sheep on pasture for lamb meat, fibre, and tanned lambskins. The farm was started by Brenda in 2009, who is a Canadian-born Chinese woman, who left a financial career in downtown Toronto to start farming.
Manish Kushwaha — Guest
Manish owns and operates Gaia Organics, an organic seed company based in the Ottawa area. Gaia Organics’ broad vision is to serve Canadian organic farmers by providing a diversity of Canadian organically grown seeds and to build an interconnected network among farmers.
Julia Smith — Guest
Julia operates Blue Sky Ranch, located just south-west of Merritt in the beautiful rolling foothills of the Coquihalla mountain range. The 21 acre farm is home to pastured cattle and Red Wattle Pigs.