Who Will Feed Us

Series 1

This series explores the forces that shape Canadian agriculture and the solutions needed to build a more just and ecologically sustainable food system. Throughout a nine episode arc, a variety of guests, including activists, policy advocates, and of course other farmers, farmworkers, seedkeepers and food providers, will share individual experiences as they help hosts, and listeners, understand some of the underpinnings of what we believe is a food system that serves no one a healthy meal.

IMG_2236 (Zocalo Organics)
IMG_2236 (Zocalo Organics)

Episodes

Episode 1: Who Will Feed Us

Meet our host, Ayla Fenton, and three co-hosts: Stuart Oke, Aliyah Fraser, and Madeline Marmor. Together, they will introduce the podcast and set the scene:...
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Episode 2: Corporatization of Agriculture

Join our talk about the corporatization and financialization of agriculture with Cathy Holtslander, National Farmers Union Director of Research and Policy. This episode gives us...
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Episode 3: Land Access (Part One)

Learn about land access issues, specifically the financialization of growing/farm land with our guest Katherine Aske.  We’re going to clarify the difference between valuing land...
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Episode 4: Land Access (Part Two)

Explore the issues of accessing land that are facing young farmers today. We’re thrilled to hear from Hannah Hunter and Natalie Childs of Agricola Cooperative...
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Episode 5: Migrant Farm Labour and Building the Solidarity we Need

Go on a deep exploration of the multi-faceted migrant farm labour crisis. Kit Andres, from the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, offers insight into the...
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Episode 6: The True Cost of Food

Examine how the unequal price of food starts with production. Our guest, Cheyenne Sundance, highlights the necessity of paying fair wages for farm work and explains...
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Episode 7: The Climate Crisis and Farming

Discover the very real impacts of the climate crisis on farmers and our food production system generally. Farmers are feeling the impacts now and need...
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Episode 8: The Rematriation of Seeds and Decolonizing our Food Systems

Examine this country’s agricultural system through the lens of decolonization and focusing on the importance of Indigenous foodways. Our guest, Tiffany Traverse, tells us about...
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Episode 9: Agroecology and Building a System that Works

Join our talk about agroecology and how it may offer a solution to some of the many challenges that we’ve identified in our current agricultural...
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Production Team

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Aliyah Fraser

Aliyah is a Kitchener-based farmer who owns and operates a quarter acre market garden called Lucky Bug Farm on rented land in Waterloo Region where she grows a variety of produce for a small CSA program. The farm operates within the Haldimand Tract in Kitchener, Ontario and is on the traditional territory of the Mississauga, Anishnabeg, Attiwonderonk (neutral) and Haudenoshaunee peoples. She imagines a food system where more people have access to ecologically grown food, where there is less waste and where there’s a better understanding of the labour it takes to get food from the farm to the table. Aliyah also has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies in Urban planning from the University of Waterloo. She believes that food and housing are human rights. She lives in Kitchener, Ontario with her partner Thomas and cat Frankie.

luckybugfarm.com | @luckybugfarm

Who Will Feed Us Host: Ayla Fenton '

Ayla Fenton

Ayla is a first-generation farmer and community organizer. She graduated from Queen’s University in 2011 with a B. Sc (Honours) in Biology, and since 2013 has been working on local organic farms, learning regenerative production methods for vegetables, livestock, cereal grains and dairy. Since. Ayla has been a board member of the National Farmers Union, and is a former Youth President. She has been involved with organizing young farmers and farmworkers nationally and internationally, advocating for the transition to agroecology, food sovereignty and climate justice. Ayla also represents the NFU in the global peasant movement La Via Campesina.

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Kate Garvie

Kate founded Heartbeet Farm in 2018 after spending four years working on organic vegetable farms across Ontario. She first learned about ecological agriculture at Trent University during her undergraduate degree. After completing a Master’s of Environmental Studies, Kate returned to farming with a better understanding of the connections between food sovereignty, indigenous solidarity and climate justice. She is passionate about building a local food system that is environmentally sound and socially just.

Heartbeet Farm | IG: @heartbeet_farm

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Madeline (Maddie) Marmor

Maddie is a landless farmer born in downtown Toronto. She has been farming for the past 8 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 an active member of the National Farmers Union, sits on the North American Nyéléni Coordination and accompanies systems change in food spaces as an adult education facilitator. 

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Stuart Oke

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.

www.rootedoak.ca | @rootedoakfarm