Everybody Wins - Ottawa's Just Food Farm

Wrapping up our Stories of Regeneration tour, we land in Ottawa at Just Food Community Farm, a 150-acre farmstead located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt that is championing small-scale, viable agriculture businesses and initiatives like Chi Garden and Urban Fresh Produce.

Dedicated to cultivating a thriving local food economy and sustainable farming sector, Just Food integrates agroecology-based conservation with land stewardship. The farm is a testament to how community-led initiatives can redefine our food systems, offering food sovereignty for all, including newcomers to Canada. Its Start-up Farm Program addresses the critical barrier of land access, turning aspiring individuals into farmers and fostering community regeneration.

Highlighting this unique model, Chadwick Lewis (Urban Fresh Produce) and Sun Shan (Chi Garden), participants of the program, share their experiences in our series finale, underscoring the farm’s role in sustainable agriculture and community building.

Highlights:

• 6:45 – What is Just Food Community Farm?
• 15:25 – Chadwick and Sun Shan talk about their individual farms and how they got involved in agriculture.
• 23:14 – What regenerative practices do they implement on their individual farms?
• 34:33 – Sun Shan and Chadwick talk about food sovereignty.
• 46:02 – How can we support new Canadians who want to get involved in agriculture and ensure economic viability?
• 1:02:31 – Why did Sun Shan and Chadwick choose farming?

Thanks to Regeneration Canada and Rural Routes to Climate Solutions for partnering to air this episode on Food Farm Talk and CFRU. Useful links:

• Stories of Regeneration
• Stories of Regeneration Short Film Series
• Regeneration Canada’s Farm Map
• Just Food Community Farm

If you want to learn more, we recommend you check out the following:

• EP 47 – The Regen Mindset
• EP 67 – Total Grazing – SoR Part 1
• EP 69 – Loyal to the Soil – SoR Part 2
• EP 70 – Maximizing Soil Function – SoR Part 3
• EP 71 – Sharing the Land – SoR Part 4
• EP 72 – Connecting People to Place – SoR Part 5
• EP 73 – Diversity is Resiliency – SoR Part 6
• EP 75 – From Pastures to Cheese – SoR Part 7
• EP 76 – Partners in the Ecosystem – SoR Part 8
• EP 77 – Healthy Food, Healthy Communities – SoR Part 9

 Our Farmers Blog shares stories about Alberta farmers who do an exceptional job of caring for the land, producing food, and building up their communities.

This podcast has been partially funded by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.