All posts by Monica Allaby

The College Farmer: Marisa Lenetsky

Posted by Monica Allaby on February 04, 2017 2 Comments

This post is part of The College Farmer, a series of interviews with student farmers from across Canada. Marisa Lenetsky is a farm worker from Brooklyn, New York, and a recent graduate from the Sustainability, Science, and Society program at McGill University. During her time at McGill, Marisa worked at the Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Garden (MSEG), a diversified vegetable farm on MacDonald Campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. Run entirely by student apprentices and managers, MSEG is an intense farmer incubator program. Each student commits to two seasons at the farm: the first as an apprentice and the second as a manager, responsible for training new apprentices. Young Agrarians spoke … Continue reading The College Farmer: Marisa Lenetsky →

The College Farmer: Erlend Bjorklund

Posted by Monica Allaby on January 21, 2017

Student Farmer Erlend Bjørklund smiling at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Farmers' Market.

This is the first in a series of interviews with student farmers from across Canada.  Erlend Bjørklund graduated from McGill University in December 2016 with Honours in International Development Studies. During his time at McGill, he worked at the Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Garden (MSEG), a diversified vegetable farm located on McGill University’s Macdonald Campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. Run entirely by student apprentices and managers, the Garden offers a one-of-a-kind experience in sustainable agriculture and farm management, serving as an intense farmer incubator. Each student commits to two seasons at the farm: the first as an apprentice and the second as a manager, responsible for … Continue reading The College Farmer: Erlend Bjorklund →

JOB: Sackville, NB – ACORN Executive Director

Posted by Monica Allaby on January 08, 2017

  Job Opportunity: Executive Director at the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network Since 2000, ACORN has been Atlantic Canada’s key organization for information on organic agriculture and eating organics. From seed to farmer to consumer, ACORN’s talented and dedicated team works to support a unified and effective organic sector throughout the region. ACORN is currently recruiting for a new Executive Director, who will be responsible for leading the organization according to the strategic direction set by our Board of Directors. This is a permanent, full-time career opportunity, based out of Sackville, NB. Who should apply? You are an energetic, focused, and … Continue reading JOB: Sackville, NB – ACORN Executive Director →

Seeds of Change: The 2016 ACORN Conference

Posted by Monica Allaby on October 07, 2016

Want to learn more about organic agriculture on the East Coast of Canada? Registration is now open for the 2016 ACORN Conference & Trade Show. SEEDS OF CHANGE: CHANGING CLIMATE, CHANGING AGRICULTURE Join the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) in Moncton, New Brunswick, on November 28–30 for the annual ACORN Conference & Trade Show! ACORN’s conference is a fun, three-day event that brings together organic and sustainable farmers, processors and businesses from across Atlantic Canada and beyond. To learn more about the workshops and events that will be offered, visit the Conference Program. To ensure your spot at this year’s exciting … Continue reading Seeds of Change: The 2016 ACORN Conference →

Job Offers: Internships at Santropol Roulant, Quebec

Posted by Monica Allaby on February 06, 2016

Santropol Roulant is a community food hub located in Montreal that brings people together through various programs, activities and services. As part of its agriculture program, Santropol Roulant is offering two 6-month positions: an internship in peri-urban farming and an apprenticeship in urban agriculture. Internship in Peri-Urban Farming  Spend 6 months on Santropol Roulant’s farm in Senneville, deepening your knowledge of organic farming and growing organic food for Santropol Roulant’s food security programs. This position is specifically targeted towards applicants with 1 year of previous experienceon a rural or peri-urban farm. Key responsibilities: Under the guidance of the farm co-managers, the … Continue reading Job Offers: Internships at Santropol Roulant, Quebec →

Growing Young Farmers at the MacDonald Student Gardens

Posted by Monica Allaby on November 25, 2015 1 Comment

We begin the day sleepy-eyed, yawning, and low-energy, having just rolled out of bed and biked to the fields. Throughout the day spent in the open air, we gain strength and energy, doing work that requires using our muscles and minds equally. We finish around 5:30 PM feeling exhausted and accomplished, arriving home with dirty hands and knees, with soil in our hair and ears and deep in the corners of our eyes. – Matthew McCormick, student farmer at the MacDonald Student-Run Ecological Gardens It was nearing eleven and the late September sun was beating down on the rolling cornfields surrounding … Continue reading Growing Young Farmers at the MacDonald Student Gardens →

Soil Matters: Register for the Largest Organic Conference in Atlantic Canada

Posted by Monica Allaby on November 09, 2015

The Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) will be hosting its 15th Annual Celebratory Conference and Trade Show from November 23rd-25th, 2015, at the Delta Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, PEI. The conference is an exciting, three-day event, that brings together organic farmers, processors, and businesses from across the region. Over 50 workshops will highlight Atlantic Canada’s diverse agricultural community, including: A Soil Symposium celebrating 2015 International Year of the Soils, featuring Rodale Institutes’s Jeff Moyer; A dedicated Farmer’s Market Stream in partnership with Farmer’s Markets of Nova Scotia and the Charlottetown Market; A range of workshops on Horticulture, Livestock, … Continue reading Soil Matters: Register for the Largest Organic Conference in Atlantic Canada →

Summer 2016 Garden Internship, McGill, Quebec

Posted by Monica Allaby on November 03, 2015

Looking for an internship in agriculture? If you are a McGill student interested in farming and would like to gain hands-on managerial and entrepreneurial experience, this could be a great opportunity for you! The MacDonald Student-run Ecological Gardens (MSEG), located on McGill University’s MacDonald campus in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, is a project initiated and run by students, with the cooperation of McGill professors and staff, local organic crop producers, and student volunteers. The project aims to create a structure for self-sustaining, student-run agriculture, while bridging the gaps between academia, our local community and shared environment. To apply for this farm internship, please … Continue reading Summer 2016 Garden Internship, McGill, Quebec →

Nourishing a Community: Urban Agriculture at Santropol Roulant

Posted by Monica Allaby on September 09, 2015 1 Comment

It’s late August and the rooftop vegetable gardens at Santropol Roulant, a vibrant non-profit organization located in Plateau Mont-Royal, are in full bloom. A hidden gem in one of Montreal’s most populous and dense neighbourhoods, the rooftop gardens are an urban oasis enjoyed by the Roulant’s staff, volunteers, and members of the community throughout the summer months. A surprising and delightful contrast amongst a palate of concrete and brick, Santropol Roulant’s gardens are brimming with life. Carlo Primiani, Urban Agriculture Co-Manager at Santropol Roulant, explains that the Roulant’s urban agriculture program is designed to not only support local and organic … Continue reading Nourishing a Community: Urban Agriculture at Santropol Roulant →