We recently attended an EFAO* Kitchen Table Meeting hosted by a generous group of friends in Rockwood, ON (unhonoured treaty lands**). The group of new and young farmers that attended discussed the meaning of co-operative land ownership/stewardship, co-operative business models, interpersonal practices and questions to examine when considering a co-operative project as well as some of the governance, legal, tax and financial structures that pertain to co-operative farm projects. Having these discussions with other young farmers and farm related peeps is so rich and inspired all of us to continue to make time for these meetings! So many thanks to everyone for making time and to our friends for showing us their farm and teeny Dexter cattle!
This lovely little image came from their fridge and reminded us
why we are pursuing farming
why we are choosing to farm ecologically
why we are increasingly interested in co-operative models for accessing land that have the potential to diversify and strengthen rural communites and nourish our creativity
*The EFAO is the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario check out their mission here: https://efao.ca/mission-vision/
