The mentorship program allows participants to experience farming before owning one.

Meghan Johnny with partner David Matheson, are two of the participants in the Marthas New Growers program in 2022. (Beata Gesicka)

Meghan Johnny says with the rise in severe weather events and increased instability in the global supply chain, she feels a duty to be a farmer.

“The better I can learn to grow food for myself and my community, the more equipped I am to continue to take care of my community for the future,” she said.

Johnny is one of four young Ontarian urbanites learning the intricacies of organic farming through a mentorship program in Antigonish, N.S.

The Marthas New Growers program was launched by members of the Sisters of Martha in 2013 as a pathway for participants to learn the skills required to run a small-scale organic farm before buying a farm of their own.

Johnny is from Hamilton and her partner — whose family lives just outside Antigonish — makes up half of this year’s participants. The couple moved to Nova Scotia in 2020.

Meghan Johnny inspects some crops at the small-scale farm in Antigonish, N.S. (David Matheson)

“Our goal has always been to start our own small vegetable farm and we are right now in the process of looking for land,” said Johnny. “But as many people know, it is kind of a difficult time to find land in the province,” she said.

Johnny said they will be growing a variety of vegetables, ranging from lettuce and tomatoes to cucumbers and winter squash.

Describing the choice of crops as a “balancing act,” Johnny said people want to see a variety of things on their table so they have made a choice to grow some less profitable crops like broccoli.

David Greenberg has been the mentor for the Marthas New Growers since its inception in 2013. (Hillary Rancourt)

David Greenberg of Abundant Acres Farm near Centre Burlington, N.S., has been the mentor for the program since its inception nine years ago.

Read more: CBC 

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