Young Farmers tell their Stories with “Dinner Starts Here” Blog Platform
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
A new initiative called “Dinner Starts Here” rolled out by Farm & Food Care Ontario, will serve as a platform for younger farmers to tell their stories about food and farming.
While the initiative is being supported by Farm & Food Care, the idea came from social media guru Andrew Campbell - a dairy farmer from Middlesex, Ontario. Campbell hopes that this new project will demonstrate that young farmers enjoy what they do and are excited about the future of agriculture. Campbell also goes on to note that while the majority of Canadians are interested in learning more about where their food comes from, many farmers are often uncomfortable about engaging with social media and interacting with a non-farming public.
The young farmers who will be participating in the “Dinner Starts Here” social media platform were recruited based on their geography and commodities that they farm. The team includes:
•Stephanie Campbell of Perth, Ontario (eggs and grains)
•Erin Leduc of Moose Creek, Ontario (grains and seed sales)
•Erin McLean of Lakefield, Ontario (fruits and vegetables)
•Justin Williams of Bloomfield, Ontario (dairy cows and maple syrup)
•Scott Snyder of Winterbourne, Ontario (beef cattle, crops and custom operations)
•Jacob Pelissero of St. Ann’s, Ontario (eggs)
•Kendra Leslie of Port Elgin, Ontario (hogs)
•Sarah Brien of Ridgetown, Ontario (sheep)
•Stephanie Kowalski of Glencairn, Ontario (potatos)
•Andrew Campbell of Appin, Ontario (dairy cows and grains)
The project is actively searching for sponsorship to support the initiative. Some sponsors have already come forward and they include: Farm & Food Care Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd., and the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency.
The young farmer team has already begun posting material in the form of blogs and videos online. To find out more information about this initiative or to engage with the participants can be accessed through the following:
Twitter - @HowDinnerStarts
Facebook - www.facebook.com/DinnerStartsHere
Blog: www.dinnerstartshere.ca
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dinnerstartshere
