Regenerative Organic Field Day at The New Farm

Join Canadian Organic Growers (COG) for a field day at The New Farm in Creemore, Ontario on September 26th! Our morning will be spent touring The New Farm who will be showcasing their regenerative organic vegetable farming practices, including:

After lunch (included as part of the day!) we will hear from Gillian Flies and Brent Preston, founders of The New Farm, as they share their insights and expertise on the use of best management practices in their farming. They will share their experiences, and welcome questions and discussion from participants.

This in-person field day is presented in collaboration with Ecocert Canada. This event is generously funded by the On-Farm Climate Action Fund, an initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

This event is free but spaces are limited, please sign up to RSVP. Full agenda and event details will be shared after registering. Field day will take place rain or shine, please come prepared for the weather. Water station will be provided, bring your own reusable water bottle!

The New Farm is now The New Farm Centre

We develop, demonstrate and advocate for a regenerative farming system that mitigates climate change and improves the lives of farmers. After nearly twenty years in business, The New Farm is transforming into a not-for-profit centre dedicated to making agriculture part of the solution to climate change. We’ll continue to grow top-quality produce, but our focus will be on developing and spreading farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in our soils.

Gillian Flies

Executive Director, The New Farm Centre for Climate Action

Gillian is a farmer and an active leader in movements for regenerative and organic farming. Known for her ability to convene and connect stakeholders from different areas of the food system, Gillian has been instrumental in creating strategies and policies to support on-farm climate action in Canada. She served as a representative on the federal government’s Sustainable Agriculture Strategy Advisory Committee, a board member and past President of the Canadian Organic Growers, and a founding member and past board chair of Farmers for Climate Solutions. For almost twenty years, Gillian and her husband Brent have owned and operated The New Farm, a profitable organic vegetable operation near Creemore, Ontario. In 2023 they transformed their farm business into The New Farm Centre for Climate Action, a charitable organization dedicated to mitigating climate change by developing, demonstrating and advocating for a regenerative farming system.

In addition to her farming career, Gillian has worked as a public sector management consultant and in international democratic development in Africa, Asia and South America. She is committed to building a food system that is just and sustainable.

Brent Preston

Chief of Farming and Policy, The New Farm Centre for Climate Action

Brent worked as an election observer, human rights investigator and journalist on four continents before launching his farming career. He is the former President and current board member of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, and is a founding member, past Executive Director and current President of Farmers for Climate Solutions. Brent is the author of The New Farm: Our Ten Years on the Front Lines of the Good Food Revolution, a national bestseller.