We believe aspiring farmers deserve real access to land, and communities deserve space for creativity and wellness.
When both are nurtured, livelihoods and belonging grow together.
Who we are
Roots Farm & Retreat is a land-based initiative in Eastern Ontario operating as both a Cooperative and a Not-for-Profit.
Together, we steward shared farmland as a place of opportunity, learning, and connection. The Cooperative provides long-term land access and shared agricultural infrastructure for emerging and equity-deserving farmers, with priority given to BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, and women farmers, while the Not-for-Profit cultivates accessible arts, cultural, and land-based programming that strengthens community wellbeing. Though distinct in structure, both entities are rooted in the belief that land can be a catalyst for equity, creativity, and collective resilience.
Our Mission
Our mission is to steward land in a way that restores relationship to food, to one another, and to the earth, by creating space for equity-deserving farmers to grow sustainable livelihoods and for community to gather in creativity, wellness, culture, and care.
Our Story
A few years ago, we made a small investment in a farm that quietly transformed our lives. Working the land, moving our bodies outdoors, and breathing deeply in open air became more than a livelihood, it became medicine. The rhythms of planting, tending, and harvesting brought clarity, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose.
What began as personal healing soon grew into a deeper calling: to create space where others could access these same benefits, especially those navigating the pressures and isolation of urban life or systemic barriers within agriculture.
In 2022, we purchased 75 acres of land outside of Cornwall, Ontario, between Ottawa and Montreal, with the intention of building something more than a farm. We envisioned a shared landscape where underrepresented farmers could root their enterprises, and where community members could gather for creative, cultural, and land-based wellness experiences.
Roots Farm & Retreat was born from that vision — a place where land supports livelihoods, restores relationship, and invites people back into connection with themselves, each other, and the earth.
Our Family
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Didier Boucard
FOUNDER AND ADMINISTRATION
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Sheena Ben-David
COORDINATOR AND PROJECT MANAGER
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Fimo Mitchell
WELLNESS COORDINATOR
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Chantal Vincent
CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANT
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Joey Brisson
MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE