Our Story
It’s Giving Farm is a farm owned and operated by Fianna Dirks and Ekow Stone. The two farmers met as co-workers in the summer of 2020 at an urban farm project in Etobicoke ON. In the years spent working together co-managing a 3 acre urban farm site, they became a rock solid duo, growing beautiful produce with an amazing team for the surrounding community. While thoroughly enjoying their role as urban farmers, educators, and community workers, Fianna and Ekow longed for a farm to call their own.
In the spring of 2022, a Request For Proposal to live and farm in Toronto’s Rouge National Urban Park began circulating our networks. We decided to seize on the opportunity and apply with the support from our friend and colleague. After many months of anticipation, we were offered a long-term lease for a beautiful home, and 7 acres in the northern tip of the park in Altona ON. Having received the keys to the house in February of 2023, our journey has only just begun!
Who We Are
Fianna Dirks
Fianna Dirks has been working as a farmer for the last 13 years focusing on organic growing, on-farm compost production, and beneficial insect habitat creation. She is extremely passionate about literally almost everything and gets immense joy from sharing this abundance of excitement with anyone around her. When not ogling over the micro universes of soil microbes and insects, they are usually reading Sci-Fi, elbow-deep in a sourdough starter, or on the hunt for a sequin outfit.
Ekow Stone
Ekow Stone has been working as a farmer and educator for the last 4 years focusing on youth engagement, cut flower production, and seed saving. He’s an artist working in the mediums of ink + pyrography, and has exhibited in a number of galleries across Southern Ontario. He enjoys passing the time watching anime, learning about ancient history and flower gazing.
The Land
We are blessed to farm on some of the richest soil in Canada on territory that is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt treaty. We are humbled and grateful to be farming on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabe, and Mississauga Nations.
We believe in the capacity of the land to heal + nourish, and are excited to share in the abundance and bounty of the land through farming methods that restore and enrich the ecosystem in which the farm belongs. This means refraining form using chemical or synthetic substances for managing pests and weeds, and only using organic fertilizers and amendments for crop vigor. To improve soil structure and life, we lay lots of compost and minimize tillage, using our power harrow to create our beds. As ecological farmers we’re committed to a farming in manner that gives back to land can flourish.
