A new classic, black and white calendar showcasing the photos and stories of 12 Ontario farmers is now available. The popular “Faces of Farming” calendar, now in its sixth year, is designed to dispel some of the myths and common stereotypes about today’s farmers and put a face on the people who produce food in Ontario.
“Less than two per cent of Canadians farm, so this is our way of introducing you to some of our farmers and letting them tell the story behind our food,” says John Maaskant, chicken farmer and Chair of the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC), the organization behind the project. “Our surveys have shown that 95% of Canadians know very little about where their food comes from, but most are interested in learning more – especially directly from a farmer.”
All of the calendar’s models are real, working Ontario farmers, from Sarnia to Niagara to the Ottawa Valley, and produce dairy, poultry, pork, beef, goat’s milk, veal and crops like corn, wheat, soybeans, carrots and onions.
The artistic, black and white calendar photos are compelling, as are the farmers’ stories which include:
• A city girl from Chatham whose training as a veterinary technician helped her discover a love for working with pigs. She now works on a farm caring for newborn piglets (November);
• An immigrant family who fulfilled their lifelong dream of farming by moving to Canada and raising dairy cows in the Ottawa Valley (June);
• And many more!
Due to popular demand, 7,000 copies have been printed, more than double the 3,000 copies printed in the first year of the calendar’s release. For the first time ever, the $10 calendar will be sold at 41 TSC stores across Ontario this year, beginning November 1. It is also available through the OFAC office in Guelph, by using the online order form www.ofac.org or by calling 519-837-1326.
