Improving food sovereignty on Manitoulin Island: Sheshegwaning First Nation

Freshly grown produce is sold directly to the community under the brand Odawa Freshwater Gardens.

Project at a Glance

• Launched June 2020 in Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island.
• Project goal: Increase self-sufficiency and food security within the Nation and economic development opportunities available on Manitoulin Island.
• Distribution model: Freshly grown produce is sold directly to community members and to a local snack bar under the brand Odawa Freshwater Gardens.
• Impact: Community members gain access to fresh produce in any season, without the added burden of travelling a great distance to neighbouring markets. Profits are retained as band revenue, ensuring these funds are used to benefit the community. Additionally, the project is expanding with a second farm.
• Operator: One lead operator and an office manager split the duties of managing and operating the farm.

Limited Access to Fresh Produce

Sheshegwaning First Nation, located on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, faced challenges in accessing fresh, nutritious produce year-round. The remote location, coupled with harsh winters, severely limits the availability of affordable, locally grown food.

“We live 40 minutes away from the closest grocery store, so for us, we're like the last stop,” explains April Folz, economic development director of Sheshegwaning First Nation. “We get the last selection of greens. We get the last of everything.”

The pandemic only made matters worse. “With COVID-19, there have been times we haven’t been able to get fresh produce as readily as we want from neighbouring grocery stores,” shared Sheshegwaning Chief Dean Roy with The Manitoulin Expositor.

With limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables for a good chunk of the year, the Nation needed a cost-effective solution that could provide fresh produce, enable greater self-sufficiency, reduce dependency on external suppliers, and create local economic opportunities.

“We live 40 minutes away from the closest grocery store, so for us, we’re like the last stop. We get the last of everything.”

— April Folz, economic development director, Sheshegwaning First Nation

A community survey was conducted to figure out which greens would be grown in the farm. 

Hydroponic Farming for Year-Round Growing

To tackle these issues, Sheshegwaning First Nation partnered with Growcer, a company dedicated to empowering communities to grow fresh, hyper-local produce year-round using hydroponic modular farms.

The idea first caught Folz’s attention at a conference in Quebec, where she noticed that Growcer’s greens were thriving in their hydroponic environment despite the snowy outdoor conditions. “And then COVID happened,” recalls Folz. “There were no vegetables at the grocery store. And stuff that was there was brown.”

This situation and the historical lack of fresh produce in the area were the motivation needed to take the next steps toward establishing a modular farm. With the Sheshegwaning Chief’s support, the idea began to take root as Folz and her team worked out the logistics.

From conducting community surveys and deciding what to grow to securing financing and hiring staff for the container farm, there were many issues to address. However, with Growcer’s support, the process was relatively easy, Folz adds — due, in part, to the fact that the community was excited at the prospect of having a consistent supply of fresh local greens within the Nation. In the summertime, the Nation has an outdoor farm and farmers’ market, but their Growcer farm operates year-round.

“The possibility of being able to access fresh greens every week — they were really excited about that,” she says. Additionally, the community was hopeful that the farm could provide greater food security, guaranteeing that people could access food when they need it.

“The possibility of being able to access fresh greens every week — they were really excited about that.”

— April Folz, economic development director, Sheshegwaning First Nation

Results: Fresh Greens in Any Season