Jamael

My name is Jamael St-Pierre and my interest in farming began when I moved to a rural property in Northern Ontario from Ottawa. From 2021 to 2025, my lifestyle changed, and I became interested in gardening and organic growing techniques. Life in the country afforded me the opportunity to plant a large garden and work in a large greenhouse. I also acquired experience in various organic growing techniques and tools, including using a BCS tractor, tarps to control weeds, growing vegetables in raised beds, and using labour-intensive gardening methods/tools. It was a delight to get my hands dirty in the garden and benefit from the silence and solitude of living in the country. While living on the rural property, I decided to leave the easy and convenient life of the public service to find meaningful employment doing manual labour. I found a job as a labourer in a construction and landscaping yard in 2025, working a physically demanding job that required repetitive lifting of heavy loads of 30 kg or more of construction and landscaping products. I worked in all types of weather conditions, ranging from hot and humid days in the summer to snowy and cold -20°C days. Although my employment in a construction and landscaping yard provided me with good work experience doing outdoor manual labour, it’s not the farm. I would like the opportunity to return to the country life. Farming has become a way of life for me, and I’m interested in a longer-term opportunity, not just a job. I’m also willing to do some additional volunteer hours to gain more experience in different areas of farming. I’ve proven to be a reliable employee in extremely diverse work environments. I’m dedicated to consistently doing a good job, whether as a labourer in a construction and landscaping yard or as a public servant.

Experience

I have personal experience with a BCS tractor, tarps to control weeds, growing vegetables in raised beds, and working in a large greenhouse using labour-intensive gardening methods.

Partner(s)

I plan to be farming alone or working as an employee or in partnership with a farm owner.

Farm Vision

For myself, my farm vision is small self-sufficient 1 acre farm with a small dwelling where I can sell my surplus products to market in coordination with a larger farm operator all the while working as a labourer on the larger farm.

Relationship with Farm Owner

The relationship with the farm owner would be a combination of employee and lessee with a potential business partnership for coordinating production and sale of farm products.