Date of Award
2010
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Geography
Supervisor
Dr. Tony Weis
Abstract
Given limits to fossil energy and the need to reduce agriculture’s atmospheric impact, there is a need to increasingly re-insert human labour for machines and inputs in agricultural landscapes like those in Ontario. At the same time, Ontario has a small, declining, and aging farming population, which implies that rebuilding its labour force means moving against forbidding trends, including having people from non-farm backgrounds seek agricultural livelihoods. This thesis explores the emerging 'seams' that mark this transition, analysing the interpretations and lived experiences of 36 participants from non-farm backgrounds in southwestern Ontario who were, in various ways, struggling to get back to the land. In addition to the significance of structural challenges such as access to capital, the research reveals unanticipated personal deterrents influencing participants, such as fear of isolation and an aversion to risk-taking, while highlighting longevity in training and finding partners as important keys to farm entry success.
Recommended Citation
Alkhoury, Alex, "STRUGGLES TO GET BACK TO THE LAND: NEW FARMERS AND THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IN ONTARIO" (2010). Digitized Theses. 4807.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4807