We believe the people behind your food deserve to be celebrated just as much as the food itself.
While the veggies in the Farm Store may be the final product, they are the final link in a chain of dedicated people who work hard throughout the season to bring fresh food from our fields to your table.
Ottawa Farm Fresh began with a simple idea: grow healthy food, care for the land, and build community. Today, that vision is brought to life by a small but mighty team!
Together, we're the people who seed, plant, weed, harvest, wash, pack, stock shelves, answer questions, share recipes, and welcome you to the Farm each week.
So, without further ado, we'd like to introduce the incredible team behind Ottawa Farm Fresh.
Jonathan
Owner & Head Farmer | Since 2020
As the owner and head farmer of Ottawa Farm Fresh, Jonathan is the person responsible for guiding the Farm's vision from season to season. His passion for agriculture grew from a desire to make a positive impact on both human health and the environment, and he sees farming as a unique intersection of the two.
What Jonathan loves most isn't any single crop or project, it's the people. Whether he's walking through the fields checking on crops, repairing equipment, planning future projects, or watching different teams tackle the day's work, he finds the greatest satisfaction in seeing everyone work together toward a shared purpose.
Jonathan’s favourite crops to grow and eat? Salad mix and arugula. Not only are they delicious, but their quick growth allows the Farm to make the most of every bed throughout the season.
Fun Fact: Jonathan holds three passports: Swiss, Canadian, and American.
Katherine
Field Team | Second season
Katherine joined Ottawa Farm Fresh in 2025 because she wanted to learn how food is grown and become part of the farm community.
Her favourite farm activity? Driving the tractor. (And yes, she'll happily tell you that every chance she gets.) She also loves working with volunteers and helping create memorable Farm experiences.
When it comes to vegetables, Katherine has exactly one answer: BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
Celery, on the other hand, is firmly on her list of least favourite crops. Apparently, both Katherine and the mosquitoes are very passionate about celery, but for very different reasons. As for eating vegetables, she's refreshingly honest: she's not a fan of most of them. When Oreo’s are found hidden in the tractor, you can rest assure that Katherine was the culprit.
Fun Fact: Katherine can solve a Rubik's Cube in just 1 minute and 15 seconds and has a bench press personal record of 190 pounds.
Karen
Propagation Team | Third Season
Karen joined Ottawa Farm Fresh because she loved the Farm's message and the sense of community it was creating.
Her favourite part of the season is helping launch a new growing year by seeding thousands of plants in the greenhouse. There's something special about watching tiny seeds become healthy crops destined for members' tables.
Karen's favourite vegetables are kale and peppers, though she admits celery is her least favourite crop to grow thanks to the mosquitoes that seem to love it!
Fun Fact: When she's not at the Farm, Karen enjoys kayaking and hiking with her dogs.
Mustafa
Greenhouse Specialist | Third Season
If you've enjoyed our greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers, you've already experienced Mustafa's care and expertise.
Now in his third season with Ottawa Farm Fresh, Mustafa brings years of farming experience from Syria, where he helped tend a large family farm alongside his father and brother.
His knowledge, care, and attention to detail help keep our greenhouse crops thriving throughout the season.
Alvaro
Field Team | First Season
Alvaro joined Ottawa Farm Fresh from Mexico this season, excited by the opportunity to experience life and agriculture in Canada while improving his English skills.
He loves being part of a team dedicated to growing healthy, high-quality food and appreciates the strong sense of camaraderie among everyone on the Farm.
His favourite crops to grow are tomatoes and lettuce, while mixed greens, spinach, and tomatoes top his list for eating.
Fun Fact: Alvaro speaks three languages, Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and enjoys travelling, learning about agronomy, and exploring new cultures.
Jenn
Farm Store Co-ordinator & Flower Grower | Third Season
Jenn first got to know Ottawa Farm Fresh through her sister Amanda and quickly fell in love with the community.
After retiring from a career as a massage therapist, she was excited to continue helping people in a different way, by connecting them with healthy, locally grown food.
Jenn's favourite part of the job is getting to know members and seeing how happy people are when they visit the Farm!
While she loves growing flowers and tomatoes, mustard greens are her favourite vegetable to eat.
Fun Fact: Outside of the Farm, Jenn spends much of her free time growing flowers and herbs and tackling all kinds of crafty projects.
Piper
Farm Store Team | Second Season
Piper has now experienced every season at Ottawa Farm Fresh and believes food is something truly special. For them, there is something deeply nourishing about knowing the people who grow your food and the land that provides it.
Their favourite part of the job is connecting with members of the community. Whether you're sharing gardening tips, talking about dinner plans, or catching up on life, Piper is always happy to chat.
When it comes to vegetables, they're a big fan of anything that makes your breath smell, especially garlic, onions, and garlic scapes.
Fun Fact: If you stop by the Farm Store, don't be surprised if Piper asks what you're making for dinner, they genuinely want to know.
Jessyca
Farm Store Team | Returning for 2026
After first working at Ottawa Farm Fresh in 2023, Jessyca is excited to be back and reconnect with familiar faces while meeting new members of the community.
Her passion for local, organic food began when she discovered the powerful impact that nutritious food can have on our health. That journey eventually led her to become a holistic nutritionist and work on organic farms both in Canada and abroad.
One of Jessyca's favourite parts of the job is connecting with people and sharing her knowledge about nutrition and healthy eating. Her favourite vegetable is beets.She loves harvesting them, admiring their flower-like tops, and tossing them into salads with toasted pecans and balsamic dressing. They're also one of her favourite tools for helping clients learn about digestion!
Fun Fact: Outside the farm, Jessyca loves swimming, dancing, and reading romantic historical novels in French.
Amanda
Marketing & Communications | Since 2021
Amanda is the longest-serving employee at Ottawa Farm Fresh, having joined at the start of the Farm's first full season in 2021.
After spending ten years abroad, she returned to Ottawa and discovered the perfect place to combine her passions for gardening, cooking, writing, photography, and community-building.
One of her favourite things about working at the Farm is that no two days look the same. From creating newsletters and social media content to planning events and helping in the Farm Store, there's always something new to do.
Her favourite vegetable? Ottawa Farm Fresh cucumbers. In fact, she refuses to eat grocery store cucumbers during the winter because they simply don't compare.
Fun Fact: Amanda and her husband once owned and operated a food truck called Wicked Waffles, and she has lived on three different continents.
Every member of the team brings their own unique experiences, skills, and passions to the Farm.
Some are lifelong growers. Some discovered agriculture later in life. Some have travelled the world. Others found a home right here in our local community.
Together, we're united by a shared belief that good food matters, healthy communities matter, and caring for the land matters.
Thank you for supporting local agriculture and helping make another growing season possible. We can't wait to share the 2026 season with you.