Our team at Impact Kitchen recently had the chance to sit down with Gillian Flies from The New Farm Centre, a valued partner in our shared commitment to regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems. Gillian shared the story of how The New Farm grew from a small farmers market operation into a leader in climate-friendly farming, working alongside thousands of farmers across Canada. Through their work, they are creating meaningful change - one farm, one community, and one meal at a time.
A. Nearly twenty years ago, Gillian and her husband Brent made a bold decision: they left their careers in Toronto where they had spent years working in political development and human rights across Africa and Asia to grow healthy food for their young family. What they had witnessed globally made them deeply concerned about the state of agriculture and its impact on both people and the planet. They were driven by a desire to reconnect with the land and to raise their children on nutritious, sustainably grown food.
The New Farm began as a small organic operation selling greens at local farmers’ markets. To their surprise, their produce quickly caught the attention of some of Toronto’s top restaurants, including Canoe. While they valued those early relationships, Gillian and Brent’s vision was always broader: they believed that everyone, not just those who could afford fine dining, deserved access to fresh, healthy, organic food.
They began a partnership with The Stop Community Food Centre, committing 10% of their retail sales to provide nutritious food to those facing barriers to access. What started as a small act of solidarity grew quickly. Through fundraising events and expanding partnerships, including with Community Food Centres Canada, their efforts evolved into Farms for Change, a program that now raises over $650,000 annually and recently celebrated its 16th year. The initiative supports community food organizations across the country that focus on accessibility, education, and dignity, ensuring people have not just food, but the ability to choose what nourishes them.
They also recognized that changing farming practices on a single farm would not create a large-scale impact. Real change comes from effective policy. So, about five years ago, Gillian and Brent, through their roles as President of the Canadian Organic Growers and the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario respectively, co-founded Farmers for Climate Solutions, a coalition of 20,000 farmers working to advance climate-friendly agriculture policies and healthy soil practices across Canada. This group has successfully advocated for more than $1.2 billion in federal funds to support transition to regenerative agricultural practices.
A. Nearly twenty years ago, Gillian and her husband Brent made a bold decision: they left their careers in Toronto where they had spent years working in political development and human rights across Africa and Asia to grow healthy food for their young family. What they had witnessed globally made them deeply concerned about the state of agriculture and its impact on both people and the planet. They were driven by a desire to reconnect with the land and to raise their children on nutritious, sustainably grown food.
The New Farm began as a small organic operation selling greens at local farmers’ markets. To their surprise, their produce quickly caught the attention of some of Toronto’s top restaurants, including Canoe. While they valued those early relationships, Gillian and Brent’s vision was always broader: they believed that everyone, not just those who could afford fine dining, deserved access to fresh, healthy, organic food.
They began a partnership with The Stop Community Food Centre, committing 10% of their retail sales to provide nutritious food to those facing barriers to access. What started as a small act of solidarity grew quickly. Through fundraising events and expanding partnerships, including with Community Food Centres Canada, their efforts evolved into Farms for Change, a program that now raises over $650,000 annually and recently celebrated its 16th year. The initiative supports community food organizations across the country that focus on accessibility, education, and dignity, ensuring people have not just food, but the ability to choose what nourishes them.
They also recognized that changing farming practices on a single farm would not create a large-scale impact. Real change comes from effective policy. So, about five years ago, Gillian and Brent, through their roles as President of the Canadian Organic Growers and the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario respectively, co-founded Farmers for Climate Solutions, a coalition of 20,000 farmers working to advance climate-friendly agriculture policies and healthy soil practices across Canada. This group has successfully advocated for more than $1.2 billion in federal funds to support transition to regenerative agricultural practices.
A few weeks ago, we made the trip out to visit the VG Meats team in person at Hillview Farm in Norfolk County. It wasn’t one of those idyllic farm days - it was cold, rainy, and muddy - but in many ways, that made it the perfect setting to see what farming really looks like. Boots on the ground, rain in the air - we saw firsthand the commitment it takes to do things the right way, every single day.
We were welcomed by one of the VG brothers, Corey Van Groningen, who took us across the land, sharing stories and philosophies that guide how they farm. Their approach reflects the same passion and purpose we bring to every dish we make, grounded in respect for nature and a commitment to building for the future.
One explanation that stuck with us as restaurant people was a simple analogy about soil health. He asked us to picture two plates: one with a slice of whole bread, and the other with a pile of flour. If you pour water onto the flour, it runs off the surface quickly. But if you pour water onto the bread, it soaks it right up. The bread acts like a sponge, just like healthy, nutrient rich soil should. That’s what VG Meats is working to build every day: soil that can absorb, retain, and support life.
Later, we saw that idea come to life through a simple test: water was poured onto a section of their pasture soil, and we timed how long it took to absorb. 45 seconds. That’s incredibly fast and it’s a direct result of regenerative practices that prioritize soil structure, biodiversity, and natural cycles.
Regenerative farming isn’t just about sustainability, it’s about improvement. By rotating animals, planting diverse cover crops, and avoiding heavy inputs, VG Meats is restoring the land while producing high quality food with transparency and care. You can read more about what Regenerative Farming means to us at Impact through our web page here.
We left VG Meats with muddy boots (some sneakers), cold hands, wet jackets and a whole new level of respect. This wasn’t just a farm visit - it was a chance to connect with the people behind the food, and to witness what real impact looks like on the ground. It was a powerful reminder of why building for the future starts with partners who align with our values.
Watch for more from our visit on Instagram, and the next time you dig into one of our dishes featuring VG Meats, you’ll know it’s more than just a delicious ingredient - it’s a story of purpose, partnership, and progress.Later, we saw that idea come to life through a simple test: water was poured onto a section of their pasture soil, and we timed how long it took to absorb. 45 seconds. That’s incredibly fast and it’s a direct result of regenerative practices that prioritize soil structure, biodiversity, and natural cycles.
More recently, Gillian and Brent transformed their farm into The New Farm Centre for Climate Action, a nonprofit hub dedicated to experiential education for chefs, eaters, policymakers and corporate partners. The farm now serves as a demonstration site for regenerative agriculture and continues to be a voice for climate-friendly farming practices across the sector.
No two days are the same at The New Farm, which is part of what makes the work so engaging and purpose driven. Most mornings begin around 6:30 am with feeding and rotating the animals on pasture. The farm coordinator manages incoming orders, while the harvest team heads out to cut fresh salad greens for delivery.
Alongside the day-to-day farm operations, the team also hosts events that always center around food, a reflection of their belief in the power of gathering and shared meals. Whether it’s an educational workshop or a fundraising dinner, each event is designed to foster connection and build community.
When Gillian and Brent stepped back from their global work and looked at the climate crisis through a farmer’s lens, one fact came into sharp focus: there is simply too much carbon in the air and not enough in the soil. Regenerative agriculture offered a remarkably hopeful fix. By using practices like cover cropping, minimal tillage, and diverse crop rotations, they can turn every field into a living carbon sink, pulling greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere while rebuilding rich, fertile earth beneath our feet.
That possibility felt both urgent and empowering. Regenerative farming doesn’t just reduce emissions; it actively repairs ecosystems, boosts the nutrient density and flavour of the food we grow, and strengthens farmers’ bottom lines by cutting input costs and improving resilience to drought and floods. For Gillian and Brent, as parents thinking about the world their kids will inherit, choosing this path felt like the most tangible, immediate way to be part of the climate solution while producing truly healthy food for our community.
Community is at the core of The New Farm Centre’s mission. Gillian describes it as a symbiotic system where everyone has a role to play, from growers and eaters to chefs and policymakers. Through their Farms for Change program, The New Farm Centre connects community members with good food organizations, making sure people can access healthy food with dignity and choice.
The centre also creates spaces for hands-on education and shared meals, bringing people together to build relationships and deepen their understanding of sustainable food systems. By working collaboratively, they help strengthen a network that supports climate-positive agriculture and a more just and equitable food system.
Storytelling and education are woven throughout the centre’s work. The New Farm Centre was created to offer practical, hands-on learning opportunities for visitors. Chefs, students, policymakers and even corporate partners come to the farm to learn about regenerative practices and their positive impact on soil health and climate resilience.
Gillian and Brent also participate in conferences as keynote speakers, both in Canada and internationally, to share their experiences and encourage more farmers and eaters to embrace regenerative practices.
Community is at the core of The New Farm Centre’s mission. Gillian describes it as a symbiotic system where everyone has a role to play, from growers and eaters to chefs and policymakers. Through their Farms for Change program, The New Farm Centre connects community members with good food organizations, making sure people can access healthy food with dignity and choice.
The centre also creates spaces for hands-on education and shared meals, bringing people together to build relationships and deepen their understanding of sustainable food systems. By working collaboratively, they help strengthen a network that supports climate-positive agriculture and a more just and equitable food system.
Storytelling and education are woven throughout the centre’s work. The New Farm Centre was created to offer practical, hands-on learning opportunities for visitors. Chefs, students, policymakers and even corporate partners come to the farm to learn about regenerative practices and their positive impact on soil health and climate resilience.
Gillian and Brent also participate in conferences as keynote speakers, both in Canada and internationally, to share their experiences and encourage more farmers and eaters to embrace regenerative practices.
The hope is for regenerative agriculture to become a standard practice rather than a niche approach. The New Farm Centre envisions a future where young farmers are supported by strong climate policy and where healthy soil practices are recognized and rewarded through funding and ecosystem payment programs. This kind of support would make sustainable, resilient farming a viable livelihood for more Canadians.
The key message is that buying good food is never just a personal act. Every purchase supports a larger system that benefits biodiversity, climate stability, farm workers, soil health and future generations. When people choose good food, they are choosing to be part of a healthier and more sustainable food system.
As Gillian puts it simply: “Buy organic.” Supporting farms like The New Farm starts with choosing organic and regenerative products whenever you can. Consumer demand drives change; when more people prioritize these foods, more farmers are empowered to grow them. Buying certified organic helps ensure higher standards that protect biodiversity, build soil health, and avoid harmful pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and synthetic fertilizers.
But it doesn’t stop at the grocery store. You can support this movement by visiting local farms, joining a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, and sharing what you learn with others. Awareness creates momentum. And perhaps most importantly, vote. Urge your elected officials to invest in a food system that is climate-friendly, resilient, and rooted in health, for people and the planet.
The New Farm Centre is working on a new site plan that will expand their facilities with larger meeting spaces to support events and education. They are also collaborating with the University of Toronto on developing a course that blends regenerative practices with policy and soil science. These projects will build on their mission of experiential education and climate action.
At The New Farm Centre, impact starts with simply showing up, with hands in the soil, hearts in the work, and a deep commitment to community. Every day, they grow food with care, support their partners, nourish families, and share what they’ve learned along the way.
They believe that real change is built through small, consistent actions, planting one seed, feeding one family, inspiring one conversation at a time. By staying rooted in purpose and grounded in day-to-day work, they help to grow a healthier food system, one that restores the land, uplifts communities, and creates a more hopeful future for everyone.
The New Farm Centre is working on a new site plan that will expand their facilities with larger meeting spaces to support events and education. They are also collaborating with the University of Toronto on developing a course that blends regenerative practices with policy and soil science. These projects will build on their mission of experiential education and climate action.
At The New Farm Centre, impact starts with simply showing up, with hands in the soil, hearts in the work, and a deep commitment to community. Every day, they grow food with care, support their partners, nourish families, and share what they’ve learned along the way.
They believe that real change is built through small, consistent actions, planting one seed, feeding one family, inspiring one conversation at a time. By staying rooted in purpose and grounded in day-to-day work, they help to grow a healthier food system, one that restores the land, uplifts communities, and creates a more hopeful future for everyone.
© Impact Kitchen, 2025
© Impact Kitchen, 2025
