Our volunteer Rachel recently spoke with one of our valued board members, Collette Aeschlimann. We’re excited to share Collette’s wonderful story with you today! In this interview, Collette tells us about her journey from growing up on a dairy farm to becoming a board member who works to protect farmland with the Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT).
Collette’s connection with farming began at a young age. Her family moved from a part of Switzerland, where farming was a part of life. They settled in Perth County, where they started a dairy farm. Moving to her current home of Guelph, with its farming roots, felt like a natural fit for Collette. She now enjoys growing her own food, watching the flowers bloom and bees in her garden. Collette and her partner even plan to start their next adventure as “hopeful hobby farm permaculturists”. She also loves adventure and nature, exploring new places through hiking, motorcycling, traveling, and even diving!
Collette works in real estate, where she sees different types of rural and city developments, and the various economic and social pressures that affect farmland. Because of her farming background, she appreciates the chance to share ideas that support sustainable farming activities as part of her work. She learned about the OFT from a client while discussing conservation, urban sprawl and farmland. Since 2020, Collette has been a part of OFT’s Land Securement and Stewardship Committee and serves on the Board. Through OFT, she has learned a lot about public policy, ecology and planning, especially about preserving farmland. This work even inspired her to complete her Master’s degree in Planning!
One of Collette’s best moments with the OFT happened recently, when the Board met at their first donated property in Tiverton. The day was full of positive energy and inspiring talks as the group celebrated something they once thought was almost impossible. She enjoys learning from the many knowledgeable people at OFT, who come from different walks of life but work together to protect farmland. Collette also loves the variety of roles at OFT. It makes her work exciting and meaningful, helping her continuously learn and make a difference on issues that matter to her.
Collette is excited about the new on-farm programs that the OFT will start soon, especially at the Tiverton property. She is also looking forward to the potential for OFT to develop agricultural clusters of properties, which could one day become agricultural preserves. These protected areas would not only help our food system and make farming more efficient, but could also impact the farming industry and influence government policies and decisions about farming.
Collette’s dedication and passion for farming are clear in many parts of her life. We look forward to seeing her drive for positive change continue to shine through the impactful work she does with the OFT!
