JESS

Hello friends, I’m Jessica Kendall, the farm chef and culinary enthusiast!
I love working with fresh, local organic produce and creating delicious recipes.  In spring 2020, when businesses and restaurants were instructed to close due to Covid, I found myself searching for ways to support our local farmers and volunteer my time to support the community.  I was walking along the beautiful paths of Shirley’s Bay, and literally stumbled across BeetBox Farm…it was fate!  I fell in love with the farm and crew.  I am now an employee of the farm and I have developed a delicious line of preserves and pickles!  I am planning on expanding the line of prepared foods in the coming years, all made with BeetBox produce so you can enjoy it year-round in the comfort of your home.  I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the growing BeetBox Farm team! 

SCOTT

Hey folks, I’m Scott Lessard – co-op member and farmer at Beetbox! I’ve always been passionate about gardening, growing good food for my family and connecting with the food we eat. I love working with my hands, so I planted trees in British Columbia for six summers. During my university studies I met my life partner Adrienne Asgary. We both crave the outdoors and feel so lucky to have so much to explore in this scenic area of Ontario. More recently, we’ve welcomed Charlie into the family and it’s been so much fun to hang out with a new buddy and watch him grow everyday (and fast!). Turns out he’s a natural when it comes to planting garlic! I met Jeremy and Beetbox in the pre-COVID days and learned that there was an opportunity for collaboration at the Co-op Farm to grow veggies organically and sustainably. I have passion & a lot of experience gardening (and tree-planting speed), and I can’t help but love the co-op business mentality and idea of providing produce to the local community. In 2020, I joined the Beetbox crew and board to grow veggies and other adventures.  Let’s do this!

ANGELA

I’m Angela Plant, one of the board members for BeetBox & the voice behind our social media and promotions! You can find me during the day at the University of Ottawa coordinating its many recycling and waste reduction programs, but in my spare time I oversee marketing and help with events  here at BeetBox. I should just tell you that I absolutely love Ottawa and I have a vision of our City being more connected; I want it to be walkable and bike-able and integrated with green space and urban farms. Over the years I have been a keen supporter of BeetBox Farm because it is so perfectly part of this City (and bike-able and cooperatively run, what else could you ask for?!). I think we have so much to learn from our farmers and the land around us. I now live at the farm (since I married one of the farmers, can you guess which one? He’s got a big beard!) and my goal is to help you connect with our farm and celebrate local organic food production. I I look forward to chatting with you on Instagram, Facebook, our weekly newsletter & at our farm!

JANICE

I’m Janice Ashworth, Director of Business Development & Fun, here at the co-op. By day, I’m a renewable energy nerd. I currently work as a project manager on the City of Ottawa’s climate change team on eliminating greenhouse gas emissions across the city. Prior to that, I worked for a small business on developing solar and wind energy projects and for NGOs on community organizing.I am a big believer in the co-op governance model. For 8 years I was the General Manager of the Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-op and CoEnergy Co-op. In Nova Scotia I worked with the community-owned Colchester-Cumberland Wind Field, which was almost a co-op. By night/weekend, I am a farming enthusiast and have worked on 2 organic farms in Nova Scotia. My favourite things involve getting dirty outdoors with my friends. This includes founding & overseeing our Community Farm Program in 2020. In 2021, with Angela, we have created the “Jangela” event series at the farm, which has included concerts, dance parties and educational workshops. I’ve been working with Beetbox since its inception and I am happy to tell you all about our farm!

 JEREMY 

Hi, I’m Jeremy Colbeck, a board member and one of the Farmers here at BeetBox! I’m using farming as a tool to try to pull our culture towards a sustainable way of life: A way based on reciprocal relationships with the land and all its inhabitants. I know that sounds real serious, and that’s because as human(imal)s, feeding ourselves is serious business! It’s one of the primary ways we participate in our ecosystems, and we all know we could do better at that. I think our co-op can help the cause by being a democratically-governed team of fairly-paid workers feeding and engaging our community while giving back to the land, and hopefully inspiring others! The other big reason I’m farming is because I get to work with the rhythm of the seasons and the weather. I love being outdoors doing physical teamwork to provide an essential service to my neighbours 🙂 How did I get here? Well, I’m from Stittsville/Bells Corners/Westboro, and when I was little, I wanted to be a F1 race car designer when I grew up. I got an aerospace engineering bachelors’ at Carleton U, but then promptly cycled and hitchhiked west for a couple of super fun years working in whitewater rafting and big mountain skiing. During a brief stint in engineering work upon my return to Ottawa, I found myself searching for a new career – something better for me, my community, and the world at large. I found organic farming in 2013, and it stuck. When I’m not farming, I enjoy sharing meals and adventuring with friends and family. I absolutely love exploring the beautiful forests, lakes, and rivers that surround us.
Hope to meet you at the farm some time!