WOMEN WHO DIG

“Women are the biodiversity experts of the world”

Stolen Harvest – Vandana Shiva

JENNA BUTLER

For the past ten years, Jenna Butler and her partner have been living off-grid on a quarter section of land, just off the Grizzly Trail in Northern Alberta, working to regenerate a former hayfield and rewild the land within a boreal ecosystem. She grows organic herbs, heirloom flowers, and vegetables, keeps honeybees, and works to protect native bees in the boreal forest. Butler has a vision of creating safe space on the land for the BIPOC community to grow food, forage, and hunt. Her latest book, Revery: A Year of Bees, was recently shortlisted for the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction.

TIFFANY TRAVERSE

Tiffany Traverse is an Indigenous seed keeper and land steward of Fourth Sister Farm. It is nestled in the Northern Peace Country on Treaty 8 land, Treaty 8, home to the Cree, Beaver, and Dene-zaa, and Métis peoples. Traverse studied seed rematriation which is the act of returning seeds, food, and food traditions to Indigenous communities. Traverse is a part of a growing movement of seed keepers and is a board member of SeedChange and Regeneration Canada, protecting the land and seed biodiversity. They are working together to grow nutrient dense cultivars that can adapt to our changing climate and fight the corporate control of our world seeds.

RACHEL HERBERT

Rachel Herbert is a fourth generation farmer of Trail’s End Beef in the Porcupine Hills of Southern Alberta. Herbert is also an author, writing women-ranchers of Southern Alberta back into the history books dating back to the 1880’s. Herbert’s farm focuses on sustainability, both economical and ecological, as well as ethically caring for their beef and watershed. Herbert is one of the prominent voices, advocating alongside fellow ranchers, Indigenous communities, and conservationists, speaking out to protect the precious headwaters of the Old Man River, which is currently threatened by expansive coal mining projects in Southern Alberta.

AUDREY LOGAN

Audrey Logan hasn’t been to a grocery store in over a decade. Logan was a child of the Sixties Scoop, taken from her family in Edmonton at the age of three and placed as cheap labour on farms. When they were thirteen they ran away, using the farming knowledge to survive, and later found their family in Northern Alberta who shared with them the lost knowledge of the land. Audrey now promotes the history of Indigenous agriculture and teaches traditional methods at a community garden plot on Young and West Broadway in the heart of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

LISA KITT

Lisa’s journey from an organic farm upbringing to her prominent role in “Women Who Dig” epitomizes her unwavering commitment to producing exceptional food and revitalizing her community’s relationship with the land. Situated on an organic-certified farm since 1990, Lisa and her family focused on nutrient-dense, ethical, and environmentally responsible food production. They raised 100% grass-fed beef and bison, free-range chickens, and rotated pigs through lush pastures. Beyond meat, they produced magnificent eggs, microgreens, garlic, and flavorful vegetables. Lisa’s dedication extended to improving food security in the Peace Country, nurturing soil health for healthier food, and fostering a culture of celebrating locally sourced food. Her story, a beacon of hope in “Women Who Dig,” showcased her commitment to responsible land stewardship and providing delicious, nutritious, and environmentally friendly food to her community while championing regenerative agriculture.

NOTES

Within every story, another awaits.
In the sharing of one, a symphony of stories awakes,
A beautiful community of knowledge it creates,
Each narrative enriching, like the dreams a heart undertakes.