● Mission
Havenhill
Havenhill is a community and care farm for people of all abilities. Together we grow - both food, flowers and ourselves as individuals and community.
On the farm we grow edible flowers and herbs, care for chickens and eventually will have ducks, bunnies, goats and mini horses (maybe!), craft quality compost, save seeds, harvest for salves, teas and overall well being.
Our days are built around meaningful work, practice, quality time with community, food, arts, rest and leisure. We approach all things with a sense of commitment, curiosity and joyfulness and invite others to do the same.
The farm operates on a free membership where everyone can have access to participate in a variety of farm activities seasonally and be part of the farm community.
We also have adult day programs for people with developmental disabilities day to be supported for their time at the farm, barn rentals, and hope to one day have a tea house, farm shop and organization and corporate field trips to help support the farm mission and growth.
● Philosophy
Our Principles
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Rights
All our actions begins with considering the rights of all things - large and small.
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Relationships
Life is lived through a system of relationships with the human and non-human world.
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Reciprocity
A deep belief that everyone has something to contribute
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Reflection
Practice of gratitude.
● Our story
The history
In 1978 Jesse and Jackie James, with their four children, bought the farm in Blackstock, Ontario. They opened James Stables, a standardbred horse farm, which became and hub of racing and farming activity.
Lisa and her siblings had grown up spending their days outside with the horses, riding bikes through the mud on rainy days, swimming in the pond with bats overhead, eating the best homemade food, walking and contemplating life in the fields and forests - Lisa even got married to her husband Craig at the big rock by the pond.
When Jesse passed away in 2024, Lisa and Craig knew that they wanted to create a community for their son Owen, a young adult with autism, on the farm. Owen and Jesse were kindred spirits, and Owen loved the farm.
Today, that is just what they are doing - working to create a close-knit crew of members that will gather to inspire and shape a new kind of community hub that offers people of all abilities the opportunity to know the goodness of farm life that feed our bodies and our souls.
