“That night is something I will never forget, and it’s not something I could have handled alone.” 🌱
-Matthew, WWOOF host at Foxfire Heritage Farm.
The story of Foxfire Heritage farm begins in 2012, when Matthew bought the property, despite having no agricultural background and no roadmap. What he did have was a goal to live more sustainably, recover lost skills, and reconnect with the old ways.
Matthew and Rachelle, together with their four daughters, developed a small but vibrant homestead in rural Ontario, where they began raising rare breeds like Chantecler chickens, Lynch Lineback cattle and Large Black hogs. They believed that protecting these endangered heritage breeds could help to safeguard agricultural biodiversity and preserve the genetics and stories that shaped farming in Canada.
In 2019, seeking a renewed sense of energy and connection, the family began welcoming WWOOFers to their farm to help them in their mission. For Matthew, one moment in particular stands out that exemplifies just how meaningful that decision became.
It was late August 2022, just hours after welcoming Lauredane and Yanick to the farm, two new WWOOFers from France and the Netherlands.
Just as the sun was setting, Matthew walked to the farm’s furthest field and discovered something concerning: one of their Lynch Lineback cows had gone into labour and was in serious distress. After days of rain, the field had become a muddy mess, leaving the cow struggling through the mud as she attempted to give birth to her calf.
“In the middle of the night, in the rain and deep mud, we had to move the cow from the furthest field back to the barn and attempt to pull the calf. It was one of the most stressful situations I’ve faced on the farm… (Lauredane and Yanick) had been on the farm for less than six hours and (they) were already knee-deep in mud, helping in whatever way they could. ” – Matthew.
In the end, the small group were able to save the cow – but even with all their efforts, the calf died during the challenging labour. It was a difficult outcome for all involved.
Despite the tragedy, Matthew says that having the WWOOFers there to help made a real impact on him. It helped him to realize how isolating farming can be, and just how important it is to have support and people around when things get hard.
“That experience reinforced something we’ve come to believe deeply: farming should not be done alone. WWOOF has been one of the most meaningful parts of that journey.” -Matthew.
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