Farm & Food Care and Canadian Food Focus are excited to host you for the Saskatoon Farm & Food Tour from July 4th to 7th, 2023. Below is an agenda for our tour, links to tour stops as well as more information on your hosts and other attendees.
If you haven’t already, please fill out this Attendee Contact Form so that we may gather your contact information, any food allergies or sensitivities and photo/email permissions.
We also ask that each attendee fill out a pre- and post-tour survey to gauge what attendees have learned and to gather any feedback or questions they might have about food and agriculture in Canada. It also helps us with reporting and to get funding for these events in the future.
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Itinerary
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
10 am-5:00 pm | Arrival in Saskatoon | Transportation to the hotel will be provided for those arriving by air. See you at the airport! |
6:30 pm | Welcome Reception | Delta Downtown | Welcome reception and a chance to meet and get to know each other. |
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
8:00 am | Breakfast | Delta Downtown | Attire for the day is casual, don’t forget to wear comfortable, closed-toe footwear and dress in layers so that you are prepared for our unpredictable Saskatchewan weather. |
8:30 am | Agriculture Sustainability Session | Clinton Monchuk will start us off with a session on sustainable agriculture. A great way to begin the dialogue we hope will continue through the tour. Ask lots of questions! |
9:00 am | Plant Science Innovations Session | Becky Parker from CropLife Canada will host this session on plant science and its impact on agriculture. |
10:00 am | Board Bus | In addition to our meals, we will have snacks and beverages on the bus. Remember that we will be away from the hotel for the full day, so a bathroom stop before we leave is a good idea! |
10:30 am | Colborn Farms | Grain Farm Tour | The tour will be mainly outside, please come prepared for the weather. We will have access to the bus and a shop with a bathroom. We also plan to visit a few fields (canola, wheat & lentils) and lunch will be inside the shop. The tour will start with meeting several members of this multi-generational farm. |
Noon | Lunch at the Farm | PickNic’s Catering & Fine Foods | Gourmet beef burgers, salads and sweets from PickNic’s Catering & Fine Foods. |
1:00 | Hands-on Activities | Identifying different seeds, crushing canola seeds and virtual egg barn tour. |
1:50 pm | Colborn Farms | Beef Farm Tour | We will have a Q&A session and hands-on demonstration to show how Saskatchewan ranchers raise beef cattle. Then out to the pasture to see the cows! The tour will be indoors and outdoors. |
3:30 pm | Board Bus | Q &A | We welcome your questions! We have several resource people on the bus and more joining us throughout the day. |
4:00 pm | Arrive at Hotel Free time | Check out the What to do in Saskatoon section on this page for a few ideas on how to spend your free time. |
6:00 pm | Board Bus | Wanuskewin Heritage Park | Wanuskewin is a gathering place for Indigenous people that predates the Egyptian pyramids. The site includes a buffalo jump, medicine wheel, teepee rings, petroglyphs and a small Plains bison herd. After our supper, we will take a guided tour of the interpretive centre including experiencing a traditional drummer and round dance. |
9:30 pm | Return to the hotel | See you in the morning! |
Thursday, July 6, 2023
8:00 am | Breakfast | Delta Downtown | Please wear closed-toed shoes. |
8:15 am | Film Viewing | View Guardians of the Grasslands |
8:30 am | Canadian Food Focus Session | Dorothy Long will give guests an overview of the Canadian Food Focus project. |
8:45 am | Virtual Chicken Barn Tour | Chicken Farmer Tiffany Martinka will take us on a virtual tour of her chicken barn and will answer all your questions about raising chickens. |
9:45 am | Board Bus | In addition to our meals, we will have snacks and beverages on the bus. |
10:00 am | Star Egg Processing Facility | Closed-toed shoes are required for the Star Egg tour. We will break into smaller groups once we arrive. Watch for robots on this tour! |
11:30 am | Board Bus | We welcome your questions! We have several resource people on the bus and more joining us throughout the day. |
12:00 am | Lunch | Touch of Ukraine | Many early settlers to Saskatchewan came here from Ukraine, making their cuisine part of our collective cuisine. For lunch, we will stop a Touch of Ukraine to enjoy borscht, perogies, cabbage rolls and sausage to celebrate Saskatchewan’s Ukrainian cultural heritage. |
1:00 pm | Board Bus | |
1:30 pm | Dairy Farm | We will visit the Nienhuis family farm located just west of Warman. The Nienhuis family milks 110 cows in a newly-renovated, two-robot freestall dairy and tend about 500 acres with a mix of corn, oats and barley for the purpose of silage for their dairy cows. |
3:30 pm | Board Bus Wrap up and Q&A | In addition to our meals, we will have snacks and beverages on the bus. |
4:30 pm | Arrive at Hotel Free time | Check out the What to do in Saskatoon section on this page for a few ideas on how to spend your free time. |
6:50 pm | Supper | Odd Couple | The Yuen family restaurant recreates Canadian-Asian favourites in a fun, thoughtful expression of the union between East and West. |
9:00 pm | Return to Hotel | That’s a wrap! |
Farm to Fork Experiences
Tour Day One
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Delta Downtown
Delta Hotels Saskatoon Downtown surrounds you with picturesque views of Saskatoon, Canada, from select hotel rooms. Elevate your experience in the city of bridges in pet-friendly accommodation located steps from the all-season walking paths that hug the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. Augment your wellness with our hotel’s free meditation and yoga packages, complimentary hydration stations and a tastefully finished, 1,400-square-foot fitness centre. Sample healthy, locally sourced cuisine in Saskatoon at Aroma Restaurant or grab nutritious snacks at The Grind Coffee Bar, proudly serving Starbucks coffee. The indoor waterpark boasts two heated pools, a whirlpool and a three-story waterslide.
PickNic’s Catering & Fine Foods
Website | Instagram | Facebook |
Nicola Lawson is the Owner and Catering Manager of PickNic’s Catering and Fine Foods.
As Red-Seal Journeyman Pastry Chef, she travelled the world working at many establishments in the food industry, until she settled in Saskatoon. She began PickNic’s Catering in 2003 and set her heart to building a business that reflected her passion for creating and serving the very best culinary products and services in the city! She is involved in many facets of the community, both in business and on a personal level, with her involvement in such organizations as WESK, NSBA, The Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, BarterPay, Trusted Saskatoon, the CFIB and many smaller community groups in her neighbourhood. A mother of two young girls, she has a passion for building a strong future for them through exposure to travel and language, diverse extra-curricular activities and multicultural events. She herself is a world-traveller, and regularly sets off for what she likes to call “Culinary Adventures” to exotic locales, where she gains much education and inspiration for her busy business.
Colborn Farms
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Along with other family members, Shawn Colborn manages a fifth-generation family farm at Delisle, Saskatchewan, which oversees over 8,000 acres of grainland, a 450-head Red Angus/Charolais cow-calf operation, and a 45,000-layer poultry operation. He serves on the Board of Directors for both the Saskatchewan Egg Producers and Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan. Shawn is also a formidable ball player and coach and has been active in the Delisle Crops for Community project to raise funds for community initiatives. Find out more on the Colborn Farms website.
The Saskatchewan Egg Producers recently spearheaded a project through the provincial Agriculture Awareness Initiative Program (AAIP). The project produced four short videos profiling the Colborn family, which has farmed for more than 100 years in Saskatchewan. The farm is unique in many ways, including the arrangement between cousins to manage the farm’s three main businesses: grain, eggs and beef. Watch the videos here.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a global centre of excellence in fostering education and respect for the land-based on expressions of Indigenous culture, heritage and arts.
Over six thousand years ago, Wanuskewin echoed with the thundering hooves of bison and the voices of Indigenous peoples from across the Northern Plains; the land still echoes with these stories that Wanuskewin is proud to share with the people. The nomadic tribes who travelled through the Northern Plains gathered on this site of natural beauty where today visitors can relive the stories of a people who came here to hunt bison, gather food and herbs and escape the winter winds. Walking in their footsteps, you will understand why this site was a place of worship and celebration, of renewal with the natural world and of deep spirituality, and is still this way today.
The story of Wanuskewin is just beginning to be uncovered. Some archaeological dig sites date back thousands of years making them older than the Egyptian pyramids; these sites provide clues to the daily existence of the early peoples. Tipi rings, stone cairns, pottery fragments, plant seeds, projectile points, eggshell fragments and animal bones all give evidence of active thriving societies. While some sites teach us about life thousands of years ago other sites like the ancient Medicine Wheel still remain shrouded in mystery.
Tour Day Two
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Star Egg Company
Star Egg Company Ltd. is a Saskatoon-based business that specializes in the grading, distribution and marketing of shell eggs. Owned and operated by the Harman family of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Star Egg’s state-of-the-art facility ensures that the eggs they produce are safe and oh-so-nutritious. We will visit this processing plant in the heart of the prairies to learn how Grade A eggs get from the farm to the grocery store.
Touch of Ukraine
Since 1987, the family-owned Touch of Ukraine catering group has been serving traditional Ukraine fare including borscht, perogies, cabbage rolls and sausage.
Nienhuis Dairy Farm
We will visit the Nienhuis family farm located just west of Warman. The Nienhuis family milks 110 cows in a newly-renovated, two-robot freestall dairy and tend about 500 acres with a mix of corn, oats and barley for the purpose of silage for their dairy cows.
Odd Couple
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Odd Couple is owned and operated by Andy Yuen, his wife Rachel and their family. Since immigrating to Saskatchewan from Hong Kong in 1996, the Yuen family has been closely tied to the Chinese Canadian restaurant business in several communities in the province. Odd Couple was born out of the desire to recreate Canadian-Asian favourites in a fun, thoughtful expression of the union between East and West. With ingredients and cooking techniques inspired by Cantonese, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisines, Odd Couple adds a unique Asian influence to popular Canadian dishes. Think maple-glazed bacon and a farm-fresh egg atop a heaping plate of Chinese BBQ pork and jasmine fried rice.
Hosts

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is a coalition linking thousands of livestock, crop and horticulture producers, government, individuals and businesses with a common goal to help people understand food and farming. Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan believes that getting to know farmers and ranchers is getting to know food.

Canadian Food Focus
Canadian Food Focus is a gathering place to tell our Canadian food and farming stories. We will explore how food is grown and raised, share recipes and provide useful advice to help you make confident food choices.
Staff

Clinton Monchuk
Executive Director, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000 and a Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph in 2002.
After completing his master’s degree, Clinton conducted research and taught at the Universidad de Guadalajara, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Following his interest in the livestock industry, Clinton worked with the Western Beef Development Centre as a Beef Economist. He then accepted an Economic Fellowship position with the National Farmers Union in Washington, DC working on trade-related aspects of policy development for American farmers and ranchers. This experience allowed him to become the Director of Trade Policy for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture in Ottawa.
In 2007, Clinton and his wife Laura moved to Saskatoon where he became the Chief Executive Officer for the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Hatching Egg Producers. In 2016, Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming, ranching and agri-food to consumers.
Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers. Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Penny Eaton
Managing Director, Stakeholder Relations, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan
Penny Eaton is a farm girl turned communications specialist who works to answer consumer questions about farming and food production. At Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, Penny manages stakeholder relations, coordinates events and communications projects and oversees funding requests and reporting.
Before joining FFC SK, Penny established her own consulting firm, providing writing and communications services to a wide base of clients. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Saskatchewan and is originally from a farm near Rosetown, Saskatchewan. She’s a proud Riders fan and probably takes Halloween a little too seriously.

Dorothy Long
Home Economist and Managing Director, Canadian Food Focus
Dorothy is a passionate advocate of Canadian food and farming. She holds degrees in home economics and education from the University of Saskatchewan, leveraging her background to promote greater consumer understanding of Canadian food and farming, as well as fostering positive relationships between consumers and farmers.
For over 25 years, Dorothy has organized farm tours for food influencers, such as dietitians, journalists, chefs, and food writers. These tours, which began with Canola Camp in Saskatchewan, have expanded across the country.
Dorothy has also been instrumental in developing a range of agrifood marketing strategies, including CanolaInfo, Saskatchewan Bounty, HealthyFlax, Spread the Mustard, Pick Pork, and the Saskatchewan component of the International Year of the Pulse campaign. In addition to her marketing work, Dorothy served as the Executive Director of Cuisine Canada and the Greenhouse Growers of Saskatchewan. She has written a food column for The Western Producer, edited the Growing Saskatchewan magazine, and co-authored the Discover the Pulse Potential cookbook.
Dorothy believes that food is a powerful connector and the most intimate way that consumers come to understand agriculture. As the Managing Director of Canadian Food Focus with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, she spearheads Canadian Food Focus, a public trust initiative and marketing strategy that includes a consumer-friendly website. This project won a national Canadian AgriFood Marketers Alliance Award for Best Website Directed at the Public in 2022. Currently, Dorothy co-chairs the National Consumer Engagement Working Group for AAFC. In 2023, Dorothy was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Angela Larson
Communications Specialist, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan
Angela grew up on a mixed grain and beef cattle farm near Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Throughout her career, she has worked with several agriculture groups such as CanolaInfo, SaskMustard, HealthyFlax, Sask Pork, and SaskTurkey on their social media and communications programming. Currently, she is our Digital Media and Communication Specialist for Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan as well as for our national program, Canadian Food Focus.
Angela, her husband Andrew and their two daughters Molly and Claire, live and work on their multigenerational mixed grain farm near Lloydminster. They are also active in their local 4-H Beef Club.

Pamela MacDonald
Project Coordinator, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan
Pamela MacDonald lived on a mixed farm in Saskatchewan as a young child and has fond memories of being on the farm. Her love of the outdoors started on the farm and led her to study Environmental Sciences in college. Although she currently lives outside of Saskatoon, over the years she has lived in small towns across Saskatchewan and has many family members that farm throughout the province.
Pamela is the Project Coordinator for Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan, providing support and guidance to the Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan staff. She has over 15 years of experience in the swine industry working both in the barn and in the office as well as working for a swine veterinarian practice.
Pamela is married, with two grown sons and enjoys spending time with friends and family at the lake. She loves gardening, landscaping, hiking and long walks with her dog.
Resource People

Shawn Colborn
Farmer, Colborn Farms
Shawn and his cousins manage a fifth-generation farm near Delisle that encompasses 12,000 acres of grain land, a 700-head Red Angus/Charolais cow-calf operation, and a 40,000-layer poultry operation.
“I am extremely proud of the quality of the products that are grown on our farm,” Shawn says. “I enjoy the amazing technological advances in agriculture and the everyday changes that occur. I look forward to the opportunity to pass on our farm to the sixth generation.” His favourite piece of farm equipment? “I spend most of my spring and summer in our sprayer, so that has to be it.”
Shawn feels building public trust in food and farming is crucial for primary producers. “We want to ensure we have the freedom to operate and manage our farm operations for current and future generations. Consumers need to have confidence that producers are acting sustainably and humanely for the land and animals they manage. We want to ensure a viable food system where everyone has an abundance of choice in food they consume and producers have viable sustainable businesses for years to come.”

Frank Cuevas
Marketing Operations Manager and Producer Programs Manager, Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan
Frank is the creative person behind ChickenSask on the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan social media platforms. Frank loves food and helping farmers in the #digitalage. Frank has more than 5 years’ experience in content creation and as a Social Media Manager. Frank works as the Marketing Operations Manager and the Producer Programs Manger for the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan.
Frank has a degree Hotel and Restaurant Management with specialization in Culinary Arts. Prior to joining CFS, he worked in the aviation and hotel industry.
Frank gets his creative ideas from exploring Saskatchewan. He is a travelling man and loves to explore new places and experience the beauty, food, and people of different places and cultures.

Nicole Lamers
Director of Public Trust, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Nicole grew up in Cupar, Saskatchewan. She received her Bachelor of Arts Honours in International Studies from the University of Regina, along with a Certificate in Economics. Her work with the Public Trust Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, focuses on building public trust in modern food production by engaging industry, supporting youth and consumer education initiatives, and working with federal and provincial partners to align programming and better amplify the stories of modern agriculture.
Nicole has been with the ministry for over four years, and previously worked in labour market development, connecting with farmers and agri-businesses about their labour market needs. Nicole joined the Farm & Food Care Board of Directors in 2022.
Nicole and her husband, Jeff, own a farm in Southey, Saskatchewan that has been in the family for over 100 years.

Tiffany Martinka
Chair, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan representing Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan
Tiffany Martinka represents Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan on the FFC SK Board. She and her family operate a grain and broiler chicken farm in northeast Saskatchewan. Tiffany grew up with grain and cattle, earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and worked in the industry for 10 years before focusing full-time on her family and their own farm. The thing she likes best about being in agriculture? “We have the best people in this industry. They are hard-working, caring, and innovative.” And nothing beats a combine ride!
Tiffany feels it’s important to reach consumers to talk about how food is produced. “As the years go by, we are losing the connection to our food and how it’s grown. People no longer have family to visit on the farm.”

Anthony Nienhuis
Board of Directors, SaskMilk | Farmer, Nienhuis Family Farm | Owner, Nienhuis Contracting
Anthony and his family own and operate Nienhuis Family Farm located just west of Warman, SK. The family has been at that location just over 5 years, and they milk 110 cows in a newly-renovated, two-robot free-stall dairy. The Nienhuis family also tends about 500 acres with a mix of corn, oats and barley for the purpose of silage for their dairy cows.
Anthony serves the dairy industry as a director on the Board of SaskMilk. He is also a director on the Western Milk Pool, which represents the regional interests and common policies of the four western provinces, as well as on the Board of Dairy Innovation West, a new dairy concentration facility being built near Red Deer, Alberta. In addition, Anthony chairs Intervalley Water Inc., a water utility serving rural water users north of Saskatoon.
Along with the dairy business, Anthony also owns and operates three retail lumberyards, an RTM housing company and a construction company mostly building larger agricultural operations throughout Saskatchewan.
Anthony and his wife Corien have six children that are involved in dairy 4-H and in helping out on the farm and the construction businesses.

Becky Parker
Communications Manager, CropLife Canada
Becky currently lives with her husband in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, but was raised as the 7th generation on a mixed livestock farm outside of Guelph, Ontario.
After attending the University of Guelph for a Bachelor of Applied Science, she pursued a teaching degree, followed by a Masters of Education with a concurrent diploma in Environmental and Sustainability Education. She has worked in agriculture communications for over 10 years, including previous roles with AgScape, Agriculture in the Classroom Canada, and the BC Agriculture Council. Becky is currently Communications Manager at CropLife Canada.
In 2015, she was awarded a Nuffield Canada Scholarship. Her research report is titled “Inspiring Gen Z to Pursue Careers in Agriculture and Food”. Becky enjoys giving back to the agriculture industry and is the current chair for the Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation, a member of Agriculture in the Classroom Canada’s Board Advisory Committee, and a mentor with the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
Outside of work, Becky enjoys gardening in her backyard, and exploring the beauty of Canada’s landscape while kayaking, hiking, camping, and skiing.

Jenna Sarich
Technical Consultant and Writer
Jenna works to seek, track and analyze research relevant to the beef industry and disseminate the information into key messages for stakeholders. Her duties also include providing scientific support and assisting in projects to connect positively with consumers and the public. With the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, Jenna is writing the National Beef Sustainability Assessment report and supporting other projects. Jenna will soon be defending her master’s thesis at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science and has a wide background in animal research, public outreach, and technical support.
Guests

Justine Akman
Director General of the Sectoral and Supply Chain Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Justine Akman is the Director General of the Sectoral and Supply Chain Directorate at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada where she is responsible for policy development related to a wide range of farm-to-fork issues, including livestock, supply management, and grain policy. Justine previously held positions as Director General of Strategic Policy at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Director of Immigration Policy at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Before entering government Justine worked as a journalist and in the non-profit sector. Justine comes from rural Manitoba and is very pleased to be reconnecting with her prairie roots in this position.

Sophie Beecher
Director General, Sustainable Development Policy, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Sophie Beecher is the Director General in the Sustainable Development Policy Directorate at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Her team develops and influences agricultural policies that affect Canada’s food systems and support sector sustainability with a focus on environmental and social outcomes as well as competitiveness. Her team provides strategic policy analysis and advice while identifying emerging issues for the sector and Canada’s food systems. Some key initiatives as they relate to agriculture include: Canada’s Sustainable Agriculture Strategy, Greenhouse gas emissions, including fertilizer and methane emissions, Bioeconomy, Food policy, including Food Loss and Waste Reduction, Biodiversity and Environmental Adaptation and Resilience. She started her career in the public service as Counsel for the Department of Justice. Prior to moving to Agriculture, Sophie worked in National Security and Intelligence policy.

Alain Bélair
Vice Principal, St. Pius X Career Centre (EMSB)
Alain Bélair is a Centre Vice-Principal of a Vocational School with the English Montreal School Board in Montreal specializing in Professional Cooking, Pastry making and Food and Beverage.
As of the age of 9, Alain has wanted to own his own restaurant. Through a life of travel and adventure, due to his parent’s work, he was exposed to many different countries, cultures, and different types of food. This fueled his passion and interest in food and cooking. Food was always and still is a daily focal point for him.
He worked as a waiter as of the age of 14. Worked for catering companies while completing his Bachelor of Arts in History. Alain studied at the Stratford Chef School from 1996 to 1998. He worked in the food industry until 2007. During that time, he opened his own restaurant in Wakefield, Québec called Restaurant Bélair sur la Rivière. After a few years he sold it and returned to university to become a qualified teacher. He taught in high schools in Ottawa and then after a move to Montreal in 2011, started teaching professional cooking at St. Pius X Career Centre. After several years of teaching, he transitioned to Centre Vice-Principal overseeing the culinary programs.
Alain has always believed that food is a great way for people to connect, share one’s culture, history, and life, as well as some good laughs.

Raymond Boutin
Bilingual Curriculum Consultant, Ministry of Education
Ray has been working in the curriculum unit with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education since August 2022. Some of his projects include the translation, vetting and implementation of several Saskatchewan middle years and high school courses such as Agriculture Production, Food Studies, Commercial Cooking and Entrepreneurship. Prior to this experience, Ray was a vice-principal at École St. Anne School in Prince Albert for a period of 4 years and taught for 21 years in the Francophone school division where he taught all grades and all subjects with a particular focus in the sciences and applied and practical arts in the village of Vonda and later in Prince Albert.
Ray has a strong connection to the land. Growing up in Debden, a small community-based in the parkland of Saskatchewan, he understands the importance of agriculture, environmental stewardship, and food security. He loves gardening, fishing, hunting, and most other outdoor activities. He enjoys meeting new people and is looking forward to the Farm & Food Tour.

Derek Curzi
Chef Instructor CEC, Pius X Career Centre
At a ripe young age raised by my Italian grandparents, I witnessed and assisted in the slaughtering of rabbits, chickens and other wild game in my garage at home. Where this would have scared most children; I was totally impressed. My love and passion for food began here. My journey in a professional kitchen was at 14 years old when I got my first job working a banquet in a high-end reception hall. I knew then and there; this would be the career path I would choose. I went on to study, compete and work in Belgium, France and Switzerland where I won three gold medals. My professional career has been spread over the last 32 years in high-end steak and seafood restaurants, private golf courses, and catering to large corporations and local celebrities. For the last 9 years I have been a chef instructor at the Culinary Institute I graduated from. I have also, for the last 8 years become a celebrity chef myself judging culinary competitions and appearing on many local food networks as well as radio and podcast appearances. Additionally, I have extended my repertoire to coaching and leading my culinary students to compete against schools across Canada. Currently; as well as teaching, I am also a food consultant and have opened and structured many new restaurants here in Montreal keeping the fire alive in me. My passion and love for food keeps growing through several vacations and inspiring food trips.

Francesco Del Bianco
Director General, Business Risk Management Programs Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Francesco Del Bianco is the Director General, Business Risk Management Programs Directorate, at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
In partnership with the provinces, he is responsible for the design of $1 billion annually in grants and contributions to support agriculture producers; the administration of $3 billion annually in interest free and interest bearing advances; and, the oversight of $30 billion annually in insurance liabilities. Prior to joining the department, he held various executive positions in the federal government. As a member of Industry Canada’s Automotive Industry Crisis Response Team, he was recognized with a Public Service Award of Excellence in the category of Exemplary Contribution under Extraordinary Circumstances. Francesco holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Science in Administration from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales.

Lily Ernst
Owner of Little Sweet Baker and Food Bloggers of Canada
Lily is a biochemist turned advertising sales rep turned food blogger. She started her food blog, Little Sweet Baker in 2014 while on maternity leave and went full-time in 2017. In 2021, she took over Food Bloggers of Canada, an online community of over 3,800 Canadian food bloggers.
Her recipes have been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, The Huffington Post, Breakfast Television, and Delish. She has partnered with several large companies such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Bob’s Red Mill, and Williams Sonoma.
She is passionate about the Canadian food culture and loves to showcase all the wonderful food creations and talent Canada has to offer.

Janice Fansher
Principal, Lanigan Elementary School
Currently, I am the Principal of Lanigan Elementary School. I received my Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan in 1993 and my Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Regina in 2006.
During my early years, I lived on our family farm. Our farm during these years was a mixed farm operation and later, we downsized to solely grain farming. My high school spring and fall years often led to time away from the classroom to work on the farm during two of my favourite times of the year: seeding and harvest!
In 1979 I moved off the farm and started my family. I have two wonderful daughters/sons-in-law and four amazing grandchildren.
I have a passion for agriculture and farm life and I returned to live on my family homestead in 2003. I currently own four horses and a blue heeler named Sarge!
Being an advocate for all areas of agriculture, our school has had the opportunity to extend the students’ learning through the Little Green Sprouts and the Little Green Thumbs program. I am looking forward to spending time on the tour and learning new ways to incorporate agriculture in the school setting and extend student learning into larger agriculture settings.

Patrick Hersey
Professor, Fanshawe College
Patrick trained in London, Ont and is a proud alumni of Fanshawe College (Cook II Apprentice, Class of 1992), where he has also worked as a Professor in the Culinary Management program since 1999. After working in a wide variety of food service establishments, Patrick pursued his goal of teaching in order to help the next generation of Chefs. Accomplishments include obtaining his Certified Chef de Cuisine designation and the Fanshawe Presidents Distinguished Faculty Award. Patrick has a passion for sharing his knowledge of food and cooking and highlighting the importance of supporting local farmers, producers and industry in the classes he teaches. Patrick also enjoys coaching and mentoring the many students involved in a variety of culinary competitions over the years and welcomes the opportunity to connect with Chefs and student competitors from other Colleges. Having participated in other Farm & Food Care Tours and events over the years, Patrick is looking forward to this year’s tour in Saskatchewan.

Keith Hoare
Culinary Instructor, Thistletown Collegiate Institute
Chef Keith Hoare has been involved in the food service industry for over 35 years, including teaching for the past 16 years at Thistletown Collegiate Institute. Chef Keith has won various teaching and industry awards including the Toronto Star Teacher of the Year Award, Restaurants Canada National Leadership Award in 2020 and most recently, the Culinary Federation of Canada’s Chef of the Year for 2022.
Since March 2020, Keith has led a team of chefs and community partners to create over 50,000 meals for shelters and food banks to rescue and redistribute tons of food to those in need. He also started an in-school food bank for students.
Keith created an annual food festival event in the school’s organic garden with leading Toronto chefs and culinary colleges to help raise funds for international travel. He has raised over $500,000 for school projects including international culinary trips for his students to Italy, Spain and France. He is also responsible for resurrecting Thistletown’s football program in 2008.
Keith engages his students in events to support local charities, including Youth Without Shelter, Anishnawbe Toronto Health Centre and Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter.
Keith won the TV competition Chopped Canada in 2015 and donated the $10,000 prize to his students’ trip to Spain and France.

Allison de Huber
Distance Learning Teacher Sask DLC
Allison de Huber grew up in small town SK with the best of “town kid” & “farm kid” life. Her family operated a mixed cattle and grain farm, now solely grain. She grew up helping with chores & volunteering in the community. Allison attended the U of S and received a B.A. and B.Ed. She has worked as a teacher in Kenaston, SK for 9 years now, both with the local school, but primarily the Distance Learning Centre. She is always interested in learning about developing Ag technologies from her farm-family K-2 students or her own family back home. Her hobbies include travel, drama & the arts, puzzles, curling, and telling stories to the way too many houseplants that live with her and partner Jonathan.

Sylvia Kong
Home Economist & Cookbook Author
Sylvia Kong is a home economist, food stylist, recipe developer and cookbook author.
She is passionate about cooking and eating and is always trying out new recipes. Sylvia lives in Calgary with her family.

Crystal MacGregor
Registered Dietitian, Crystal MacGregor Consulting
Crystal MacGregor is an innovator, registered dietitian, and lifelong learner, dedicated to inspiring healthy minds and nourishing bodies. With over two decades of expertise, working throughout Canada Crystal has become a trailblazer in the field of dietetics, making a profound impact across various sectors.
Crystal’s impressive career includes leadership roles at Epicure, where she served as the VP of Product Development, spearheading the development of their Good Food Real Fast movement, over 40 season launches, and the renowned Epic Life program, transforming the lives of over 20,000 individuals. Her media experience as a nutrition expert spans over 100 TV spots, with appearances on prominent shows such as CTV Regina’s Morning Live, Global Regina’s Morning Show, CTV Vancouver Morning Show, CTV Vancouver Island, Compass, CBC, #FoodieFriday, Global Montreal Morning Show, and Kingston’s WS Daily.
Currently, Crystal serves as the Director of Communications & Marketing at Food Island Partnership, passionately collaborating to showcase Prince Edward Island as Canada’s Food Island and drive economic growth in her beloved home province. She has organized cooking classes for the Canada Games, showcasing local products and reaching 2.4M consumers as well as a PEI Potato media campaign reaching over 4.7M consumers. Crystal’s team recently won the Food & Beverage Atlantic Storyteller of the Year award and the Culinary Federation Associate Member award.
As the founder of Crystal MacGregor Consulting, Crystal’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through her work in empowering food businesses through product development, recipe creation, and media services. She also contributes her expertise as a member of Canada Beef’s Nutrition Expert Advisory Committee.
Crystal holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, with a Major in Nutrition from the University of Prince Edward Island, where she also completed her dietetic internship. Her passion for cooking, the transformative power of exercise, and her dedication to staying informed on the latest agrifood, health, and wellness trends through continuous research fuel her drive.
Crystal MacGregor is a true advocate for good food, health, and wellness, leveraging her vast experience and expertise to inspire positive change in individuals and communities alike. With a deep love for food, Crystal MacGregor believes that every recipe tells a captivating story. To her, it’s a love story that encompasses the journey of who made it, the inspiration behind trying something new, the meticulous process of growing and preparing the ingredients, and the magic moments that occur when the dish is shared with loved ones. Crystal’s passion for food goes beyond mere sustenance—it’s a profound connection that weaves together people, traditions, and experiences, creating a tapestry of culinary delight and heartfelt connections.

Sistino Occhialini
Culinary Instructor, Pius X Career Centre
Culinary Instructor at Pius X Career Centre, Chef at Le Challenger Conference and Reception Hall, Culinary Competition Coach for Taste Canada and The Skills Quebec Trade and Technology Olympiades.
I have been teaching Professional Cooking since 2013 at Pius X Career Centre. Since 2016 I have been working at Le Challenger reception hall, helping out a chef friend on the weekends. Since the pandemic, I helped bring in a new kitchen team to Le Challenger and became Chef/Consultant to the owners.
I enjoy cooking at a high level and am passionate about food. The product of Italian immigrant parents, this passion comes about naturally. Food is family.
I’ve been in kitchens for over 30 years and transitioning to teaching has been amazing. Teaching the next generation of cooks and chefs is something I take seriously and I strive to instill my passion for culinary by example.

Siva Swaminathan
Chef, Cooking Instructor & Food Consultant, Chezsiva Cooking School
Siva Swaminathan is the Executive Chair and one of the founding members of the Diabetes Canada South Asian Diabetes Chapter in Toronto.
After being in the IT field for 12 years, she decided to pursue her dream of being a chef by attending the George Brown Culinary program, where she worked with many Canadian top chefs. She apprenticed in Germany and Switzerland for two years and now operates Chezsiva Cooking School, which offers a variety of cooking classes and services. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 16 years ago and has been using her culinary skills to develop low GI, healthy meal plans for people with diabetes.
Siva has been a volunteer with Diabetes Canada since 2006 where she organizes and presents information sessions on diabetes prevention and management for the South Asian and type 1 community. Siva has also been the driving force behind several diabetes expos for the South Asian community and played a key role in developing culturally relevant patient literature. She works with many non-profit organizations on healthy eating for diabetes and fitness and advocacy. She has walked 1000 km across Northern Spain walking the Camino Santiago. Siva has won a number of awards for her work within the diabetes community and is now working on her next dream, which is authoring a cookbook.

Amy Yiu
Registered Dietitian, Online Nutritionist & Nutrition Educator
Amy is a nutrition counsellor & educator, author, professional speaker, media dietitian, and the founder of Libra Nutrition. She loves teaching and has a heart full of compassion and empathy for helping others. She is an innovative, supportive nutrition educator with a calm confidence and demeanor to help her clients and patients tackle complex medical issues and practical everyday meal planning.
She leads a team of over a dozen student volunteers at any time in a variety of nutrition education projects for the community, grocery industry, and non-profit sector. She has published over 500 nutrition-related articles in multiple Asian magazines and national newspapers. She co-authored Dietitians at Home, a cookbook for the whole family with easy and nutritious Asian-inspired recipes and is currently writing her second book.
She is a regular Chinese TV and radio talk show guest expert on nutrition for programs such as OMNI Television and AM1470 in Vancouver, Canada. She has proudly served as the spokesperson for the Dietitians of Canada National Nutrition Month campaigns in British Columbia for close to a decade. Amy is a recipient of the Leadership Award by the Dietitians of Canada in 2015 and was recognized as one of the Top 10 dietitians by Today’s Dietitian magazine in 2023. Over the past decade, she conducted over 200 community workshops and touched the lives of over 100,000 people who have attended. She passionately continues to expand her skills as a virtual presenter offering online nutrition workshops for community partners and institutions including the University of British Columbia, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, S.U.C.C.E.S.S (a settlement organization for immigrants), Dietitians of Canada Consulting Network, CRC Health Centre, R.C.M.P., and non-profit organizations.
Things to do in Saskatoon
Points of Interest: Saskatoon was established in 1882 as a temperance colony and gets its name from the Cree word = misâskwatôminiskâhk, “at the place of many saskatoon berries”. It is also called the Paris of the prairies or city of bridges as the South Saskatchewan River winds through the city. Saskatchewan means swift running water in Cree – which are the Indigenous people that originated in this area.
The city is also home to the University of Saskatchewan – found in 1907 as an Agricultural college and now has over 200 programs. The U of S buildings were built mainly from limestone or Greystone that was mined just north of the campus.
Saskatoon is the birthplace of one of Canada’s most famous hockey players – Gordie Howe. If you have had a chance to walk by the River there is a statue of him by the Broadway bridge and they also named our newest bridge on the west end of the city after him.
Our hotel is located next to the river walk, the Remai Modern Art Gallery and close to many other interesting areas. Check out the Saskatoon Tourism website or here are a few suggestions to check out during your free time.
Stroll Up Broadway Avenue
Head up the Broadway bridge to Broadway avenue where you will find plenty of coffee shops & restaurants – (Broadway Roastery, Broadway Cafe, Calories, Una) as well as unique shopping spots (Hats and That, The Better Good, SK Craft Council). You could also walk up the Victoria Traffic bridge and then over to Broady way avenue.
Stroll Through Riversdale
Just West of the hotel is the Riversdale area with several interesting shops (Hardpressed – SK Clothing), as well as restaurants (Odd Couple, Drift, Picaro’s, Hollows) a Juicery (Thrive Juice Co) and a local Brewer (9 Mile Brewing).
Shopping Midtown Plaza Mall
Just 2 blocks from the hotel at 201 1st Ave S. Including a Shopper’s Drug Mart and The Bay!
Meewasin Trails
Right out the front door of the hotel there are walking, biking, hiking and running trails.
Newsletters and Articles
Articles from our 2022 tour guests
- 3 Things I Learned Visiting Saskatchewan Farms Written by Lucia Weiler, RD, PHEc, Award-winning dietitian and Co-Founder, n4nn
- Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Farm Tour 2022 Written by Jane Dummer, RD
- The Canadian Farming Industry from Farm to Fork Written by Shauna Kime, RD & Online Nutritionist
Tour Sponsors
Thank you to our Sponsors:
Survey and Form Links
Before the Tour
Please fill out our pre-tour survey. Your answers help us to prepare for the tour and to make sure we can answer all your questions. We also share the results with our board of directors and funders so that they continue to support and see value in important programs like this one. Thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out our survey.
After the Tour
Please fill out our post-tour survey. Your answers help us make improvements to our tour so we can facilitate learning opportunities and networking activities. We also share the results with our board of directors and funders so that they continue to support and see value in important programs like this one. Thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out our survey.
Expense Report Form
If you had expenses travelling to and from the tour for mileage, taxis or meals, please fill out the attached expense report and submit it to penny@farmfoodcaresk.org
Photos From 2023 Tour
Please share your tour photos with the group. Photos can be uploaded, viewed and downloaded from our Smugmug gallery set up for the tour https://farmfoodcare.smugmug.com/upload/w96B6q/farmfoodtour2023
To view the gallery, click the “Done” button, or go directly to this link
Our photo library, FarmPhotos.ca was created to provide those in agriculture education, teachers, students and media an opportunity to access accurate, up-to-date photographs of Canadian agriculture.
Any images used from the library must be credited to the FarmPhotos.ca Photo Library.
Farmphotos.ca is a project of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, Ontario and Prince Edward Island with support from Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan.
Let’s stay connected!
- Contact Dorothy Long or Clinton Monchuk if you have any questions.
- Check out our Canadian Food Focus website.
- Sign up for our monthly newsletter: Great Food Grown Here.
- Listen to our Ask A Farmer Podcast.
- Join our Farm Food Focus community, a professional development hub for dietitians, home economists, food writers, chefs, food media, and culinary & dietetic students. We share content regarding professional development or networking opportunities including upcoming courses, webinars and events through a Facebook group and an occasional Newsletter. It is a great place to discover new resources and information developed by our Canadian Food Focus contributors.
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