Farming in Canada: From Biology at Peking University to Small-scale Farming

In this episode of Food Talk, we are joined by our old friend, Sun Shan. Having previously worked for several non-profit organisations, including the Shan Shui Conservation Center, she now runs her own farm in Canada.

Contrary to the idyllic image of spending one’s days in harmony with nature, ecological conservation work has its challenging and disheartening aspects, which left her physically and mentally exhausted. What should an ideal life actually look like?

While visiting farmers in Japan and Taiwan, Sun Shan gradually discovered the concept of “half-farming, half-X” — the idea that one can cultivate the land while balancing other professional pursuits. Consequently, she and her family first rented a plot of land in Beijing, spending a few years as amateur farmers. After moving to Canada, she decided to shift the focus of her life and work entirely towards agriculture.

Starting her farm from scratch at the age of 40, Sun Shan was fortunate to encounter “Fair Food Farms”, a small-scale ecological farming incubator in Canada. With the support of this project, she has immersed herself in the physical work of the farm, labouring and sharing alongside community members.

As a small-scale farmer in Canada, growing vegetables may not be the primary source of income, but fermentation, training, consulting, writing, and translation constitute the “X” part of her “half-farming, half-X” lifestyle. The experience of growing vegetables has allowed her to feel the joy of cultivation and the wonder of nature, helping her move past the feelings of helplessness and despair she experienced in environmental conservation work. For young people burdened by immense life pressures, how can they cope with frequent setbacks by connecting with nature? This question is also explored in the programme.

However, for Sun Shan’s parents living far away in China, their daughter moving to Canada to grow vegetables was a change that took time to accept. Sun Shan found that sharing the genuine experiences of her farming life helped her build a special emotional connection with them.

After listening to this episode of Food Talk, you may find that nature is not so distant. Everyone can find their own moment of connection with the natural world — planting a vegetable, dipping their feet in the soil, letting the skin feel the earth, and rediscovering our innate capacity for healing.

This Episode’s Guest

Sun Shan

Currently operates Chi Garden, an ecological farm and fermentation kitchen in Ottawa. Sun Shan graduated from Peking University with a degree in Ecology and founded the university’s first nature conservation society, the “Green Life Association”. She later earned a Master’s degree in Environmental and Public Policy from George Mason University in the US. After several years of working in research institutes, environmental organisations, the field of sustainable development, and non-profits, she is currently the Chairperson of the Board of the Shan Shui Conservation Center.

Articles by Sun Shan published on Foodthink ▼

This Episode’s Hosts

Tianle

Editor at Foodthink. A sufferer of Nature Deficit Disorder. Having worked in food and agriculture for over a decade, he may lack the physical prowess of a true labourer, but he can just about manage the harvest. He deeply admires those who till the fields with both their hands and their minds.

Xiaochao

A project officer at Foodthink (preparing to move on) and a balcony gardening enthusiast. This year, he has upgraded his hobby by renting a courtyard in the suburbs with partners to clear the land, farm, and cook.

Timeline

00:42 How did Sun Shan, a graduate in Ecology from Peking University’s Department of Biology who worked at several non-profit organisations, make the complete transition to starting a farm in Canada?

03:15 As a typical city dweller, although Sun Shan worked in ecological protection for a non-profit, she still experienced the physical and mental exhaustion often faced by female professional managers. She began to wonder: could she eventually move beyond just intellectual and verbal work, to something hands-on and heartfelt, and engage directly with the land?

05:24 After visiting farmers in Japan and Taiwan, Sun Shan discovered the concept of “half-farming, half-X”. This is a lifestyle based in the countryside where one grows their own food while dedicating time to other interests—shifting from being a mere consumer to becoming a producer.

06:58 Buying a piece of land in Canada; for her, owning land meant owning a dream. Sun Shan and her family spent two or three months visiting a diverse range of Canadian farms and meeting various farmers, gradually preparing themselves for the life of farming.

14:20 Starting a farm from scratch at the age of 40, she was fortunate to find “Fair Food Farms”, a Canadian incubator for small-scale ecological agriculture: “We won’t make your journey into farming any easier, but at least we can walk this path together.”

17:44 If the land is unhealthy, society is unhealthy: maintaining agricultural diversity and adhering to small-scale farming.

22:23 A farm life of rising with the sun and resting with its setting: a family managing ten mu of land, growing salad greens, producing ferments, and even teaching others in the project community how to drive a tractor.

33:09 The origins of her connection with nature: in 1996, Sun Shan founded the “Peking University Green Life Association”, the first university environmental society in the country, embarking on her journey of exploring the natural world.

46:31 Finding acceptance and generosity in the land through gardening: “Even someone who isn’t very good at growing vegetables can, with just a little effort, produce so much from the earth and bring it to the market to share with others.”

48:32 Growing vegetables isn’t profitable, so “half-farming, half-X” is necessary—selling fermented foods, providing training and consultancy, writing books, and translating. Since embracing this lifestyle, the feeling of helpless despair has vanished, replaced by a busy but simple happiness.

56:43 How do city-dwelling parents view a Peking University graduate turning to farming? As it turns out, owning land and engaging in honest labour can bring parents peace of mind. By sharing the tangible experiences of farming, her connection with her family has actually deepened.

63:23 Her son, who has no interest in farming and prefers studying car engines, also found his own way to connect with nature and soothe his spirit during the pandemic by hatching chicks on the farm.

69:54 How can young people carrying the heavy burden of life’s pressures connect with nature to cope with the frequent sense of frustration they encounter?

73:00 There are, in truth, myriad ways to connect with nature. Perhaps everyone can find their own unique moment—whether it is planting a single vegetable, or simply stepping barefoot into the soil. Letting the skin feel the earth allows the gut microbiota to connect, unlocking the innate healing power that is often suppressed within our concrete jungles.

76:48 Why do we say, “Nature has the answer?”