Written By Olena Riznyk
AILSA CRAIG – On Saturday, August 23, New Moon Community Homestead opened its gates to more than 60 visitors for an ecological farm tour and social hosted by the National Farmers Union–Ontario Local 312. The event highlighted both the farm’s regenerative agricultural practices and its role as a community hub.
Guests toured the 200-acre property, which has been protected since 1991 under the stewardship of the nonprofit ROSE Landcare Association. ROSE ensures the land is used for small-scale biodynamic farming, urban-rural connections, and educational programs. New Moon’s current farmers, Kristina and Mike Courey, along with their four children, moved to the homestead in 2021 after leaving Old East Village in London to pursue a new vision of community-based farming.
“We wanted to create more than a farm,” said Kristina Courey. “For us, it’s about building connections between people, food, and the land.”
With a team of staff, volunteers, and work-placement employees from Hutton House’s Orchard Program, New Moon raises pasture-raised meats, eggs, and vegetables.
The first part of Saturday’s tour highlighted the farm’s rotational grazing system for pigs, chickens, and cattle, as well as its five-acre market garden. The second half, led by Ausable Bayfield Conservation and ALUS Middlesex, showcased ecological restoration projects supported by both organizations. These included newly established wetlands designed to filter runoff before it reaches the Ausable River and areas planted with native prairie grasses to boost biodiversity. Guests also learned about the ecological value of pollinators, waterfowl, and even freshwater mussels—over 20 species of which have been found thriving in the Ausable.
For the Coureys, ecological farming is about more than production. “We believe that sustainable agriculture can also be a way of life,” Kristina explained. “Our children are growing up surrounded by nature, and our hope is to share that experience with others in the community.”
Following the tour, visitors enjoyed a farm-to-fork meal featuring pulled pork, roasted chicken, sweet corn, and an array of fresh salads. It was a fitting celebration of the farm’s mission to connect people directly with the food they eat.
During the gathering, New Moon received special recognition from the Middlesex-London Food Policy Council, which presented the farm with its 2025 Food Champions Award.
In 2023, New Moon also received support from the federal Investment Readiness Fund to expand its long-term impact, furthering projects that strengthen local food systems and protect the environment.
For those eager to experience the homestead firsthand, New Moon is hosting another event—Farm Gate Friday — on September 12 from 5-8 p.m. The evening will feature live music, local vendors, a farm-fresh meal, and self-guided walks through the gardens and pastures.
