Team
Thorsten Arnold




“I see a future for bottom-up research and development in sustainable agriculture. This is our response to the government's withdrawal from extension services and an alternative to corporate-driven mainstream agriculture research. Diversified agriculture can only build on networks that openly share knowledge for production methods, and share distribution and processing, research, and marketing, and use innovative organizational approaches.”
Education
2010. Doctor of Philosophy. Water Management in Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, Germany.

2003. Master of Science Eq. Environmental Scientist, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Ocean (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, Germany.

1998. Bachelor of Engineering Eq, Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cottbus, Germany.

Contact
thorsten.arnold@gbcae.com
519 935 3005

Specialization
Senior researcher

Research methods
  • Business planning
  • Impact assessment
  • Data analysis
  • Qualitative & conceptual modelling
  • Numerical modelling
Thorsten Arnold was born and raised in Bielefeld, Germany. Since his master program in environmental sciences, his interest in Climate Change focused his work on the connection between agriculture and water. He participated in national and international civil society networks and later finished his PhD on watershed management and water rights. In 2009, he moved to Ontario/Grey County with his wife Kristine and bought a farm, Persephone Market Garden. He first worked for the Conservation Authorities on Drinking Water Source Protection and also for Persephone Market Garden with his wife Kristine. For the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Toronto Region conservation authority, Thorsten has worked on establishing guidelines for the management of numerical models in public sector institutions during the winter of 2014/15. Some material was presented at the International Environmental Modelling Society in Toulouse, 2016, where Thorsten co-hosted a session on model management.

Thorsten also is founding member of Grey Bruce Centre for Agroecology, where he managed projects related to local food impacts in Ontario and business planning. In 2015, Thorsten has been involved in the planning process of a Food Hub in Grey Bruce, which later became Eat Local Grey Bruce Co-operative(www.eatlocalgreybruce.ca). When participating farmers incorporated as not-for-profit cooperative, Thorsten was asked to manage the start-up process, first as a startup consultant and later as General Manager until February 2017.
Freeman Boyd




“I believe that there are powerful social and environmental advantages in increasing the number of small scale production and processing units in the food system. To help that happen, I am focusing on two problems: the need to revamp government policies – both food regulations and incentive programs – to encourage small food businesses and the need to redirect current agriculture research, education and extension to deliver scale-appropriate knowledge and technology.”
Education
2006. PhD. Agricultural Ethics, University of Guelph.

1988. MA. Philosophy of Science, University of Guelph.

Freeman Boys passed away unexpectedly in June 2017. Our group feels this tragic loss of one of our elders, an important mentor and visionary thinker. Our warmest feeling go to Freeman's family.

Freeman farmed on the Niagara Escarpment for 30 years, vending poultry products and garden produce at the Owen Sound Farmers Market. He studied and taught Philosophy of the Environment and Agricultural Ethics at the University of Guelph. He was the first coordinator of the Grey Bruce Local Food Project from 2007 to 2012, and continued sharing his insights into his retirement. A dedicated field naturalist, Freeman had a special interest in birds, mushrooms and botany. He was twice past president of the Owen Sound Field Naturalists and compiler of the Owen Sound Christmas Bird Count.

Rest in peace, Freeman. Your legacy will live with us, and many other people who miss you.
Ivan Chan





“ I believe in the ability of the Internet and stakeholder engagement to foster collaborative approaches toward building resilient systems. Ultimately, this will better leverage our community's ability to transition towards the mixed farm, diversified income streams, and avenues for mutual support.”
Education
2011. Permaculture Design Certificate . Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute.

2004. Bachelor of Engineering . Water Resources Engineering. University of Guelph.

Contact
Ivan.chan@gbcae.com
705 444 2684

Specialization
  • Watershed hydrology and hydraulics
  • Drainage design
  • Permaculture Design
As a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) since 2009 along with 7 years of previous consulting engineering experience, Ivan Chan has completed a wide variety of drainage design projects for academic, public, and private sector clients. Ever since his university studies, Ivan has complemented his engineering skill-set with a number of electives in environmental management and rural extension. Since obtaining the Permaculture Design Certificate in 2011, Ivan has founded the business Eden in Season. Ivan is sowing the seeds on edible landscape design, mycoscaping (mushroom logs), and establishing a nut industry in South Georgian Bay.
Kristine Hammel




“I see the future of reliable food systems in small and medium-scale, diversified farms complemented by a diversity of distribution and retail models. Such food systems will be knowledge-intensive, driven by the sun and thrive on diversity, rather than being input-intensive, driven by fossil fuels, and based on monoculture.”
Education
2011. International Agroecology Short-course. Agroecology and the Transformation of Food Systems. University of California, Santa Cruz.

2008. Master of Science . Organic Food Chain Management. Universität Hohenheim.

2004. Bachelor of Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Landscape Design. York University.

Contact
kristine.hammel@gbcae.com
519 935 3005

Specialization
Project management
Policy development

Research methods
  • Interviews & surveys
  • Literature reviews
  • Qualitative & conceptual modelling
Kristine Hammel grew up on a dairy farm in southwestern Ontario. After almost a decade away from farming, spent studying, working and travelling, she returned to Grey County in 2009. Since then she has grown her market garden and CSA (community shared agriculture) program to 1.5 acres and 50 shares. In addition, she has carried out projects related to local food distribution, public sector institutions and local food, not-for-profit distribution models (the Good Food Box), as well as developing curricula for farmer training through Georgian College and not-for-profit community groups.
Brenda Hsueh




“I would like to see growth in the number of farms of all sizes in Canada, as a resilient food system requires a diversity of production techniques, locales, distribution, and retail systems. Ideally, these farms would prioritize improving the health of their soils through agroecological farming, thus ensuring productive capacity for the future.”
Education
1997. Bachelor of Arts & Science. McMaster University.

Contact
brenda.hsueh@gbcae.com
519 363 2199

Specialization
Project management
Policy development

Research methods
  • Interviews & surveys
  • Literature reviews
  • Data analysis & storage
  • Qualitative & conceptual modelling
Brenda Hsueh worked for over ten years in the financial sector of Toronto, but left it in 2008 to start farming. Her work experience in the financial sector included managing projects & staff, policy writing, database maintenance and creation. Her years with Everdale Environmental Learning Centre and her own farm have put her in contact with many farmers, from beginner to seasoned, giving her a realistic expectation of production goals and capabilities across the spectrum. She approaches farming as a lifetime scientific research project on sustainable agriculture, making seasonal changes towards finding the balance between maximizing efficiency and maintaining sanity on her farm.
Laurie Thomson






“My interest is the exchange of knowledge and experiences in ecological food production and environmental stewardship with people of all ages and backgrounds to promote a more reliable, resilient, and fair food system.”
Education
2007. Bachelor of Education. K-12. University of Lethbridge.

2002. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Horticultural Science & Business. University of Guelph.

Contact
laurie.thomson@gbcae.com
519-794-0907

Specialization
Horticulture
  • local food systems
  • four-season food production
Education
  • food system-focused learning activities for all ages
Laurie Thomson has lived and worked on farms, ranging from conventional dairy to organic market garden, for most of her life.   In addition to taking time away for studies in agriculture and education, she gained experience in the urban environment through collaboration on the development and facilitation of a series of food system education workshops for elementary students in Toronto.  Along with her husband, she is currently working on a multi-year project to establish year-round food production on their diverse property on the Niagara Escarpment in Grey County, using low-input techniques based on observations of the natural world.
 
tel: 519 935 3005 | email: info@gbcae.com | web: www.gbcae.com
Mail: RR3, #241063, Concession Rd. 3, Allenford, ON N0H 1A0
© 2013 Grey Bruce Centre for Agroecology