Please help the Church Hill Farm NOT to become a highway!

A couple of mornings ago I heard about something that really hit home. The Ministry of Transportation is considering taking away productive farmland from the Church Hill Farm and other farms near New Hamburg, Ontario and turning part of their land into a … road. This absurd idea has been proposed by government planners who are looking for ways to deal with traffic congestion in the area.

I have always lived in the city, but I could not imagine my life without farms and my interaction with farmers who produce our food. I greatly admire and respect them for their hard work. Our family is fortunate enough to live in the Waterloo region where farms and farmers’ markets are just a short drive away. During this past week my 3-year old son and I have interacted with many farmers. Last Saturday we took part in the Everdale Carrot Fest in Hillsburgh, on Tuesday we picked apples at the Apple Creek Farm near Drayton and on Thursday we picked raspberries at the Wilhelm Family Farm in Amulree. I hope my son grows up with appreciation for and gratefulness to farmers who grow our food.

Paving farmland without farmers’ consent kills not only productive agricultural land. It also kills wildlife, it kills farmers’ dreams, it kills opportunities for all of us to eat nourishing, locally grown food, it kills our belief in democracy. Their land is not just an acreage that can be compensated in other land or dollars since many intangible things have been invested by farmers into their land.

It does not matter if you live in Kelowna, Saskatoon, Halifax or Toronto. Decisions like this affect every one of us because it’s just a matter of time before next farm becomes a road. I would like to ask all of you who care and can spare a moment, please sign the petition against paving over the Church Hill Farm before September 30, 2008:

Learn more here:

• Don't Let Them Pave Over Our Farm by Farmer Max Lass
• Ministry of Transportation Feasibility Study

What you can do:

• sign the online petition (only takes a few seconds);
• contact the Honourable Jim Bradley, our provincial Minister of Transportation;
• contact the MPP of the affected riding, the Honourable Leeanna Pendergast, who is opposed to the highway reconstruction and is fighting against it on behalf of her constituents.