International Year of the Woman Farmer: Raquel

This month's interview is with Raquel from Sandy's Farm & Garden Centre. I had the pleasure to chat with her a couple of months ago. She is an incredibly strong woman, with a deep heart for farming, community and her family. Enjoy reading the interview below.

Sandy's Farm & Garden Centre

Do you think the farming and agricultural industry is designed to favour men? And if it is, why do you think it’s that way?

I wouldn't say the industry is designed to favour men, it just naturally favours men. Because there's a huge strength aspect to it. You need to be strong. It's not like humans designed farming to be for men, it's just more so for men because you need the strength, you need long hours, and you need time away from your family. That’s harder for women to do, especially if they have kids. I know as a woman, even though I own the farm solely, and I run the farm, I still have a lot of employees. I need men that are strong around me because there's some things I just cannot do, or I struggle with, and they won't. So I wouldn't say like the industry was designed for men. I guess aspects of it are easier for men in some way. 

How do you think that has played out historically?

Men usually would run the farm. Women would help their husbands usually. I think it always takes two. It takes a man and a woman. Just women do more of the home stuff, and men are doing the more laborious, intense work.

In the 2023 survey, Farm Management Canada discovered that many women struggle with identifying themselves as a farmer. Do you agree, and why you think that might be. 

I don't agree. I'll say one thing, and I think maybe I'm not good for this interview. So my grandfather, he's the one that started the farm and I started helping him when I was 11 years old. I started going down to the food terminal at 18, and probably the most hard part of farming is actually the food terminal wheeling and dealing and buying and selling products. That's where it's mostly male dominated.

I remember when I was 18, my grandfather tried to get me to start negotiating prices and stuff. I said, we're Italian, so I said, no, no, no. He told me to go buy this at this price, "You're not buying it for more than this price." So I'm like, "no, no one's gonna take me seriously. I'm a girl, like I'm a young girl. They don't know who I am and they're not gonna take me seriously, right?" He said, and this changed my whole aspect of it, he said, "If you play your cards right, because you're a woman, you'll have more power than anyone else here." Now I get some of the best deals. Everybody helps me out. I think maybe society tries to put down women, but if you have supportive men and women around you that don't treat you like that, I don't think you feel like that, if that makes sense.

No, that makes perfect sense.

I don't find it hard. I think it's just your own mindset, you kind of have to be mentally tough, very mentally tough with any business, not just farming. I could see how other women might struggle a bit if they didn't have the support, or being taught a certain way to do things. Right. But I don't feel that. I've never felt that way because my grandfather, who's very old school Italian you know, women cook and clean and stuff, but he always encouraged me to do more.

Now, you made a bit of a throwaway comment. I wanna touch on that you said you might not be a good person for this interview. Why would you say that?

I briefly read your questions and it's asking how women feel like they can't identify as farmers and stuff, and I'm like, I don't feel that. I feel very confident. Well, I guess it depends what kind of aspect you're going for. I've never felt held back because I was a woman. Maybe you get a little bit of comments, but I've never felt that way.

I think that's great. I'm glad I'm interviewing you for that specific reason. I think when we try to reduce people in any way, shape, or form, we lose the chance to see their humanity. I think you're a great candidate for this, because it sounds like you've had a really good supportive upbringing. And that isn't always the case. 

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Why is farming important to you?

A big part of the reason why I do it is because of my grandfather, to keep his legacy going on. Sorry, I'm crying to talk about it. It's a big motivator for me to continue.

I think that's the biggest reason why I farm, or one of the biggest reasons. It's also nice working for myself and having that flexibility. But a big reason why I did take over the farm is that when my grandfather was dying, no one else wanted to. I couldn't let that legacy end.

Wow, that's huge. Was it a hard decision for you?

Yes. I had a very good job before where I would work maybe 5 to 6 days a week. I was in medical sales. It was easy. Even though I grew up in the business, it still felt like I was taking a huge risk by quitting my other job. But once I made the decision, there's no turning back. I think it was just hard because it would be a complete life change, working from 30-40 hours a week to up to 110 hours a week. So yeah, it took me a while to finally decide, but when I decided, I'm happy that I made the choice. 

We have a little family community with all the workers I have. I have the same students or staff that come back every year. It’s just a different type of family.

Is there any advice that you would give a younger version of yourself coming into this?

I think just being tough mentally, physically, well, mostly mentally. Things don't always happen as quickly as you'd hope. I think farming teaches you a lot of patience. And be persistent, don't give up. 

What about another young woman, maybe not necessarily with your experience coming into the agriculture industry, farming industry, what advice would you give a young woman who's thinking of coming into the industry?

Probably the same advice. I think that’s persistence, resilience, and mental strength. If you have those 3 things, you can pretty much do anything you want. Your heart has to be in it too. If your heart's not in it, it will never happen

Why do you think the heart's such an important part of it?

Because it's a driving factor. Even when everything can be going wrong, it gives you the courage, the hope.

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What advice would you give an immigrant woman who is thinking about entering the Canadian farm industry?

I don't know if it would change whether it was a Canadian woman or an immigrant woman. It shouldn't be different, I don't think.

I agree it shouldn't be different, however, we do have systems in place that can make things a little bit difficult for them. Which is why I'm asking. I'm curious if you've noticed a difference, and if you have, what advice that would be.

I think it'd be the same advice. I don't know if I would have different advice to give. The only thing I can think of is in a lot of countries that immigrants are coming in from, more women are suppressed than women are here. They should have the freedom to do more than what they thought they could. 

So have the have the freedom to dream big,

To dream bigger, yeah.

What do you wish the average person, understood about what it means to be a farmer. Farmer period. Not woman farmer, just farmer.

As you mentioned before, it's very selfless. You're working terribly long hours. Even though many people don't think so, it is year-round. You sacrifice all the time with your family, your friends. A lot of time your physical and mental health can be strained because of the long work hours and the stress that any farmer can face. 

Would you add anything if I were to say, what do you wish they understood about what it means to be a woman involved in agriculture and farming?

I think it's the same. I don't think it changes much.

I thought that's what you'd say, that's why I asked the other question first.

I speak with other male farmers because the majority of the farmers I am friends with or deal with are male farmers and it seems like those are the same issues.

What are the fall and winter months like for you?

Fall we're pretty much open until mid November, so we're still farming, we're harvesting, and the storefront is still open. There's still quite a bit of work to do, and then it's just catch up for anything we're behind, lots of clean up. Come November, December, just winterizing the farm, closing everything down, then we start planning for the next year. Still full time, even when we're not farming, it's still full time work.

It's one of those things I think a lot of people in the cities and other areas who go to grocery stores all the time don't realize is that farming doesn't stop. 

No, there is a huge disconnect between farming and consuming.

What does your identity as a farmer mean to you?

I think it's the purpose of carrying on tradition. Legacy. Providing good food for my community. Even though it's a lot of hard work, it's good work. It's definitely rewarding work.

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Thank you, Raquel, for your honesty and vulnerability.

Enjoy the quiz below to test how much you remember from reading the interview!