Kimiko Uchikura, 62, grew up in Toronto among first generation Japanese Canadians. She had taken over the family business of graphics, as was the duty of the eldest, but she never felt fulfilled. After her divorce, she moved full time to the family cottage in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. She quickly befriended the former owners of this 167-acre property who were looking to lease a small piece of land on their farm for a personal garden. When the owners suddenly decided to sell in 2019, Kimiko jumped at the chance. She called it Merkaba Acres.

“I got interested in alternative health, healing, spirituality, and all of those things that have to do with nature,” Kimiko says.

“It wasn’t a long-standing interest or calling, but as I looked at my well-being, the focus was more and more on what you eat, how you live your life. … It all kept pointing to the cultivation of things to nourish you, to heal you and to nourish your soul.

The Merkaba is a sacred geometric form. It represents light, spirit, body; energies come together to grow. Kimiko has always loved the symbol and had the name before she got the farm. She added two hearts to the Merkaba – which represent the balance of male and female energies – and created the farm logo. The vision of Merkaba Acres is to be a community project, enabling anyone who wishes to live and work there to help restore the land and promote regenerative and sustainable agriculture.

“I might be the foundation, but all the inspiration was to bring people together,” Kimiko says. “Not everyone has the opportunity to explore a passion, a desire to grow things, or to make things, or to understand how nature works. There is so much that can happen here, and my goal is to have a space that gives that opportunity to as many people as possible.

At first, Kimiko ran the farm herself. She bought a tractor, farmed four acres, and tried growing hemp for CBD production, which ended up being a struggle and not for profit. After a year, she decided to change her strategy. Of 167 acres, only 40 acres are cleared. The rest of the property is home to wetlands and wooded areas. The soil was never treated with pesticides, but was never fully utilized, so Kimiko slowly began to strengthen the health of the soil.

Kimiko’s daughter, Tessa, worked for a cycle touring company in Canmore, Alta., With her partner, Kieran. She lost her job during the pandemic and moved to the farm earlier than expected. Now Kimiko and Tessa are farming together. Kimiko brings the ideas; Tessa founds them and puts plans into action. Every day they face a new challenge and aim to meet it in the best way that is beneficial for the land, crops and animals.

“ Tessa and I visited so many farmers together. We don’t try to pretend we know what we are doing, but rather it is something we want to learn. We found our way to this place. And people have been so generous with their time and information.

The philosophy of the regenerative farm means that each activity supports each other. The vegetables that don’t go to the market are fed to the chickens, who then provide the eggs, so that nothing is wasted.

The wagyu herd is moved every day to a new pen with fresh fodder to eat.

Merkaba now has 26 Wagyu cows, a Japanese breed famous for its heavily marbled meat. They planned to feed the cows with rotating grass, but learned that it is difficult to fatten this type of cow on a grass diet. They therefore adjust their plans while remaining organic. People told them that they would not be successful in raising these kinds of cows in Bobcaygeon because Wagyu beef is a premium product never seen before in this area. But their beef has sold well this season after the launch of online sales, and they found the majority of sales came from locals willing to support their efforts.

“I didn’t want to be a cattle breeder,” says Kimiko. “But I wanted the animals grazing on the land to fertilize it and stimulate it to come back to life. Raising animals is one of the fastest and best ways to build fertile soil. We care so much about these animals and want to give them the best possible life. I really think our animals are happy. For me, this will produce the best food.

Located on the Trent Severn Waterway about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto, Bobcaygeon bills itself as “not just any old country town.” It attracts tourists and cottage owners from southern towns.

“I think we are just a curiosity. Many people in the country don’t know much about Asians. Bobcaygeon is starting to be more diverse, but I haven’t known another Asian family around here for a very long time. Typically, agriculture is made up of white men and men, and a large part of the younger generation leaves for the city to become modern people. … I do it for future generations, and I love the number of young people who are interested in it. Go out and look at different ways of living, eating, playing.

Last fall, they hired a permaculture farmer to design an orchard, hoping to start cider production in the future. The property is home to century-old apple trees which they will use to graft onto new trees and grow rootstocks. The trees won’t bear fruit for years, but this is one of the long term plans that will help the property become self-sufficient.

In July, Merkaba Acres debuted at the Bobcaygeon Farmers Market. The response was so positive that they had to bring in a second load of vegetables from the farm because they were out of stock. People were impressed with the size and color of their products, and many bought Wagyu beef, interested in trying it.

Kimiko and her maremma dog Bo are working on new signs to attract customers to the Farm Store. This summer, the Merkaba team transformed one of the property’s original buildings into a store to sell their fresh produce on site. It is a way of sharing the farm with their community.

“ Regenerating means doing things in a way that contributes. You don’t just take and use. Whatever you do, you at least put it back. It is not only a question of maintenance but of the regeneration of habitats, of soils, of balancing the environment. I think it’s our responsibility to make it as healthy and vibrant as possible.

Vegetables for sale at the on-site Merkaba Acres Farm Shop, open in July. Guests are welcome to tour the property, and they see agritourism as a way to engage with the community while encouraging people to take an interest in sustainable agriculture and food practices.

Merkaba Acres now has an on-site agricultural store to sell its vegetables and meat, and plans to invite the public on agricultural sightseeing tours. Ultimately, they would like to turn the barn into a farm-to-table restaurant or a wedding venue. Burnout is common among farmers, so they try to balance the workload as well as diversify sources of income. Each decision eases the pressure on the other and allows for more experimentation. They use this season to experiment with food varieties, learn what works well in the soil, what is financially and temporally sustainable, what insects they attract and how to move forward without pesticides.

“There are so many decisions that you have to make on a daily basis. We do research, we ask questions, but it’s mostly my instinct that I am, ”Kimiko says. “By doing this your instincts really kick in. You become intuitive. You start to ask yourself some good questions. You have to express your ideas, and often they will come true. Tessa often tells me to shut up because whatever I throw in there ends up happening!

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