Debbie (she/her) studied engineering at University of Toronto and is an Organic Master Gardener. After volunteering at permaculture farms in Norway, she joined BUFCO to combine her technical skills with Arlene and Marc’s imagination to encourage mutually uplifting relationships between the earth and its inhabitants through food. She enjoys feeding garden scraps to her bunny, feeding bunny poo to her worms, then feeding worm poo back to her garden.

Julia (they/them) is an Organic Master Gardener who previously graduated from Queen’s University in printmaking and art history. Julia joined the BUFCO team after working at organic grocery stores and farmer’s markets, building rammed earth houses, and designing vegetable gardens. In their spare time, Julia can be found tending their own backyard veggie patch, playing music and cooking for friends.

After a previous career working in visual arts, Elena (she/her) left desk life behind to work with plants and soil. She is a lifelong garden lover, has interned on organic CSA farms in Quebec and worked on an urban flower farm in Toronto. She holds a BFA from Ryerson University and is an Organic Master Gardener. Outside of work, Elena loves being active, appreciating nature, and tending her allotment garden in High Park.

Grayson (he/him) is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and the Endeavour Centre’s Sustainable New Construction program. He has honed his craft in a number of different disciplines including organic gardening and natural building. Outside of BUFCO, you can find him tending his rooftop vegetable garden, Morris dancing in the streets, or exploring Toronto.

Lukas (he/him) is a recent graduate of the Environmental Landscape Management (EVLC) program. After 15 years of turning wrenches and diagnosing electrical nightmares as an Automotive Technician, the outdoors called his name. Now his dream is to move out of the city to start his own farm. When he’s not installing your raised beds, he can be found snowboarding, rollerblading, lake surfing, wake skating and climbing trees.

Catherine (she/her) comes from a varied past far from her degree in English Literature. After 15 years in technology and 5 years of residential construction she happily found her way to accounting and settled in as BUFCO’s bookkeeper. Next to making sense of the numbers, she most loves learning about growing vegetables. She lives by the credo that life is better outside, her favourite place being the quiet solitude of nature either on a bike or in a canoe.

Hermmela (they/them) is an emerging micro-farmer and creative force who got their training in urban agriculture from the Growing In The Margins program at Sundance Harvest. They hope to someday run an organic co-operative farm where they can help fellow BIPOC growers move towards food and land sovereignty. Hermmela’s secret to growing the juiciest, most delicious cucumbers and tomatoes is to play Diddy Bop by Noname for them every morning.

Doran (he/him) grew up watching his parents take over the household as they transitioned from their film careers into entrepreneurs. Doran has been nothing but supportive of the transition, and is a go-to worker when extra hands are required. From potting up seedlings to helping establish our micro-urban farm for growing food for Black Food Toronto, Doran has played an important role in BUFCO’s success. He is an experienced cook whose heart lies in the kitchen and aspires to own his own restaurant.

Dixie (she/her) is an extremely well trained Australian Shepherd who has been BUFCO’s official mascot since joining the Hazzan Green household in the early days of the company’s history. She’s a graduate of nowhere in particular, and aspires to eat, sleep, chase squirrels from the BUFCO gardens, and occasionally play. At somewhat over nine years old, she is a little under 10 years old.