Wayward Farm is a small-scale diversified vegetable farm operating on less than two acres of borrowed land at Sunset Glen Farms (home farm of Vibrant Farms).

our methods

We believe in long-term sustainable practises.

We farm using bio-intensive principles - “maximum yields from a minimum area of land, while simultaneously increasing biodiversity and sustaining the fertility of the soil. The goal of the method is long-term sustainability on a closed system basis”.  Each year we take soil samples and observations to guide us in our efforts to constantly improve our soil health, which ultimately produces the best tasting and healthiest food possible.

Our small scale allows us to complete all of our tasks by hand, and combined with efficient yet simple systems, procedures and tools we are able to successfully manage our farm with human power! 

why we farm

We are rooted in community.

We started growing vegetables out of a desire to provide good food for our family, to find meaningful work for ourselves, and to have a positive impact on the environment. On our journey, we’ve become rooted in community through the kindness, love and support they’ve shown us in every aspect of our life. We feel the best way we can serve our community is to provide them with the same fresh, local, wholesome food we feed to our family.

our history

In 2018, we started on less than an acre of land at Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery in Ayr, ON. We farmed in Ayr for two bountiful seasons before moving our entire farm to Baden. Joining forces with Sunset Glen Farms has helped us on our mission to fulfill our holistic agricultural vision.

Brie's dad, Brian Pointer passed away unexpectedly in 2019, shortly after our daughter was born. The pandemic hit in early 2020. We had a great farm season filled with distant connection and feeding families during a time of crisis. We met the Baer family in the fall of 2020, and moved our farm at the end of the season.

We were really excited about the momentum of change and excitement after we moved the farm. The very beginning of the 2021 season felt exciting and promising. We acquired 2 beehives, 30 chickens, built a 100-ft greenhouse, and doubled our CSA to 60 families. We were feeling very confident and ready for the season ahead.

In late May of 2021, Brie's mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer. Our whole season was flipped upside down. Mike was caring for the kids, farming full-time, and took on volunteers and a paid employee; all while discovering we were trying to grow in heavy, dense clay soil... which is complicated to grow in. Brie was trying to manage appointments, care and time with her mom and family, while showing up as much as she could for the farm, her clients, and her community.

We had crop failures. Chickens died. Bees died. Things weren't growing well. We had to buy vegetables in to fill our CSA. Our kids were just going with the flow. We weren't at the farm as much as we needed to be or able to get the things done. We did our best to show up; to get food to our community, but we were drowning.

Brie's mom passed away in September of 2021.

We finished the farm season with a take-what-you-need CSA -- we harvested everything we could. This was the hardest season we've ever gone through. Ever. The wind was completely knocked out of us. And Brie would never be the same.

In 2022, we started our season delicately. We were still going to grow for ourselves, for our community; for all of the people who cared for us and gave us space and support. We decided not to do a CSA, but rather an à la carte model.

Brie's dream was always to start a farmers market in Mary Allen Park. She was approached by Natalie MacDonald to launch the market together in the summer of 2022. 

They officially started the Mary Allen Farmers Market in Uptown Waterloo (as part of the Mary Allen Neighbourhood Association)! The market ran every Thursday from 4-6pm in Mary Allen Park for 16 weeks! It consisted of 12-15 curated vendors each week, including up to 4 farmers. We had live music, food trucks, entertainment, and lots of glorious connection between visitors. This weekly market became a third place for folks to connect, find joy, and experience community each week. After running two full seasons of markets, Natalie and Brie decided to take a step back to reassess the long-term sustainability of the market. Being 100% volunteer-run was difficult for two women with families + full-time jobs. SO! Brie has made it her mission to reinvigorate the farmers market under its own entity with a different structure. (Stay tuned for that in 2027!)

Wayward Farm, Cabbage Patch Farm, and All Things Grow were the primary farmers at the market in 2022.

The 2022 season was another really difficult one for us to grow in which lead to us pausing our farm to focus on soil remediation. We needed to figure out how to actually grow in the heavy clay at our farm.

In 2023, we paused growing to focus on the soil at Wayward Farm and ran the Mary Allen Farmers Market as planned. Alexandra's Farm was our primary farmer at Market that season.

In 2024, Natalie and Brie took a step back to reassess the Mary Allen Farmers Market. Brie and Mike continued to work on the soil, knowing that the rest period for the farm isn't forever, but just for now. We needed to rest, recooperate, and work through some of the things needed in our hearts and the farm.

Our growing pause ran from 2023-2025. We are officially growing again in 2026! And the crops are looking great. The soil feels even better! This season is a no-pressure test year, meaning we are seeing what grows, giving space to mess up and try new things. So far, it has been a glorious season filled with abundance in both heart, mind, and soil.

We are so grateful to be back to growing, and to our community. Thank you for all of the love, space, and support you have given to us each season. We wouldn't be the farmers or people we are without you. Thank you for being here.

our team

Mike Burnett - Partner, Farmer Mike’s interest in agriculture began in 2015 when his entrepreneurial spirit met his desire to become more self-sufficient and to provide a valuable service to his family and community through meaningful work.  While he has no formal training/education in agriculture, Mike has spent several seasons working in livestock and vegetable production on farms in Southern ON (Cruickston Park, Hearts Content and Zocalo Organics), and at Roebuck Farm in New Zealand.  He is a voracious learner who is constantly researching the latest trends, tools, technology and methods to improve the quality of everything on the farm.

Brie Pointer - Partner, Everythinger Brie is a community builder. She is driven and determined to bring people together through good food and good fun! She loves sharing her passions in farming, nature, and arts with all those around her. With a career in design and marketing, Brie manages the sales, community events and farm markets, social media, and all collaborative initiatives. All while juggling our two beautiful daughters! MVP!

Ellie & Nora - Liddle Farmhands Ellie and Nora bring sunshine to the farm. They are our biggest reason why we started this crazy dream in the first place. Ellie is quick to help when she can; her workload is equal parts work and snacking. She’s got a quick wit and a heck-load of sass to keep us in line and working hard. We feel a future farm manager growing. She is number one for pest management, always taking a capture-and-release approach, unless it’s cute enough to be our pet for the day. Nora brings her humour, spunk, wit, and candid personality to the crew, and we can’t wait to see her grow alongside her big sister in their roles on the farm.