“I like to see people happy, healthy, and enjoying their work.”

For Maria W., working on farms has always been a constant. When her family first moved to Canada, many of them worked together on a large farm operation in Elmer, ON. But once her and her family became more familiar with Canada, they decided to move to Leamington, ON where her father and sister started working in greenhouse farming. Maria quickly followed their lead!

Through her position as a Quality Controller, Maria has learned a lot of new skills and continued to excel in a team-oriented work environment: “I’ve been learning about teamwork, taking on different roles, and communication. I’ve also spent a lot more time talking to employees, and I love how the people here speak different languages and are from different countries, yet they can communicate with and understand each other.”

Maria finds her position at our farm rewarding in many ways: “Nature Fresh Farms is a big part of my life. I spend a lot of time at work. I feel like my job provides me with a community of people that I feel comfortable with.”

A defining moment for Maria happened at 11 years old when her older sister passed away. This was a very tough situation for her family. But over time, with the help of their faith, Maria and her family have been able to move forward and grow stronger, always keeping her sister in their hearts.

Checking the quality of our products is an important part of Maria’s job. Maria also helps to ensure that our Quality team understands how to grade for quality and why that is important for the satisfaction of our retail partners. Especially on busier days, Maria does her best to stay positive to make the day better and brighter for everyone. Maria is one of our #GrowToPeople!