Over The Fence – Ep. 01 – Mike MacGillivray
The premiere episode of Over the Fence, hosted by Margaret Caldbick, features Mike MacGillivray, a seventh-generation farmer from Kirk Hill, Glengarry. After years abroad in the oil and gas sector, Mike returned to his family’s 196-acre farm to adopt regenerative agriculture and permaculture techniques inspired by his experiences in China and the U.S. His operation includes grass-fed lowline Angus cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and vegetables—all managed with a focus on soil health, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Mike and his partner Cora run educational programs, internships, and host seasonal events, including a popular Christmas market, aiming to reconnect youth and the community with farming. He is actively involved in local agricultural advocacy and sees regenerative farming as a path forward for small-scale farmers, despite challenges like corporate land ownership, the loss of agricultural education, and infrastructure gaps. This episode explores how tradition, global insight, and innovation intersect to build resilience in modern farming.
Click below to watch the entire episode.
