AgAnnex Talks

A chat with Dr. Dipti Narwal about her tissue‑culture work and the guidance she offers to women building careers in horticultural science.

Janis Harris shares how entrepreneurship, advocacy and mentorship fuel her work in advancing local flower production.

A conversation with Kelly Leask, whose work at Prairie Originals is raising the profile of native prairie plants and sustainable landscape practices.

A spotlight on Noémi Pépin’s science‑driven cultivation work and her leadership in growing the next generation of horticultural researchers.

Welcome to the second episode of She Grows – an initiative brought to you by Fruit & Vegetable and Greenhouse Canada to spotlight the stories of women growers helping to shape the Canadian horticulture industry.

Leanna James is grower operations manager at Envirofresh Produce Inc. James’s journey into the field was sparked by a single horticulture course while attending college. Now with 13 years of grower experience under her belt, she is an avid mentor at her company, helping to build the next generation of grower leaders. James was also part of the 2021 cohort of Greenhouse Canada’s Top 4 under 40.

Welcome to the first episode of She Grows – an initiative brought to you by Fruit & Vegetable and Greenhouse Canada to spotlight the stories of women growers helping to shape the Canadian horticulture industry.

Chelsea Steenbergen is the owner of Applebottom Orchards, an apple orchard based in Palmerston, Ont. Steenbergen shares how she created her own opportunity by establishing her own orchard in 2022. Along with her thriving business, Steenbergen is a horticultural sales specialist with BASF and a mother of two. She brings a passion for bridging the gap between the farm and the table, along with educating visitors to her orchard.

As a field marketer and sales coach at Hensall Co-op in Ailsa Craig, Ont., Meghan Scott has learned a lot about building relationships with growers, interns, summer students and co-workers. When it comes to cropping systems and making recommendations, there’s not always a perfect answer. That’s why relationships are so important. But it takes time to get to know people and to figure out the best means of communication. Meghan is still partial to meeting face-to-face and to a phone call over a text.   

With years of experience in her role, Meghan has learned that mistakes do happen. It’s always better to acknowledge them honestly and to tackle challenges head-on. 

In this episode, Meghan speaks with agriculture editor Kaitlin Berger about how much there is to learn when you work in agriculture - and the importance of pursuing educational resources and keeping up-to-date in the industry. She’s also discovered that agricultural seasons go in waves of busyness. It’s important to recognize the busy seasons won’t last forever, especially as she balances her work with her personal life. 

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Special thanks to Bayer Crop Science Canada, platinum sponsor of the 2025 Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture program, for sponsoring this series.