Thirty-five years ago, Johanna and her husband, Henry, bought and established Fifth Wind Farm. Here, they would raise their family, including their youngest daughter (and Johanna's future business partner), Oriah.
Pure Joy Botanicals has always been a female, family and friend, run business. It is of great value to Pure Joy to support the community through involvement, education, and sustainable practices.
2020 included a global pandemic, which brought Oriah home to the farm from Toronto for several months. That was when she fell in love all over again with the garden where she'd been raised. She felt compelled to learn more from her mother about this land and the gifts that it offers.
Johanna and Oriah make an inspired, balanced, and intergenerational team.
WE ARE PURE JOY
JOHANNA WIERSMA
Johanna is a creative, ambitious, rebel-alternative earth-mother who found magic in her garden and found ways to transform her plants into the purest skincare products available. She takes the lead on managing the garden and the production of products. She grows, harvests, and processes the herbs that make Pure Joy stand out while operating as a wealth of knowledge and a mentor to Oriah. You can always find Johanna at markets and events as well as at Fifth Wind Farm if you travel there to pick up your order!
Outside of Pure Joy, Johanna is a mother, an Oma, a therapist, a workshop facilitator, and an interdisciplinary artist (when she has the time). Her favourite herb is calendula.
Oriah is an inquisitive, thoughtful, and community-oriented artist who grew up profoundly connected to the land that helped shape her. Oriah seeks to foster authentic connection in all she does. She is passionate about family, the exchange of knowledge among generations, and sustainability. As a self-employed artist, she is highly motivated and is always the one to push the team to exceed our own expectations. Oriah has a keen eye for detail, branding aesthetic, and design. She is invested in sustainable packaging, product development - including our very own natural deodorant, and harvesting herbs and making products with her mother.
Outside of Pure Joy, Oriah is a dance artist passionate about inter-disciplinary exchange and bodyworker (Craniosacral Therapy and Thai Massage, website). Oriah's favourite herb is yarrow.
ORIAH WIERSMA
THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH
Janita Wiersma is the visual artist behind our labels and logo. She is a mother, painter, and print maker, as well as a farmer invested in regenerative agriculture.
Alyssa Warmland for helping with the rebrand, designing our new website, and much much more.
Ursula is the visual artist behind our Little Chickie Diaper Salve. She is Janita's daughter who has been helping her Oma in the garden since toddlerhood.
Amelie Besnard is the designer behind our top labels. She is a mother and architect invested in sustainable, livable housing.
Adam Lonero is the designer behind our side labels and logo. He's a creative lead and brand specialist.
Holly Barclay, Daniel Wiersma, Judy Barclay and Don Barclay are the beekeepers behind our in-house pollinators and wax producers. Holly is a mother, librarian, and archivist, as well as a former partner in Pure Joy. Daniel is a father and a piano tuner, teacher, and performer. Judy and Don are enjoying a well-deserved retirement with their children and grandchildren.
The WWOOFers of Fifth Wind Farm often help with the garden and maintenance of the orchard. Special shout out to Jessie and Patrick for all they have done to support us over the best year!
Special mention to Susan Kesper for her assistance in the beginning stages of side label design. She's a union advocate and artist.
Special mention also to Jonathan Plata for his assistance in some of the more advanced coding involved in our website. He's a web developer, general tech-genius who plays volleyball for fun in his spare time.
Photography thanks to Jeannette Breward Photography.