Science & Agriculture Writing

Celebrating over 30 years as a professional writer with extensive experience in the fields of agriculture, nature, and the environment. I provide evidence-based science and agricultural writing for organizations that are committed to engaging the public through digital communications. Strong technical skills mean that I can deliver content to a variety of different content management systems and social media platforms. I also have a great deal of experience parsing research papers, drawing balanced conclusions, and using storytelling techniques to entertain readers.

Over the years I have:

Researched and written more than 100 articles for regional and national periodicals
Conducted countless interviews with experts and enthusiasts
Created and curated digital content, pitched ideas, and managed projects
Communicated complex ideas on a variety of topics to a general audience
Proven myself to be dependable, consistent, and deadline-oriented

The benefits of working with me

Storytelling Expertise: Whatever information you would like to convey to the public, framing it as a story is the best way to captivate readers. Telling stories on topics involving nature, the environment, or farming is what I do best.
Accuracy: I check the details of a story with multiple reliable sources during both the initial creation of content and the editorial process to ensure that the information the public sees is grounded in fact.
Time Savings: Hiring me to take care of your digital communications frees you up to do what you do best without having to worry about how to get your message out to the world in a timely manner.
General Audience Appeal: I write jargon-free copy designed to transform complicated technical information into stories that are easily understood by those without a specialized background.
Strategic Consulting: Not sure how best to proceed delivering information about what you do to a general audience? I can help you to develop a strategy that fits your goals and budget.

How can we work together? Contact me about:

Website Content Writing	Blogging	Social Media Posts, Account Management, Campaigns
Science Communication	Environmental Communication	Content Management
Digital Newsletters	Advertorials	Media Releases
Podcast Scripts	Feature Articles	Corporate Histories
Technical Reports and Studies	Content Development	Biographies

Do you have something else in mind? I'd love to hear from you.

PORTFOLIO

SCIENCE ARTICLES I've written feature articles for regional and national magazines that have focussed on a multitude of issues relating to nature and the environment. Topics I've covered include bird watching, citizen science, earthworms, native bees, native plants, the ecology of tick-borne and vector-borne illnesses, wildfires and wild mushrooms. This feature article on forest migration is one of eight I've written for the Environment section of Harrowsmith Magazine. READ THE ARTICLE HERE	AGRICULTURE ARTICLES I've written many dozens of short and feature articles on agriculture-related topics for consumer and industry publications. Topics have included heavy horse farming, Lyme disease in farm animals, novel and traditional agricultural practices, climate change's impact on farming, small-scale crop production and more. This article on the rise of permaculture in recent years is one of five features I've written for Small Farm Canada. READ THE ARTICLE HERE
eNEWSLETTERS The first newsletter I worked on was printed on paper and put out by a small but thriving farm operation in King Township, Ontario. I've produced several since then including the subscription-based eNewsletter The Lyme Report (TLR), all 33 issues of which I researched, wrote, and published between June 2019 and October 2020. Each issue contained feature articles, research analysis, and news briefs. VIEW THE LYME REPORT ARCHIVES HERE	WEBSITE CONTENT CREATION & CURATION I've been providing web content on a wide range of topics since 1996. I've written everything from product descriptions, help files, and general website pages to corporate histories, service descriptions and staff biographies. On the Lyme Disease in Canada website, I maintain a bibliography of Canadian tick and tick-borne illness research, write blog posts, curate news items, update national and provincial Lyme statistics, and list citizen science opportunities. VISIT THE LYME DISEASE IN CANADA WEBSITE
BLOG POSTS I've written blog posts on a wide variety of topics -- processed food regulations, the art of the short story, genealogical research -- but by far my favourite subjects involve nature, ecology, agriculture and/or gardening. This post on the popular Garden Therapy site outlines what gardeners need to know about Lyme disease. VISIT THE GARDEN THERAPY SITE

Testimonials

"Vanessa is an editor's dream. Her work was flawless, punctual and deeply factual. The content she produced was evergreen, startling and on-target for Harrowsmith magazine. She educated readers on how climate change and the increase of Lyme disease are interconnected. There was incredible enlightenment to be found in her article on tree migration and how species are being influenced by temperature, rainfall, insect infestations, disease outbreaks, forest fragmentation, wildfires, droughts, floods and even volcanic eruptions. Collaborating with Vanessa was easy--she's brilliant, curious and versatile in her writing. From analyzing worms as ecosystem engineers to examining Canada's native bee population, Vanessa informs and delights in a beautifully balanced and highly-researched approach."

JULES TORTI
Editor In Chief, Harrowsmith Magazine

"Vanessa is a thorough researcher, reporter and writer. She’s been a reliable contributor to my publications and always delivers excellent content on time. She takes often complex ideas and subjects and weaves compelling, engaging stories from them. She makes this editor’s job easy. It’s been a pleasure working with her!"

CATALINA MARGULIS
Managing Editor, Harrowsmith Magazine

RECENT BLOG POSTS

Know your ticks: Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus)
Know your ticks: Ornithodoros hermsi (no common name)
Know your ticks: Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis)