Our Summer 2026 Contributors
Meet three of the magazine’s clever contributors – Barbara Fletcher, Jaxon Wakeford and Dan Needles.
Barbara Fletcher
As In The Hills’ newest digital editor,Barbara Fletcher’s main focus is the digital-first News Desk. Barbara has more than 25 years of experience as an editor, writer and content producer in newsrooms including the Sympatico/MSN, Yahoo! and Shaw national portals, and OZY Media. Recently she worked for Al Jazeera as a features and news desk editor. To In The Hills Barbara brings a blend of news journalism and features reporting, and a love of vibrant and genuine storytelling about people and the landscapes, arts and communities they connect us to.
Barbara lives in Fergus, having recently returned after 25 years in London, Ontario, and Toronto. An outdoors enthusiast, she can often be found hiking the Bruce Trail and other trails in Headwaters conservation areas – and snapping photos along the way.
Jaxon Wakeford
As part of his graphic design program at Centennial College, Jaxon Wakeford recently joined In The Hills as a design intern. He worked on both the print magazine and digital platforms, saying he gained valuable behind-the-scenes insights, and expanded his creative and technical skills while connecting with the strong sense of community the magazine fosters.
Jaxon moved to Orangeville when he was six and has lived here ever since, “so I’ve gotten a chance to see quite a few In The Hills issues over the years.” He has also been teaching ice skating with the Town of Orangeville since he was 16. He enjoys travelling, exploring photography, and diving into any book he can get his hands on. We thank Jaxon for his dedication and hard work, and wish him well as he graduates!
Dan Needles
Since 2012, Dan Needles’ humour column, Fence Posts, has chronicled the charms and challenges of rural life with wit and insight. A resident of Nottawa, Dan often sets his writing in the fictional Persephone Township, a stand-in for Shelburne and Mono, where he spent his formative years. A celebrated Canadian playwright and author, he is best known for his Wingfield Farm series of stage plays, which have been performed on virtually every English-speaking stage across the country.
Dan’s more recent work includes his 2023 book Finding Larkspur: A Return to Village Life. His latest play, Marsh Marigolds, described as an “agricultural thriller,” features longtime collaborator Rod Beattie. In his latest column, “Pop’s Food Guide,” Dan reminisces about his father, who lived to the age of 97 despite a penchant for Swiss Chalet and other oft-maligned foods.
Related Stories
Pop’s Recipe for Well-Being: Swiss Chalet, Vodka Tonics and Good Company
Dan Needles on how eating together and enjoying life’s simple pleasures helped his father live to the ripe old age of 97.
Explainer: Ontario’s Conservation System Faces a Major Overhaul
By next spring, familiar names like Credit Valley Conservation will disappear as 36 authorities are folded into nine – with potential ripple effects across the Headwaters region.
