First Nature Farms is located in the western part of Canada just east of the British Columbia border in the province of Alberta. We are one hour west of Grande Prairie with the border just four miles to the west. Goodfare is our closest centre, 12 miles away, consisting of around eight homes, a community hall, an outdoor hockey rink and a mail box.
The Beaver Tribe or Dane-zaa with their ancestors called this area “home” for the past 10,500 years. Alexander Mackenzie was the first European to explore the area in 1793. Towards the late 1800’s settlement of the area began with pioneers moving in from areas east, United States and Europe.
The farm was settled in 1918. For decades it operated as a large cattle ranch and has been referred to as “The Ranch” ever since.
Originally from Edmonton, I was starting a journey that unknowingly, would change my life. I made it to Grande Prairie but from there had a hard time finding a ride. Finally a 60’s green Volkswagon van came to a slow stop (bad brakes I thought). The hairy driver got out and started walking towards me. That seemed a bit unusual and I grabbed my pack and started walking towards the
driver.
When we met he stared at me and said “Jerry?” I realized that he was my cousin who I hadn’t seen in years. Just that day he had signed the papers for a new piece of land. I diverted my plans, hopped into the van and discovered a place called “Goodfare”.
Later that year, I too would become a landowner.
In 1980 I became a partner on the ranch that would eventually evolve into First Nature Farms. One of my first actions on the farm was to shoot my TV. That was the moment I dedicated myself 100% to my future as a farmer.
To help finance my new expensive farm habit I worked as a research assistant for Agriculture Canada. I had the fascinating job of studying a potential new crop: the saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia). The small purple berry was native to western Canada and showed promise as a commercial fruit. After a year the funding was expanded and I had a chance to hire an assistant. Advertising in the colleges and universities I narrowed the applicants to one: Sam Case. She later told me what her first impressions were when she met me (“well I’ll never have to worry about that guy”).
There was a folk festival that month, the North Country Fair. I invited her and we went as employer and employee. The next year we went as boyfriend and girlfriend. The next year we went as husband and wife and the next year as father and mother.
Life on the farm was a struggle. When I quit my job and decided to become a full time farmer the first thing I encountered was poverty. Conventional farming was tough. It was a course in Holistic Management that changed our way of thinking. It wasn’t until 1990 when we set our path as organic farmers that I entered a niche market that would later become my passion. Now I was a food producer, my customers became my friends and my holistic goal was my guide.
Those goals have guided me to the present.