Living the Island Life

Anne-Marie Hardie

Making a decision to venture into a new industry isn’t an easy one, particularly if that venture is into the unpredictable world of horticulture. Determined to run their own community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, Jeff and Carey Wood made the dramatic decision to move to the small province of Prince Edward Island. It was here that the Woods purchased 15 acres of land with the intent to start growing.
“We were going to slowly move out here; it was initially a five-year plan,” said Carey. “That’s not where we ended up staying, though.”

Originally living on a farm was a dream of Jeff’s; Carey was content to continue working in the corporate world, commuting to the city.

“We lived in Southwestern Ontario,” said Carey. “Land in Southwestern Ontario was costly and venturing into the completely unknown business of growing was a risky business.”

Pictured: Carey and Jeff Wood, owners of The Olde MacKenzie Farm on Prince Edward Island, with their 11-year-old daughter Olivia.

However, the birth of their daughter Olivia sparked a change. Carey and Jeff became involved with a local CSA—Orchid Hills Farms in Sparta, Ontario. To save money, the Woods opted to do a working share, committing to investing 10 hours on the farm. It was here that the Woods fell in love with small-scale agriculture, volunteering upwards of 60 hours a season to learn more about the industry.

After only three years with the CSA, the Woods made the decision that they wanted to do it on their own. Their business journey began with a small vegetable garden at their home, where they sold produce off of their front porch. Wanting more, in 2009, they left the comfort of their Southern Ontario roots and dove feet first into island living.

Adapting to island life
Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada’s smallest province, is best known for the beautiful beaches, cuisine and the scene of the “Anne of Green Gables” books. Knowing very little about island life or the small community, it was the Woods’ passion that ensured their dream—Olde MacKenzie Farm—would come to fruition.

“We battled what had been pasture land for the last 200 years, including lots of weeds and grass,” said Carey. “And there was so much to learn—new market, new province, new growing conditions, soil—everything was completely foreign to us, even with everything we had learned.”

During the first year, both Carey and Jeff worked full time, as well as cultivating an acre of production. Shortly thereafter, Jeff wanted to explore greenhouse growing. To save on shipping, the Woods purchased two structures, immediately adding an additional dimension to their business.

The business grew quickly. Only three years into the operation, the business had expanded enough that both Carey and Jeff were able to work full time at the farm. Today, they have 8 acres in production at their home and own another property where they grow and sell wild blueberries, high bush blueberries, apples and asparagus.

“We moved with the thought that we would have a small, 60-member CSA and that changed fairly quickly,” said Carey.

Currently, Olde MacKenzie Farm operates four greenhouses year-round. Always wanting to learn more, the Woods currently operate two hydroponic units with the intent to eventually convert one to an aquaponic system. The Woods pride themselves in adapting and trying out a variety of techniques, from adding nasturtiums to prevent predators to incorporating the Ontario growing schedule, including preparing their summer crops in May.

“We were told by one of the growers when we moved out here that we were too progressive for the island,” said Carey. “Between plastic and row cover, we will get things transplanted even before the May long weekend. The past year was the exception because we had snow in June.”

Winds remain one of their biggest concerns, with rates as high as 50 mph (80 km). However, despite the challenges, Carey emphasizes that it’s critical not to get discouraged.

“We’ve lost three structures in one storm one time, but that didn’t slow us down,” said Carey. “If you’re getting into this industry, you need to grab the bull by the horns.”

With PEI being such a close-knit community, Carey admits that it can be a struggle to begin a new business. But the Woods’ active involvement in the community has made the path almost seamless. Staying abreast with the needs of the industry, Carey sits on the PEI young farmers board and was a previous member of both the Canadian young farmers board and agriculture sector board. And their build-your-own-veggie box program is launched with the local organization, GO PEI, a community-based initiative that encourages healthy living.

“The consumers can purchase a select amount of items from each section. So you still have carrots left over from last week and you don’t want carrots from this week, you don’t have to take them,” said Carey. “But if you really like your carrots, you can take more.”

Not only does this process save waste, it also reduces the amount of administration work that the Woods have to complete. As an added bonus, the customers are happy because they’re able to select the produce that they want. During the main season, Olde MacKenzie Farm typically does between 80 to 100 veggie boxes a week. Restaurants offer another stream of revenue, with the farm supplying to several local restaurants, including the Culinary Institute of Canada.

When it comes to plans for their future, learning new techniques—including aquaponics—remains top of mind. That being said, there are currently no plans for expansion. In fact, Carey is perfectly happy to keep the production levels where they currently are. Her hope is that their family can simply continue to have fun and enjoy growing fresh food for their home and community. GT

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer/speaker from Barrie, Ontario, and part of the third generation of the family-owned garden center/wholesale business Bradford Greenhouses in Barrie/Bradford, Ontario.