AV俱乐部

A major goal for most farmers is to grow their operation so they can stay competitive in their market plus keep making a living doing what they love. Potato farmer Harris Bakker of Killoween, New Brunswick, knows first hand what it鈥檚 like to grow - and grow quickly.

鈥淚n 2013, our neighbour sold. We were fortunate enough to be able to buy that farm. We went from 300 acres to a thousand acres. It was a big jump.鈥�

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Harris farms full time with his parents, who immigrated to Canada with the family in 2000. They started out with a small farm near Florenceville, the same place Wallace and Harrison McCain opened their first production facility back in 1957. Harris and his family grow russet burbank potatoes for McCain Foods.

鈥淲e went from growing about 150 acres of potatoes to around 500 acres (when the neighbour鈥檚 farm was purchased). It was a challenge, especially for me because I鈥檒l probably be holding that debt for awhile!鈥� he laughs.

Like any family who farms together, the Bakkers all have their specific areas of expertise.

鈥淲e play to our strengths. Mom runs the books and the potato house crew, where we store the potatoes, in the spring and fall. Dad is always on the road, servicing equipment and tractors and helping mom out. And I鈥檓 usually in the tractor.鈥�

Together with his fianc茅, Sam Fanning, also an alumnus- who works for the Bank of Montreal - Harris lives on the new farm, which 鈥渋s about a kilometer the way the eagle flies from my mom and dad鈥檚 house.鈥�

Country living suits this young farmer; he can鈥檛 see himself doing anything or living anywhere else. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the lifestyle that I just love. I can鈥檛 get enough of it,鈥� says Harris. 鈥淚 like being my own boss; getting up in the morning and doing what I think needs to get done. Well, I discuss it with my dad first, of course. (laughs) I just like being a part of agriculture.鈥�

As a young farmer in New Brunswick, Harris recognizes there is a lot of work to do when it comes to promoting the industry, both by giving consumers the information they need to make informed decisions and by getting more people involved.

鈥淧eople think that every sprayer has some skull and crossbones on it. That鈥檚 just not true at all; I鈥檇 really like to get that message across to people, that farmers are stewards of the environment. It鈥檚 important to keep agriculture alive, even in the cities, just to get the knowledge to the next generation. That鈥檚 a major issue here, that there aren鈥檛 enough successors. So, we really need to get people involved in agriculture.鈥�

Spreading the good word of agriculture is a little easier when you鈥檙e part of organizations like the Canadian Young Farmers Forum (CYFF). For Harris, it鈥檚 the network of farmers his age that he really enjoys having access to.

鈥淎round here, most potato farmers have a very traditional way of thinking. I like being able to talk to farmers my age. With the CYFF, there are so many young people in the same boat. You can talk to them about all the stuff you鈥檙e thinking of doing and they鈥檒l tell you what they think and then talk about what they鈥檙e doing. I met a few potato farmers from PEI and we stay in touch through Facebook. It鈥檚 great to have those connections.鈥�

Being part of Canadian agriculture - with technology and environmental sustainability at top of mind - makes Harris very proud.

鈥淲hen people think of a farmer, they think of a guy in coveralls with a pitchfork. I鈥檓 not that. I鈥檓 behind screens all the time, just inside a tractor. Feeding the world and a growing population needs technology and innovation. Being part of farming that鈥檚 sustainable and has the environment in mind is something to be proud of.鈥�

Reprinted with permission from Canadian Young Farmers Forum