Jolicure Farm is a small off grid market farm using organic and regenerative farming practices –  they officially registered as a farm in 2020. The electricity used by the farm is generated by solar photovoltaics and a wind turbine. Owner Elita Rahn runs Jolicure Farm, a 2-acre field crop enterprise with a greenhouse and cold frames, with some summer assistance from a few local students. The commodities produced on Elita’s farm consist of:

– Eggs
– Mixed vegetables
– Berries

Jolicure Farm was established in 2019. While Elita did not grow up on a farm, she did live in a large family in rural New Brunswick that produced most of their own food. From a very young age, she was heavily involved in the family’s food production. Elita states that she can still hear her father warning her to be gentle with the (walk behind) tiller, saying that if she didn’t give it a break, she would wear it out. Unfortunately, she adhered to the social norm of doing well in school and accruing significant debt in college just to confront unemployment or unsatisfactory jobs. Elita worked odd summer jobs on farms and planted trees for many years, but when she had the chance to work for a nearby organic farm, a whole new world of opportunities opened up.

According to Elita, here are a few tips for young greenhorns that are interested in getting into farming:

– You absolutely need to be a self-starter who is prepared to work the longest hours of your life.
– You must prefer to be outside than inside, view failures as lessons, and desire continuous learning.

The most satisfying part of farming for Elita is that every morning she wakes up and gets to farm, work with nature, and grow nutritious food.

“Growing healthy food using organic and regenerative farming practices is the most fulfilling and satisfying work”, says Elita. The most important consideration for all farmers, especially new farmers, going forward is to determine the climate, location and the type of farm and farm infrastructure based on future climate projections and not the past.

Jolicure Farm is a vendor at 3 local Markets; Port Elgin Farmer’s Market, The Sackville Farmer’s Market, and Baie Verte Community Market. Additionally, they are open for farm-direct sales and supplies Murray Corner’s Loella’s Country Market.

For more information about Jolicure Farm, visit https://jolicurefarm.com/

Be sure to check in next month to see the next feature for Farm of the Month!