A N.S. man is on a mission to grow quality local food, in a traditional and sustainable way.
At 26-years-old, Jake MacDougall is a young farmer, but one that works with old school methods.
“I get rewarded every day when I go in and eat supper because I am eating what I've produced,” says MacDougall.
Every animal plays an important role on the farm. They do everything from mowing the grass, to producing fertilizer to help it grow.
You won't find a tractor on MacDougall’s farm, instead he uses two Clydesdale horses to plow and harrow the fields.
“It was just something that interested me, so I took it on. Tractors didn’t interest me too much, anybody can get on a tractor and shift the gears and plow the fields. This is a bit of a skill, it’s dying, but I’d like to see it carried on,” says MacDougall. “The horses I use for everything. I do all my garden work with them. So they will plow for me, do all the seed bed prep.”
MacDougall grows everything you'd find in a garden salad and then some.
“We've got some squash here, it’s starting to come along pretty well. “
MacDougall sells his vegetables at local farmers markets. He doesn't use pesticides or chemicals and while there are quicker ways to produce food, he believes in natural and sustainable farming.
“Working with nature and keeping it as natural as possible,” says MacDougall.
Most of the animals will be sold for meat. Until then, MacDougall gives them lots of room to roam and grass to eat.
The young farmer says he finds the whole process very satisfying.
“That garden was just bare dirt at the beginning of the year and now it is full of life, you’re building something,” says MacDougall.
MacDougall plans to plant pumpkins once the horses are done turning the soil.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl
