| Posted: Feb. 14, 2023, 6:44 p.m. | Updated: 46 minutes ago | 15 Min Read
Jarrod Oglan and his partner, Amanda Stephen, with four-year-old son Gheorghe, assisting where he can, are the new owners ofOn Fogo Island, N.L., Jarrod Oglan, his partner Amanda Stephen, and their four-year-old son Gheorghe, have been running Living Waters Farm since December, after buying the four-year old hydroponics operation from founder Dwight Budden. - ContributedBudden was taking a break from his career as a pastor and got to thinking about the lack of local, fresh lettuce.
“For the past five years I’ve been doing some research, trying to get some land to set up a sheep farm here on Fogo Island,” he said.Then they learned Budden was selling the hydroponics business. “We’ve also started selling our products at Campbellton Berry Farm and we deliver to Coleman’s, who distribute it to some of their stores in the province.”It’s reached the point where they’ve had to hire a part-time staffer to help with the operation.“I’m just a small producer, but I’m hoping to at least double my production by the end of the year, and then increase it each year,” he told SaltWire Network.
Inside the 100-ft-long greenhouse that is Papa’s Farm, near South Brook, N.L., Mackenzie Warford grows a variety of greens, including: lettuce, Swiss chard, onions, kale and other crops. His produce is sold at several local stores around the Baie Verte area. Farmers' markets and restaurants make up his customer list during the summer season. - Contributed“Too much of our food comes from Mexico or California,” he said.
Currently, he said, he’s producing about 150 pounds of produce each week, selling it at local grocery stores and to individual customers.