Handrahan Family Farm

John and Sharon Handrahan’s blueberry farm sits in the community of Christopher’s Cross, just outside Tignish, on the wild, wind-swept western tip of Prince Edward Island. The area is famous for its windmills that generate electricity for the island, and the tightly knit, vibrant fishing community that harvests lobster, and collects Irish moss from along the seaweed-strewn sandstone shoreline. Although in the past there were a number of family-run hog, beef, and dairy farms in the area, today only a few remain. Instead, most of the farmland is leased out to local potato and grain farmers.

John’s family has been farming the land for six generations. His ancestors fished and cut wood to clear the initial 75 acres of land for farming, and knowledge and techniques were passed down from generation to generation. By the time John was born, his grandfather owned a 375-acre dairy farm. John grew up working on the farm, and came to love living close to the rhythm of the seasons and the natural world.

In 1991, John started purchasing a forty-acre plot of land from one of his uncles to start his own farm. Today he farms wild blueberries on this land, as well as leasing a 16 acre plot of land nearby which he uses for crop rotation purposes. He also farms with his father, who is also growing blueberries and small amounts of grapes. John’s mother has a small vegetable garden that supplies fresh produce for the family, and his parents’ farmhouse is fringed by a heritage apple orchard, and thick stands of maples which they tap for maple syrup in the early spring. Since acquiring his own land, John has been taking steps to make his farm as ecologically friendly as possible. To reduce soil erosion, and decrease winter kill caused by exposure to prevailing western winds, he has broken his forty-acre lot into smaller, three acre fields divided by hedgerows. He has also inter-planted his fields with spruce trees, which attract an growing number of songbirds.

John markets some of his blueberries directly from his farm. The rest is sold through the PEI Blueberry Marketing Co-op. The majority of his berries are sold off-island on the fresh frozen market. In addition to farming, John has seasonal employment at the Canada Revenue Agency in Summerside, where Sharon works full time. The Handrahans hire workers to help with the berry harvesting, but both John and Sharon are actively involved in the process. Sharon helps with the collection and transportation of the blueberries to the assembly point. She also assists John with farm-related office work.

In the past few years John has has started growing small amounts of cranberries and blackcurrants. He is concerned about the island environment, and is slowly integrating more ecologically friendly methods into his farming practices. Although he is not yet certified organic, John is thinking about getting certified once he has a blackcurrant acreage large enough to supply the commercial market. He is concerned about the amount of chemicals being used on island crops, especially in the form of pesticides. As a berry producer, wild pollinators are vital to the success of his farm, and he has noticed a dramatic decrease in beneficial insect and bird populations since he started farming. To attract pollinators, he has planted a combination of clover and alfalfa between the rows of blackcurrant bushes. He says:

by providing a feed source for different wild pollinators I am hoping to draw more into this area; I want to provide pasture for bees, enrich the soil, and help reduce soil erosion. A kind of double-duty!

John is working hard to learn what organic matter inputs would improve soil fertility, and how to best control weeds. He would like to plant a total of seven acres of blackcurrants in the coming years. John wants to help build a market for higher value food on the Island. Currently the market is focused on the cheapest rather than the best quality food. He hopes this will change as environmental awareness in the community increases, and consumers start taking greater interest in where and how their food is grown.

Although wildlife can be a challenge for a berry farmer, John admits that he does enjoy seeing wildlife on his farm. He says:

It is encouraging that we can still co-habitate this island with the foxes and birds. As we cut down on our chemical inputs, we see more and more wildlife on the farm. I especially like to see the animals that do not eat my berries!

John also enjoys being part of such a supportive community. He says:

This community is still so deeply connected to the land and sea. I enjoy being with people who still have that connection with their surroundings. There is nothing competitive about it. We just get together, share ideas and experiences, and help each other.

For John, exploring a new model for island farming is a gradual learning process, however he is confident that the growing number of farmers wanting to see positive and lasting changes in island agriculture will facilitate the movement towards more mixed family farms in the future. Farming, like any business, has to be financially viable. However on Prince Edward Island, and in John’s family, it is also a way of life. John is committed to finding creative and innovative ways to be a successful Island berry grower. If history has any say in it, with the knowledge and determination of six generations behind him, he is very likely to succeed!