Name? Dan Mousseau
Where do you farm? Linger Longer Lodge, Macalister, BC in the Cariboo region.
What do you farm? Heritage Pork (breeding to finishing), Pastured Poultry as well as greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.
What type of business structure is your farm? Partnership (with my wife)
What is your land tenure? We purchased the 30 acres Homestead in 2012
How did you seriously get into farming? Everyone is involved in agriculture every day since we all eat food yet only 1% of the population actually grows it. Industrial factory farming is not the future of farming and I want to lead by example by showing the next generation (my kids) that small family farms are sustainable and profitable.
Why did you apply for the YA Business Mentorship Network? As a young farmer with limited experience in farming, I feel like I have a lot of knowledge to gain in a short amount of time. Any extra help is greatly appreciated.
What is the greatest business challenge you face as a young farmer? Time management. We both have full time jobs off the farm as well as raising a newborn so maximizing the efficiency of our farm operation is vital to our overall success.
What are your business goals for the season? Increase our pre-purchased meat shares by 50%. Work with our local food co-op to market our greenhouse produce. Do a feasibility study for a 5 acre permaculture orchard.
What business tools could you not live without? Online accounting programs, spreadsheets, the internet, and other farmers.
If you had a farming super power what would it be? To bring back the “WOW” in food.
What is your favourite farm book? Of the more recent books that I have read, the one that stands out for me is “The Resilient Farm and Homestead” by Ben Faulk. It offers an in depth knowledge into development and growth of a small farm.
How can we find out more about you, your farm, and its products? www.lingerlongerlodge.ca
Funding for the Young Agrarians Business Mentorship Network Pilot is provided in part by Salt Spring Coffee, Vancity, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture through programs delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.
