YA Business Mentorship Network – Daisy and Dill Red Deer

Meet a Mentee: Daisy and Dill Red Deer

​​My name is Jennica Taylor, (she/her) and I operate a small urban farm called Daisy & Dill Red Deer. I am mentoring with Ang Hall of Meadow Farm Florals.

Where do you farm? 

I farm in an urban context within the city of Red Deer Alberta. We are situated on Treaty 6 and 7 land which is also a traditional Metis gathering site. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow on the land that has traditionally been home to the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Tsuu T’ina, and Stoney Nakoda people.

What inspired you to get into farming?

I grew up on a mixed grain and cattle farm, so farming has been part of my life as long as I can remember. I moved into the city to complete my nursing education and made it home after getting a job at the local hospital. Life has progressed as it does, and now I have a husband, house, dogs and a couple of kids. All these changes have been welcomed and have added such love, value and complexity to life. Through all of my life changes, my parents and the farm have remained constant and while their farm has evolved and grown, I have found a new love for growing food and flowers. I think the values of family and honest work being instilled from my childhood and now wanting to give the same to my children has been one of the biggest inspirations for creating my own little farm in the city.

How did you learn how to farm? 

I have learned much from my mom and dad on the farm, though many of the growing methods and ideas that I employ in the market garden farm come from a community garden I was part of for a decade as well as from many permaculture principles. I also began my farming endeavour through what is known as ‘SPIN’ farming, that is ‘Small Plot Intensive’ methods.

What informational resources do you use on a regular basis or have you used in the past to operate your farm business? 

I started out by using the resources from the ‘SPIN’ farming website, lots of online searching, Verge Permaculture courses, and of course from the hands on work of being part of the community garden. I was part of the Young Agrarians apprenticeship program last year and was able to gain more experience and learned so much more about market gardening and small farm productions.  I also took the Young Agrarians Business Bootcamp course over the winter which has been instrumental in helping me better prepare for this upcoming season and the shift in my production.

What type of business structure is Daisy and Dill Red Deer?

Daisy & Dill Red Deer operates as a sole proprietorship.

How much land is under production on your farm and what do you produce?

I have approximately 5000 sq feet of growing space in production. Most of this space is on front lawns that have been turned from “grass into garden”. The last 2 seasons have been dedicated to food production and I have grown a wide range of market garden produce. This season I am shifting away from vegetables and will be moving into cut flower production. My aim is to grow great local flowers and support the seasonal flower movement within the region.

What kind of land agreement do you have? Are there special relationships that enabled this?

I do not own any of the land I grow on except for my own front yard. I have partnered with homeowners around the city to convert their front lawns into gardens. I am so grateful for the willing homeowners across the city that want to support our ecosystem and my little business. Each homeowner has agreed to a 3 year commitment for their front yard gardens. These agreements will be revisited after this growing season as our initial 3 year agreement will come to a close. This arrangement has its limitations, yet it has also afforded me the opportunity to build something unique and special within the urban space with a low entry threshold.

Did you access any financing to buy land or start your farm business? 

Because I began on such a small scale there was very minimal financial investment required. I used some off farm income for the purchase of seeds and small tools, though because I am a very ‘human scale’ business currently, I had most of the gardening tools and equipment needed from my prior gardening experiences. In my second year I was able to obtain a family loan to support the cost of extra labour that was required as well as inputs, and better processing set ups for washing and bagging etc.  With this funding I was also able to participate in more educational opportunities. Through the Business Bootcamp and Business Mentorship courses I have really gained an appreciation for spreadsheets and have a much better understanding of cashflow and establishing costs of production. While this will continue to evolve over the season(s) I am feeling much better able to understand what I need from my farm and what to expect out of it.

What types of ecological farm practices and/or responses to climate change realities do you engage in?

I began my farming endeavours to add biodiversity and micro-habitats within the city to support the ecosystem as a whole. While it may be strange to think of the city as an ecosystem, we city-dwellers were not here first. While the landscape may be considerably different than it was previously, we can still take steps to contribute to its resilience and to add biodiversity which strengthens the soil and local landscapes. From this foundation, all levels of the micro-habitat are impacted.

I use a low or no till methodology in my gardens, based in permaculture practices. I avoid the use of any herbicides or pesticides as I believe these to negatively impact the quality of our soil life, air, water and pollinator life. I use mulch for water conservation and soil protection as much as I can. Recycling leaves and other appropriate organic materials for this purpose. With a forecasted drought season upon us, I am planning to water infrequently but deeply and mulch even deeper and pray for gentle rains.

Why did you apply for business mentorship? What do you hope to work on this year in your mentorship?

I applied for the business mentorship because I want to do all I can to set myself up for success. Farming is never easy work, but given my particular circumstances, being a wife and mom, managing multiple urban sites and changing my product offerings this year, I know that having the extra support and guidance from my mentor and the resources from the Business Mentorship courses available will give me a great head start. I am hoping that this year I will find a strong marketing niche as I have felt this is an area of weakness for me that directly impacts the success of my operation.

What is the greatest business challenge you face as a new farmer?

Until this season I have felt that my greatest challenge has been understanding the financial side of things. I am so grateful for the webinars and spreadsheets provided by Young Agrarians, as it is through these tools that I am finally getting a much better understanding of what are ‘good’ crops and which ones are ‘poor performers’, even though I love growing them all. Except peppers. They are always full of aphids. I don’t like them.

What are your primary business goals for the season?

My primary business goals for this season are to regularly and accurately complete my own bookkeeping and to always do a cost of production and cashflow analysis before adding a product or making a decision. Thus far I am succeeding in this!

What business tools could you not live without?

Well, probably the right answer is the cashflow spreadsheet that was provided in Chris Bodnar’s webinar in the Business Bootcamp. A couple other indispensable pieces for me are my Instagram account and my website.

How can we find out more about you, your farm, and its products? 

You can find out more of what Daisy & Dill is about and what we are up to via my social media (FB and IG) with the handle @daisyanddillreddeer or on my website, www.daisyanddillreddeer.ca