Big Sky Farm
Born and raised on a farm, David Cozac left farming behind to go to university and study accounting. Years later he's come back to his roots, successfully running both Big Sky Farm and True Food Organics with his partner, Debbie Russell.
David and Debbie began Big Sky Farm in 1993, in Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick, and certify with the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA - NB). Their two and a half acres of production and two small, movable greenhouses turn out a whole range of vegetables - from asparagus to zucchini.
According to David, their best are garlic and dried beans. “We try to grow some vegetables no one else grows,” he says, “like different types of beans. A lot of heirloom varieties. We try not to use any hybrid seeds.”
Right now, David wants to try and perfect the two greenhouses. It's his first summer with them, and he is still deciding what and how to produce with them. He is currently using the greenhouses to grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, pole beans, basil, and melons.
There is no livestock at Big Sky, except for the dozens of bird species in their gardens, Clancy, the dog, and Neddie, their horse. Neddie has just begun to be used for garden cultivation this year, and is also very useful during the maple syrup season, when David collects sap from their sugar bush.
The couple also own and operate True Food Organics, a small health food store in Fredericton. Everything sold in True Food Organics is certified organic. The store offers a variety of groceries and produce with an emphasis on local products, including those from Big Sky Farm.
Fresh produce from Big Sky is also sold at the Fredericton Farmer's Market. The booth usually starts in late July and keeps on until Thanksgiving. Customers at this busy market are loyal, eagerly awaiting the return of “their farmer”.
David concedes that every year is a challenge, especially in farming, since the weather is so unpredictable. However, he points out that, “There have been no major setbacks to make us want to stop either business. It's our loyal customers that keep us going.”
David and Debbie have always been environmentalists, and their concern for the environment is what makes them want to grow their produce without synthetic fertilizers or chemicals.
True to their beliefs, David and Debbie live their whole lives as sustainably as possible - their work is in balance with the ecosystem and it supports the local economy; they are part of numerous environmental and social justice groups; even their home is completely powered with solar energy and built from local, sustainable timber. David and Debbie are farmers, entrepreneurs, and active community members - all in balance with Nature
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