Dave Cursons may be retired, but he isn’t letting that slow him down.
“We purchased the farm back in 1998, and started farming in 1999, so it’s been nearly twenty years now.”
Cursons and his wife Gabi have been coming to the Penticton Farmers’ Market for the last fourteen years, bringing their own particular mix of produce with them.
“We have a variety of fruit crops,” said Cursons, “we have some pear trees, some apple trees, some apricot trees, but mostly it’s ground crops. Lettuce, asian greens, carrots, tomatoes, peas; things you would find in the supermarket, with the odd thing you wouldn’t.”
The Cursons farm is not only organic, but also one that makes as little an environmental impact as possible. They work with their surroundings, as well as the local plants and animals, to keep their farm both productive, and healthy.
“When you’re at our farm, you’re more likely to see certain kinds of insects, frogs, animal life that belongs wherever there’s a bit of a wetland or a bit of a green space. Often those critters are eradicated through conventional farming. We maintain a shelter belt, which is a home for those types of critters, and we try to advance the cause of insects that are beneficial to us and discourage those that aren’t, by planting certain types of flowers and plants.”
Dumplingdale Organic Farm, and the other farms featured in the Meet Your Farmer segments so far, can all be found at the Penticton Farmers’ Market every Saturday.