Keisha Rose

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PEI Farmer

Being part of Canada’s food system Keisha Rose has had a long affinity for farming on Prince Edward Island. The decision to come back to the farm after going to university, however, was not immediate. “I grew up just up the road from our farm, watching my Dad, Uncle, and Grandfather farm my whole life. Since we were very young my sisters and I loved a drive in the tractor or a field visit. After high school and while in university I would work in the spring to help with planting, and a few summers I would stay to work the entire time,” says Rose. Her decision to return to the family potato farm came after attaining a business degree, and working for an agricultural insurance company for two seasons. “I’ve been on the farm full-time since 2015. Our farm, R.A. Rose and Sons, is in North Lake, PEI. We grow potatoes for the fresh market and we also grow cover crops. We also operate a packing facility, East Point Potato, where we pack all of our own potatoes, as well as those from my cousins’ potato farms and a number of other Island growers.” Rose’s favourite thing about farming is the variety of jobs in which she engages on any given day. From planting or harvesting potatoes to managing finances and employee paperwork, every day — and every season — brings different challenges. “The ‘jack (or jane) of all trades, master of none’ saying rings true to me, I feel. I am always willing to try something or learn about something. I think most farmers would say this occupation requires [that] we have that in our skill set,” says Rose. Understanding where food comes from, and how much work goes into getting it to the shelf and table, is something Keisha hopes more people will learn about — particularly given how sustainable Canadian farming systems can be. “I think people should take value in supporting their Canadian farmers. As a kid, my Dad would say ‘farmers are feeding the world,’ and I remember rolling my eyes at him, like no one would notice if we just didn’t grow food anymore. I now see what he meant. It’s so important that primary agriculture producers continue to produce. We are all part of a system.”