Adrian and Jodi Roelands, owners of Roelands Plant Farms near Forest, have been named Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2016.
The couple that owns the expanding greenhouse operation on Douglas Line will compete in a national event that recognizes excellence among farmers ages 18 to 39, to be held Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 at Niagara Falls.
“We’re really excited,” said Jodi Roelands. “To be considered outstanding in Ontario is a pretty big statement, so we’re really honoured to receive the award.”
The Roelands were named the Ontario regional winner at an event held this month in Stratford.
“Adrian and Jodi really demonstrated their passion for agriculture and I’m excited for them to represent the region at the national event this fall,” Carl Marquis, a vice-president with Outstanding Young Farmers, said in a press release.
The award, now in its 36th year, is sponsored by CIBC, John Deere, Bayer, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
The Roelands opened their greenhouse operation near Forest with a four-acre site in 2013 and doubled its size last year.
Earlier this year, they began an expansion to take the operation up to 12 acres where they grow cucumber, tomato and pepper seedlings for vegetable production greenhouses.
The Roelands both grew up on farms, and worked for several years with Jodi’s parents who have a greenhouse outside of Petrolia.
“It was a great opportunity to get a lot of experience, management experience and growing experience,” she said.
The couple then branched out with their own farm and greenhouse operation on Douglas Line, with plans to scale up to 12 acres.
The latest expansion is set to be completed in mid-October.
“By the end of October, we’ll have 12 acres of production space,” Roelands said.
“The national competition will be during our busy season,” she added.
But, Roelands said, they’re hopeful family members will be able to attend the national event with them.
The timing of the competition in the late fall works well for most farmers, but isn’t ideal for those in the greenhouse business.
“But, that’s OK,” Roelands said.
“We have great staff that can hopefully manage while we’re gone.”
As well as adding another four acres to the greenhouse, the couple has been investing in additional technology and recently filled new management positions.
Roelands said they expect to employ approximately 150 people over the coming winter season.
“We’re hoping that with all of the automation we’re installing, we can keep the same level of staff on 12 acres as we did on eight acres,” she said.
Roelands said they’re looking forward to meeting and speaking with other regional winners at the event in Niagara Falls, where two national winners are to be named.
“From the other alumni I spoke to, it’s not really about winning,” she said. “It’s about getting to meet those people, making really great connections and networking.”
Roelands added, “Anything we can learn, is a benefit.”
While Lambton County is currently home to just a handful of large vegetable greenhouse operations, officials with the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership have said it’s a sector with potential because of the area’s access to natural gas and other infrastructure.
“The greenhouse sector is really booming, right now,” Roelands said.
“There’s a lot of people employed in the sector, in Ontario.”
~Paul Morden~
The Sarnia Observer