O’LEARY, Prince Edward Island — Fourth-generation potato growers Christopher and Derek Smallman are the P.E.I. Potato Blossom Festival’s Potato Producers of the Year.
The brothers have taken over the potato operation of their father, Avard Smallman, but the farm’s history can be traced back to Avard’s grandfather, Dan Smallman, who started with a 100-acre mixed farm in the 1920s and later grew to produce 30 to 40 acres of potatoes.
Dan’s son Foster took over the farm in 1946 and was growing 100 acres a year before retiring. His son Avard joined the operation in 1969 and continued the expansion.
Derek started farming with his father in 1990, and Christopher joined up in 1996. By 2002 they had shifted their potato operation to exclusively growing processing potatoes.
Avard has become the farm’s “go-fer.” His sons have continued the operation, and they look to Derek’s son Marshall and Christopher’s son Bryar to eventually become its fifth generation of operators.
Smallman Farms grows processing potatoes destined for french fries at Cavendish Farms and potato chips through WD Potato Limited for Frito-Lay. They were named WD Potato Limited’s top grower in 2013.
Source: Journal Pioneer