Curly Frog Farm

by

BRENDA DUREAULT

Curly Frog Farm

 www.curlyfrogfarm.com

Brenda Dureault has been farming the 26-acre family farm for 15 years.  She grows a variety of nut trees for both food and timber as well as paw paw trees, Christmas trees, willows and chickens.  Minor crops include flowers, herbs and nurse trees grown for multiple functions such as integrated pest management, wildlife habitat and natural fertilizer.  In the fall of 2015, chinampas were installed to increase the farmable land on the site.  The process saw soils from the seasonally flooded pasture excavated and piled in long rows where new crops can now be grown, and the excavated areas were restored to wetlands.

  • I am proud to be a farmer today because farmers need to be innovative, entrepreneurial, savvy and environmentally friendly in order to survive.  I am proud to say I am one of those farmers who are changing the way we farm.  
  • A good day at the office includes being in awe of my surroundings – staying present and paying attention to nature.  It also includes getting along with the farm equipment, for example, knowing just how long to hold the key to fire up the old blue bus mower, having enough muscle to pry open the irrigation filter without dousing yourself with creek sediment water, or driving the lawn mower like a boss to get that path in the trees just right.
  • A hard day at the office includes watching Mother Nature destroy your work – flood waters drowning your crops, eroding your land and buildings.
  • My greatest inspiration comes from the land itself.  If I observe and reflect on what is happening on the land, I learn from it.  Then I’m off to research ideas. I’m inspired by my father’s entrepreneurial savvy, my mother’s faith, my partner’s creativity and my desire to leave a legacy for my kids.
  • My advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is to treat it like a business; learn the skills, make a plan and commit to the farm even when the plan changes.  And make time for play, family and personal time – if you let it, the farm can consume all your time.