04/23/2026
I am long overdue in sharing an update from the farm. As messages start coming in with inquiries about summer programs, it feels like the right time to share our plans for the season ahead. I will be honest, I have been putting this off. There are so many pieces to this decision and a lot of emotion wrapped up in it.
After much thought, and many tears, I have decided to take a year off from Farm School this summer. I explored many different possibilities to try to make it work, but in the end the only option that truly brought me peace was pressing pause for the season. This feels like a huge decision, especially knowing that Farm School has been such a meaningful part of so many families’ lives. Watching our sweet little farmers grow and learn year after year has been an absolute joy, and it has been such a privilege to be part of their childhoods.
Although we are taking a break from Farm School, we will still be hosting a few field trips, mostly for returning schools. That said, I could very easily be convinced to add a few more, especially for local schools feeling the strain of busing costs and looking for something a little closer to home. Education remains at the heart of everything we do here, and after a hard year for both teachers and students, I hope what we offer brings a little spark of joy and light.
As for the farm, we expect to have a pig or two available in the fall. If you are interested, do not wait, they go quickly. We also happen to have a 4H steer looking for a freezer next week, if you are interested, reach out and I will get you connected with the little farmer who did the hard work to raise the fine looking beef (who is ironically named Beef). Vegetables will be available upon request, and we will likely have salsa kits available in the fall. Our laying flock will be quite small this year, with barely enough eggs to supply our regular customers.
Simply put, we are slowing down.
I blinked and our youngest turned five. We are now well into our sixth year on the farm, and many of the dream projects we imagined for our own children are still waiting, as we have poured so much into building Gathered and Grown. It is time for us to share the wonder of this place not only with school groups and Farm School families, but with our own kids too. They need time to explore, to snack on peas straight from the garden, and to run over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house without worrying about interrupting programs or disturbing guests.
Another big part of this decision is a career change I have been quietly working toward over the past year. It did not take long after starting the farm to realize that my desire for privacy for our family did not align with building the kind of large scale business I once envisioned. Coming to that realization felt, at first, like failure, but in time I have come to see it as a necessary and healthy pivot.
The farm’s role in our community, especially for families and school groups, is too important for me to step away from entirely. But my goals have shifted from growing to sustaining.
Letting go of the idea that the farm needed to be my full time income opened the door for me to revisit career paths I had once set aside. I spent a lot of time thinking about what would best support our family alongside the farm, but also what would genuinely fulfill me. I wanted something engaging and challenging, yet flexible enough for me to be a Mom first. I also knew it needed to be something rooted in helping others in a meaningful way.
I first considered becoming a mortgage broker back in 2020, before the farm was even a reality. At the time it felt like it could complement our life here, but I found every reason to put it off. Finally, in March 2025, I ran out of excuses and began the coursework required to become licensed.
I am excited, and a little (read as ‘mostly’) nervous, to share that I completed my final exam in March and have joined Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Excellence based out of Lethbridge.
This new chapter brings up all kinds of feelings. New things are hard, but hard does not mean bad. One of the biggest challenges for me has simply been telling people what I am doing. I have done all the behind the scenes work to be ready to help people navigate mortgage financing, and now I just need to actually tell people that I can help them meet their mortgage financing needs
So if you or someone you know is looking to buy a home, renew a mortgage, or explore refinancing options, I would truly be honoured to help.
As always, we are incredibly grateful for the love and support of this community. Thank you for being part of this journey with us over the past few years. It has certainly been a wild ride. For now, we are trading what has often felt like a roller coaster for something a little bit slower and steadier, maybe a ferris wheel?
P.S. If you would be willing to show some love and follow along Suzanne Bergeron Mortgages, it would mean a lot.
