wcm profile
Local Mom
Heather Cameron
of Missing Goat Farm
What’s the lowdown on you? I am married and have one daughter who is currently three-and-half. I work as a magazine stylist, an organic jam maker and I run an organic farm—so I suppose I should also be called a farmer?! I loved working in the magazine industry and producing stories, but I find myself shifting away from that towards the organic farming and products that we produce. I’m very passionate about organic gardening/farming. I always have been, even when I lived in an apartment in Vancouver and had one plant. I knew I wanted to have land, grow my own food and have chickens. Now I do, and I was absolutely right...I love it. I’m very passionate about having my daughter learn about where her food comes from and having respect for what we are lucky to have. I love, love, love having her in the kitchen with me. She loves to cook and has a shocking knowledge of the garden and what we grow.
What would you describe as some of the biggest rewards of your work/ family? The biggest reward of my work is that I do get to spend a lot of time with my girl. I’ve never needed daycare or a nanny—not to imply that it wouldn’t have been handy here and there—but we always made it work. My mother is my hero and lives next door—which is a huge reward. She comes to my rescue on a daily basis and I would never have gotten this far without her. She is the kind of mom who would cancel a holiday if she thought you really needed help. My husband is also always there for me. He is the solid rock to my feather-floating world. If I need it, he makes it happen.
How did your business come about?
Do you manage to take time-out for yourself? If so, what does that entail?
I worked full-time in the magazine industry and two years ago, it really got hit hard by the economy. My full-time job became really part-time, so I took this chance to finally focus on our farm. I had always made jam and done canning. A friend opened a cafe in Fort Langley and asked me to supply her with jam, so I did. Another friend in Vancouver owned an awesome bakery named Butter, and she asked to carry the jam, too. It just kept growing on its own. I meekly approached Edible BC on Granville Island and they liked the jam, then the Gourmet Warehouse found me at a very cute country barn sale and asked to carry the line. A month or so ago, Whole Foods sent me a note saying they were interested. So it’s simply taken on a life of its own and has grown into a new career.
I’m not going to lie and say I take warm baths to relax after a long day or read novels on Sundays. At this point in my life, I really don’t take time out for myself. With the farm, the staff, the jam and the family, I just don’t see it happening. I’ve just come in from picking up shoes and some toys from the lawn, putting the chickens to bed, doing the last load of laundry, washing up the last of the dinner dishes (for a crew of six) and now, I’m on the computer trying to catch up with the whole networking end of business. I know the time will come and then, I will be painting and taking photos. Any time I have now, I take photos. I always dreamed of being a photographer.
What are some of your biggest challenges in work? In life?
Any must-haves? My camera, chapstick and gum boots.
My biggest challenge in work is learning to let go of control over every single thing. I’ve always been self-employed, and have always been in full control of everything. I’m learning to delegate and I have to say, it’s pretty darn fabulous.
Tell us one or two of the most important life lessons you have learned through being a mom/business owner.
My biggest challenge in life is trying not to let the work stress me out to the point of being a bad mother. I think this must be the fear of every mom who works hard.
That working from home is not a good idea. I was naive and thought it would be easy and I’d get so much done. Reality is she cries when I pick the computer over a yet another re-enactment of Sleeping Beauty. I’ve also learnt that getting my daughter involved and giving her responsibilities is really important, and also makes her feel proud. I give her funny little jobs and have her help customers who come to the farm. If I cut her off and say I have to do it all, she is left out, and in the end, they just want to be a part of what you are doing. And what is really important, is that if she wants to do it her way, not yours, just let it go! Short lavender will sell just as well as long lavender. Anything else you’d like us to know about you? My farm is called Missing Goat and we are a certified organic blueberry farm. We produce a line of jams called Missing Goat and they are also certified organic, sold all about Vancouver.
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