Sylvain Gagné is a multifaceted professional. He is a principal at an Elementary School in North Rustico as well as the owner and operator of Gagné Blueberries, a fresh wild blueberry farm in Eastern PEI.
Although these two professions are not necessarily compatible on paper, it’s not a surprise to those who know him. Sylvain knows he was destined to become a farmer. For generations, Sylvain’s family has cultivated land in Quebec and throughout his childhood, he worked each year in the fields to help feed his extended family and the community.
When he moved to Prince Edward Island over 25 years ago, he knew it was time. In 2000, Sylvain purchased some blueberry fields in Eastern PEI and began to do what was so natural to him, farm.
Sylvain already knew from his years of experience that blueberry farming would be more of a labor of love than an instant money maker. “When you start a blueberry farm, you’re in it for the long run,” he says with a laugh.
In spite of the hard work Sylvain put into the land, he eventually found the most difficult part of starting a business on the Island was building a greater network since he wasn’t from PEI.
An entrepreneur with a sense of resourcefulness, he sought out organizations that could assist him in building his network and also with growing his blueberry business. That’s how he was able to connect to the Rural Action Centre in Wellington. Though he is not from Wellington, Sylvain’s first language is French. The Wellington RAC is the only bilingual Rural Action Centre and serves French speaking entrepreneurs across PEI. This was important to Sylvain.
“You feel comfortable to speak in your own language and when you talk with somebody and they understand exactly what you’re talking about, that’s a really good thing – the fact that we’re able to speak French,” says Sylvain.
Sylvain recognizes that there is a lot to learn about business, and rather than waste his time or money, he goes straight to the experts like those at RAC Wellington.
“For me, I’m not from a business background. I’ve learned bit by bit over 20 years,” says Sylvain. “The thing is sometimes you just don’t know in business. It costs you a lot of money to learn because you can do a lot of things wrong. When you have someone to talk with about business, it helps you to save money.”
Today, Sylvain supplies over eight businesses across the Island with his wild fresh blueberries and employs seven people during the harvest seasons in late August to September. While he’s confident he is providing a solid product, he understands he couldn’t have done the business side of things without help from organizations like RDEE, Rural Action Centre in Wellington, Innovation PEI and ACOA.
Over the 22 years in business, Sylvain’s passion for farming and entrepreneurship has not wavered, despite spending most of his evenings and weekends maintaining the land. He continues to set new goals and knows that if he needs any further help with the growth of his business, the RAC Wellington is only a phone call away.