As we wind down after a busy summer and harvest season, we would like to take a few minutes to reflect on the past and share the story of the man who started Thompson Potato Farm. This painting of Don Thompson was done by a close family friend, Vanessa Shand. Her painting captures Don’s love of farming and his land. We don’t dig our potatoes by hand, and neither did Don. But we shared the pleasure of grabbing a shovel and digging some fresh spuds for dinner during the summer.
 | Donald John Thompson was born in Zephyr in 1918. He was the second born in a family of five children. In 1937 his family packed their belongings into a wagon, hitched up the horses and moved to Holt to the land we still farm today. He met and married the love of his life, Marion Gibney, and together they raised 5 children. |
In the early 20th century farming was not only a way to make a living; it was a way of life. Don owned dairy cattle, raised pigs and chickens, and had horses for field work. Crops were grown almost exclusively to feed his family and his livestock. There was no electricity or running water in the farmhouse or in the barns. There was a well with a small pump near the house for the family and to provide water for the smaller animals. The horses and cows were walked once a day to the bigger well to be watered, which could be a daunting task in the bitter cold of winter.
 | In 1943, the war changed everything. Although Don completed the basic training military course, the government was reluctant to send farmers overseas. |
Instead, they were encouraged to grow extra food that could be sent to Europe in an attempt to help feed starving citizens in war-torn countries. So Don began to grow potatoes on a bigger scale, which actually meant he grew 2-5 acres of potatoes annually.
Farming implements were much smaller than they are today as they were drawn by horses. All seed potatoes were cut by hand and planted using a one row planter. The weeds were managed using a hoe, rainfall was the only form of irrigation, and harvested potatoes were picked up off the ground by hand. It was labour intensive in an entirely different way than it is today. It meant you better have a lot of kids to help, and get along with your neighbours so they would lend a hand during the harvest!
Farming implements were much smaller than they are today as they were drawn by horses. All seed potatoes were cut by hand and planted using a one row planter. The weeds were managed using a hoe, rainfall was the only form of irrigation, and harvested potatoes were picked up off the ground by hand. It was labour intensive in an entirely different way than it is today. It meant you better have a lot of kids to help, and get along with your neighbours so they would lend a hand during the harvest!
 | Don’s first tractor was called the Ford Model 8N and it was probably purchased in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. The retail price in 1952 was $1,404.00 US dollars. |
It had a metal seat without a backrest, boasted a 4 speed transmission with 23 horsepower and did not have a cab. To put that into perspective, our tractors today have a 19 speed transmission, closed cab with AC, air-ride suspension driver seats, a GPS system and more buttons that you can imagine to adjust settings. Don’s lawnmower that he bought in retirement had more horsepower than his first tractor! Implements were small since they were adapted from horse drawn models for tractors that didn’t have much more power than 2 horses pulling would.
It wasn’t until the late 1960’s that Don began to specialize in growing potatoes on a mass production scale. When his son John joined him farming full time in the 1970’s, they worked on expanding the business together. During this time he still maintained his dairy herd, which meant when the long day in the field was finished there were cows to be milked and tended to.
There is a whole lot of truth to the saying “Old Farmers Never Really Retire.” When Don’s grandson RJ joined the farming team in 1994, Don felt it was time for him to “retire.” However, he still helped with some field work, and since that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, he chose to raise beef cattle as a new hobby. He helped with the grading line well into his 80’s. His age finally caught up with him when he turned 90 – so he slowed right down and took over cutting the grass for a few hours every day!
Don always had time for the customers who popped in to buy potatoes and sweet corn. He had a ready smile and a story for every person who came to the door. We miss Don’s gentle presence and his gracious manner every day. And we thank him for his lifetime of hard work that left us the grass roots of the business we run today at his farm.
If you are interested in learning more about some of the other faces around our farm, you can visit “Our Story.”
It wasn’t until the late 1960’s that Don began to specialize in growing potatoes on a mass production scale. When his son John joined him farming full time in the 1970’s, they worked on expanding the business together. During this time he still maintained his dairy herd, which meant when the long day in the field was finished there were cows to be milked and tended to.
There is a whole lot of truth to the saying “Old Farmers Never Really Retire.” When Don’s grandson RJ joined the farming team in 1994, Don felt it was time for him to “retire.” However, he still helped with some field work, and since that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, he chose to raise beef cattle as a new hobby. He helped with the grading line well into his 80’s. His age finally caught up with him when he turned 90 – so he slowed right down and took over cutting the grass for a few hours every day!
Don always had time for the customers who popped in to buy potatoes and sweet corn. He had a ready smile and a story for every person who came to the door. We miss Don’s gentle presence and his gracious manner every day. And we thank him for his lifetime of hard work that left us the grass roots of the business we run today at his farm.
If you are interested in learning more about some of the other faces around our farm, you can visit “Our Story.”
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