More than 180 years ago, Robert Richard Potter “chopped an existence out of the Canadian wild in 1837” and made it home.
Five generations (or roughly 150 years) later, the Concession Road 2 West homestead in Warkworth – which was carved out of forests long after retreating glaciers left their mark – Rod Potter created Century Game Park.
Today, he, his wife Elaine and their 19-year-old son James – representing the sixth generation – farm about 50-head of bison and 20-head of elk.
“It’s a very small operation – it’s only 100 acres – and there’s another 25 acres down the road,” says Rod.
But that doesn’t mean the Potters don’t keep busy – and they’ve carved out a unique operation as one of only 40-to-50 bison farmers and one of some 20 elk farmers in the province, notes Rod.
Over the decades, the Potters have continued to serve the agricultural community as operations evolved from mixed used farming to dairy and then to bison and elk once into the late 80s.
Rod also got his start when he was just 19 years old.
“My father passed away in the early 70s and my mother managed to hang onto the farm and keep it so that I would have a property to operate someday,” shares Rod, who made the decision to pursue an elk and bison operation after an interesting trip to New Zealand.
“We just plan to keep forging forward,” says Rod. “James is still 19 years old, so we’re not exactly sure, but he has expressed an interest in farming the bison …”
You can hear more about the Potter family’s journey and the evolution of Century Game Park in the podcast below.
