Mark Eyking is no ordinary farmer. He's as much at home in a suit and tie at a meeting in Toronto as heis in blue jeans in his fields in Millville. But a farmer is what Mark has always wanted to be...a successful farmer... and the closer that dream gets to reality, the more convinced he is that his dutch ancestors had the right idea.

Fifth in a family of ten children, Mark was the first to join his father in the family farming business. He left home long enough to get a degree from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, then set about building his dream. He and his wife Pamela worked long hours for many years laying the groundwork. Mark eventually joined forces with four of his brothers and the Eyking farm grew into the largest producer of agricultural products on the island, employing 20 full-time, and 40 seasonal workers.

But the Eykings were never ones to rest on their laurels. Each year new and exciting challenges seem to turn up. Last winter Mark took a plunge into the little explored world of "hydroponics" and today, in the huge new greenhouses along the Millville Road, twelve-foot vines, covered with astonishingly red tomatoes, twist their way skyward out of tiny computer-fed pots.

And this summer Mark added a vacuum cooler to his farm...a hi-tech facility where vegetables can be stored safely until the market is ready for them. This has opened up a whole new off-island market for the Eyking Brothers.

Mark realizes that both of these innovative moves are a colossal gamble, but he trusts his instincts and knows that he must take some risks if he is to have something worthwhile to pass on to his children. The Eykings are like that.

And even though farming can be a monumental challenge, Mark has managed to find a balance in his life that allows time for his wife Pamelas and children, Mieka, Joshua, Bethany and Jonah. His greatest joy is to see things grow. Whether it's vegetables in the fields, the trees in the orchard, or his own children, Mark knows Cape Breton is where it can happen best.