Farming For Love is set to begin filming in September
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Gurleen Maan wants to find love.
It’s why the 34-year-old third generation farmer from Abbotsford, B.C. is appearing on the upcoming reality dating show Farming For Love.
The show, which begins filming in September, will see six B.C. farmers invite singles from urban communities to their farms to live and work.
They’ll also participate in challenges, group activities and one-on-one dates with the end goal of finding a life partner.
Maan’s family owns and operates Maan Farms, a berry farm and agritourism operation which includes weddings, goat yoga and barnyard adventures for kids.
Farms.com connected with Maan to discuss her family farm and the kind of person she’s looking to create a life with.
Farms.com: Tell us a little bit about your farm.
Gurleen Maan (GM): We grow berries, sunflowers and pumpkins and create experiences around the things that we grow.
Farms.com: What are your roles on the farm?
GM: I do creative and marketing. I’m a self-titled “director or fun.”
Farms.com: How did you get to be on the show?
GM: Someone from the show reached out to me. I was a bit hesitant at first but when I started to get to know what the show was about, I felt like it was a good opportunity to find love and not just be on the show to say I was on TV.
Farms.com: How did your friends and family react when they found out you were going to be on the show?
GM: My family was pretty nervous at first. They’re pretty conservative so they’re asking me about if there’s going to be (public displays of affection). But the more we got to know the type of show it was, they got more excited and comfortable for me.
Farms: On the show you’ll be opening yourself up to the singles but also to anyone in Canada who watches the show. What’s the most public setting you’ve been in where eyes were on you?
GM: The farm is open to the public and every day we’re in the public eye. Some days we have up to 3,000 people here and I manage the operation in terms of the customers.
Farms: You mentioned you left living in the city to come back to the farm. What were you doing in the city and when did you realize it wasn’t fulfilling for you?
GM: I grew up on the farm and my summers were spent selling berries on the side of the road while my friends were vacationing. When I got my degree, I felt the urge to do the exact opposite of what I’d grown up doing. I had a great corporate job working in insurance litigation.
I loved it for a while, and I think I got out all of my dreams of being a city girl. I lived in Yaletown for about five years in a beautiful condo. I partied and had a great time in my 20s. After a while, I grew out of that experience and wanted more for myself, which funnily enough led me back to the farm.
I wanted to create things and want people to enjoy the things I create.
Farms.com: Are you worried about authenticity with all the cameras around?
GM: It’s in the back of my mind. I’m truly on the show to find love and questioning motives I think is natural. I think I’m a pretty good judge of character and I think I’d be able to sniff that out.
Farms.com: We hear a lot about how people from urban communities don’t understand how food is produced. Will that be on your mind as you visit with the singles? To show them how a crop is grown?
GM: Definitely. I think the life of a farmer and agriculture in general needs more exposure, especially modern agriculture. We do a lot of things that are innovative and have surpassed traditional farming practices and I think it’ll be great for the rest of the nation to see what agriculture looks like today.
Farms.com: You said you’re looking for someone who can handle your hectic lifestyle. Can you provide an example of how hectic it is?
GM: Each day is different; my work is very demanding and I pour a lot into my work. I would need someone who understands my work is a big priority and can understand that some days I’ll be at the farm at 9am and not get home until 11pm or midnight.
I also come from a loud, opinionated and bold family. It’s important for my partner to have a tough skin, mix in with my culture and roll with the punches.
Farms.com: In your intro video you’ve said you’re a romantic. What’s an ideal romantic date for you?
GM: I’m a big foodie and I love wine, so having great wine and great food is wonderful.
Farms.com: You said the relationship you look up to the most is your parents. Why is that?
GM: My parents, to this day, are very much in love. They resemble a lot of the relationship goals I’m looking for. They’re very supportive of each other’s dreams and created this great life for themselves and their children.
It’s the little things too. Watching TV together and making each other coffee is what I’ve taken notice of in the last few years.
Farms.com also connected with Dave Semmelink, a farmer from the Comox Valley, about what he’s looking for during his time on Farming For Love.
Farming For Love photo