Raymond and Tracey Bredenhof of Abbotsford produce hops while Jenny Butcher and Wes Kuntz of Brantford run a dairy
When Raymond and Tracey Bredenhof entered Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers national event, they didn’t expect to win.
The event was held Dec. 1-3 virtually and in Saskatoon. The Bredenhofs were one of two winners.
“There were really, really great contestants from all across Canada that we met,” Tracey said.
“We’re very happy and we hope that it will impact our hop distribution and brokering business.”
Known as K + T Poultry and Bredenhof Hops near Abbotsford, B.C., the Bredenhofs are the largest distributor of Canadian grown hops. They distribute their own, as well as their neighbours’ and other growers’ supply.
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“It wasn’t our initial goal at the beginning, that’s for sure,” Raymond said. “Partly slow and steady growth kind of just got us there, as well as reacting to the market around us.
“Someone needed to step up and do distribution for multiple farms and we happen to be set up right for that.”
The Bredenhofs also operate a poultry farm. They started with 5,000 broiler chickens but have since expanded to 40,000 broilers.
Raymond grew up on a farm. For him, this way of life is in his blood.
“It’s just the most beautiful way to make a living,” he said. “It’s a beautiful way to live, being on the land, taking care of the soil, taking care of the environment around us.”
Although Tracey grew up in town, she can’t imagine any other life than the one on the farm.
“We have four boys, so it’s kind of the perfect environment to raise them on,” Tracey said.
“It’s such a wonderful lifestyle.”
Jenny Butcher and Wes Kuntz run the Little Brown Cow Dairy Farm near Brantford, Ont. Alongside the Bredenhofs, they also won the Outstanding Young Farmers award.
Both Butcher and Kuntz grew up on dairy farms. But with their own, they’re doing things a little different, including keeping all cattle born on their farm.
“One of the things that makes our farm unique is that we keep everything that’s born, so all the male calves and female calves. We have beef business at our on-farm store, as well our milk is all processed in our cheese plant and our dairy plant,” Butcher said.
The store, known as Local Food Emporium, sells food produced on the Little Brown Cow Dairy farm, but also sells products from local producers and artisans.
“We try to sell everything you need to be a full-service grocery store with everything sourced from as local as possible,” Butcher said.
As someone who grew up on a dairy farm and now operates her own, Butcher said the industry is one of the things she loves most about being a dairy farmer.
“As an industry all farmers know that every little thing that you do for a cow to improve her life, to improve the quality, and even quantity of her life is actually a profitable endeavor,” she said.
“And it also creates both a lifestyle and a job that you can be really proud of, and feel really good about on a day-to-day basis.”
Butcher said they hope to continue growing their farm and engaging the local community.
“We’re excited about the fact that the Outstanding Young Farmer program could sort of shine a light on (our farm) because I hope that it’s inspiring to other people.”
