Franck and Kari Groeneweg of Edgeley will represent Saskatchewan at the national Outstanding Young Farmers competition in Brandon, Man., this fall.
The couple has been farming since 2002 and currently have 9,060 acres of owned, rented and custom farmed land northeast of Regina.
Franck, who grew up on a small farm in France, and Kari, from Alberta, met in the United States and fulfilled their farming dream with their 2002 purchase of 12 quarters.
Green Atlantic Farms uses zero-till operations on a cereal-oilseed-cereal- pea rotation.
The farm also included a grain-burning stove retail business, although that has been wound down.
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Franck describes himself as a dreamer.
“I had this dream that I wanted to be a large scale farmer and it was an impossible dream but I thought it was beautiful,” he said. “So we went to a place that it was possible to achieve it.”
By default, Kari says she is the practical one.
“Often we joke that Franck is the gas and I’m the brakes, but in a vehicle you need both, right? And I feel we do balance each other quite well.”
Both said the OYF win was a great honour and a testament to everyone who works with them.
The couple has four children under age seven. Kari home schools the two oldest.
Also nominated were cousins Larry and Michael Spratt of Donaro Farms at Melfort, Sask.
