Fourth generation | Zelenka family continues to farm on dryland
TABER, Alta. — From their yard and front window, Robert and Carol Zelenka can see traffic whizzing by on busy Highway 36 south of Taber.
They can both remember a time when traffic was minimal but now oilfield vehicles, grain haulers and equipment steadily make their way to and from the United States border crossing at Coutts.
It’s a sign of the times, but the farming couple wouldn’t trade their lifestyle or their location for any other.
“We live in a beautiful place. Our nearest neighbour is a mile and a half away. We don’t have to worry about parties unless we make the party,” says Robert.
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Carol shares his opinion.
“People pay to have vacations where they can sit and relax out in the open. We live that every day and it’s just so amazing. I never get over that.
“You look in the evening when the sun’s just got that nice glow, it’s just that beautiful golden colour, and you think ‘wow, I’m sure glad I live here.’ ”
Their third generation family farm is about to add a fourth operator. Their son, John, 29, has returned to the farm with the intention of taking it over.
Robert’s grandfather bought the prime agricultural land in the early 1930s after moving to Alberta from South Dakota. Then Robert’s father took over.
Robert, a heavy duty mechanic by trade, worked for Versatile farm equipment for many years, first as a trouble shooter and later as sales manager for Alberta and British Columbia.
But when his father was ready to leave the farm, Robert decided to return to his roots.
Experience working for other bosses, and being in management, have helped his farming career and shaped his philosophy.
“We’re just running an agriculture business, versus running a hardware store. We’re no different. It’s just that we don’t deal as much with the general public.
“We produce food for the world and we’ve always got to keep that in mind. Whatever we produce has to go somewhere.”
Carol grew up in Edmonton and met Robert when they were both taking an accounting course at Lethbridge College.
“When I first married Bob, it didn’t look like we were going to be on a farm … but then the opportunity came up and we both jumped in. I help out where I can.”
She believes it’s valuable for farm-raised children to experience other jobs so they can make an informed decision about farming.
The 1,500-acre farm produces various pulse crops, yellow mustard, yellow flax, durum and milling wheat.
Though unusual in this part of southern Alberta where irrigation is available and common, the farm is entirely dryland.
It’s a decision Robert made several years ago after dealing with irrigation on part of the property.
“Irrigation isn’t everything,” he says. “It’s very costly. The operating of it is expensive.”
The farm is only a few kilometres from Chin Reservoir, part of the St. Mary River Irrigation District. But using it would mean a lift of 200 feet, which is an expensive proposition.
Weather conditions and commodity prices in recent years have brought good returns, though Robert retains the typical farmer caution.
“Production in southern Alberta is a cyclical thing,” he says. “I don’t want to be a pessimist but when I look at what’s happened here in the last three or four years, I don’t see the trend continuing.
“You just can’t go around with your head in the clouds thinking this is going to go on forever. There’s a lot of ex-farmers around who did that.”
Both Robert and Carol believe in giving back to their community. He just retired from a multi-year stint on the local gas co-op board and remains on the board for the Taber seed cleaning plant.
Carol is on a regional economic development committee, sits on the Municipal District of Taber library board and volunteers with the annual pheasant festival.
External activities help keep their lives interesting, Carol says.
“We can be together 24-7 at a lot of times in the year. In harvest, I’ll sit on the buddy seat with him in between grain dumps and we’ll be together all the time. We don’t mind it. We get along well.
“But you need something in the off times. He does his separate things and I do my separate things.”
The couple plans to retire in a few years and when they do, John will bring his own stamp to the farm.
“He’s way more adept at the technical things than I am,” Robert says of his son.
“Everybody has their strengths. He’s going to bring a lot of that technical type strength to the operation. I think he has as good a chance of making it as anybody else does.”
Robert and Carol say their decision to take over the farm years ago was the right one.
“The dollar doesn’t mean anything if you’re not happy,” says Robert. “We won’t be the richest farmers on the block but we’re satisfied farmers.”
