KELVINGTON, Sask. – For Clint Peterson, who’s lived most of his life in the country, and his wife, Wendy, who grew up in Saskatoon, their life on the farm is exactly what they want.
Three children, seven quarters of land, 100 cows, two off-farm jobs and a whole lot of hockey keeps them busy, but they’re also happy.
“Well, the winter goes by fast,” Clint said with a smile. “If you’re not at the market, you’re at the rink. If you’re not at the rink you’re feeding cows at home. If you get any down time the couch looks pretty good.”
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Clint moved to the city after high school to train as a recreation director and met Wendy, whose brother was taking the same course.
He was working for the summer near Outlook, Sask., when his father, Ryan Peterson, asked him if he want to move back to Kelvington and work in the family business, Petersons’ Auction Market.
He did, and he worked there for more than 15 years managing the back part of the market: sorting, arranging and pregnancy checking.
When his parents sold the market and retired, Clint decided he was also ready for a change. He was considering welding when the new owners asked if he would stay on at the market as manager.
He agreed, relishing the challenge of a new role.
“I like it actually. It’s a lot less work but maybe twice the amount of responsibility, trying to keep people happy and look after the front end part, the people part – lots of phone calls, lots of PR work. “
Clint and Wendy’s farm focus is on a commercial herd of Charolais cross cattle. Now that the cattle are home from summer pasture, Clint will pregnancy check the cows and wean the calves. He’ll feed them and have them ready to sell at the end of February.
“And hope the price is good.”
He still sees plenty of cattle come through the auction market but has noticed that the cattle population is declining.
“Lots of farmers, they’ve had enough,” he said. “The calves aren’t making any money anymore and they’re selling the whole herd.”
He said several people in the area have got out of cattle.
“And this is going on all over the prairie provinces. It would sure be nice to see an upward trend.”
Wendy works as manager of finance and administration at the Kelvington Credit Union. At home, the couple divides the chores along traditional lines with some exceptions.
“Outside is usually Clint’s area, indoors is mine. On occasion, when I need to get away from the kids, I go for a ride with Clint when he’s feeding up,” she said with a smile. “We get caught up on the week, who’s going where and with which kid.”
The Petersons have three children – Ty, Randi and Lane, ages 11, nine and seven – and all play hockey.
Clint coaches Ty, Wendy coaches Randi, and they both help out with Lane. Practices through the week and games on Saturday makes for a busy season.
“Before you know it, it’s March and it’s like, holy man, where’d the winter go?” Clint said.
Wendy and Clint are no strangers to sports – Clint in hockey and Wendy in ringette and power skating.
Starting when she was still in high school at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask., she ran her own power skating schools year round.
“Even on Christmas break I came home and ran a school.”
She took a break from power skating when her children were born, but when asked if she would hold a class this fall, she agreed.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”
In spite of the numerous trips to town that their busy lives require, Wendy and Clint enjoy living on the farm.
“You have your peace and quiet,” Clint said.
“And I enjoy cattle. They’re not the best industry to be in right now, but I enjoy them. And they’ve done well for us in the past. My wife, she’s kind of the city girl. She likes her city life but if she had to make a choice she would be where we are today.”
Wendy agreed.
“I don’t think I could even move to town,” she said.
“When we first started having kids, I was really torn, really disappointed, living in a small community because my kids would not be exposed to the sports or the activities that I was brought up with living in a city.
“However, the tradeoff is a hundred times better. I wouldn’t want to raise my children anywhere else. We know all the kids in our kids’ classes. We know all the children in the whole school, and the parents. Our kids can walk to the rink every day after school and go public skating. In the summer they can walk to the pool. There’s no way in the city they could do that.”
