Manitoba and British Columbia recently named their outstanding young farmers for 2024.
The Manitoba winners were Marcus and Paige Dueck of Four Oak Farms from Kleefeld, Man.
Marcus was born and raised on his second-generation family farm, while Paige worked on farms growing up.
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Both graduated from the University of Manitoba with bachelors of science in agriculture, majoring in animal systems.
Marcus achieved his professional agrologists license and worked as a sales associate for Marc Hutlet Seeds Ltd. He is a member of the local fire department and currently sits on the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba Advisory Committee.
Paige worked for Dairy Farmers of Manitoba as producer relations co-ordinator and a Canadian Quality Milk validator. She has also been an Equine Canada certified riding instructor for many years.
Four Oak Farms milks 49 registered Brown Swiss cows three times per day using the only tie stall robot in Western Canada. The dairy has won multiple milk quality, production and farm awards.
The farm also grows corn, soybeans and forages on 785 acres, supplying both the dairy and cash crops. It takes part in agronomic and yield trials and offers custom fieldwork. Recently, hay sales have expanded, supplying both local and U.S. markets.
The other Manitoba nominees were Alexander Boersch and Markus Deffner of Mill Creek Organics/Abtshof Farms Ltd. from Elie, Man.
In B.C., Tristan and Aubyn Banwell of Spray Creek Ranch from Northern St’at’imc Territory near Lillooet, B.C., were named this year winners in the B.C./Yukon region.
The Banwells manage a diversified regenerative organic farm, where they raise cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry on pasture along the Fraser River with their children, Twain and Tusi, and their landowner partners.
Operating a growing on-farm abattoir, they direct market and distribute their organic meat throughout the Sea-to-Sky region.
Tristan was a founding director of the Lillooet Agriculture and Food Society and the Small Scale Meat Producers Association, where he continues to serve as president.
He has also served in numerous committee, board and executive roles for Organic BC.
Aubyn has sat on the board of the Lillooet Farmers Market and was instrumental in bringing the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program to Lillooet.
Spray Creek Ranch focuses on adaptive multi-paddock rotational grazing to promote soil and pasture health, biodiversity and agro-ecosystem resilience.
Their pasture-based livestock management includes organic production methods, low-stress livestock handling and the development and use of appropriate livestock breeds for resilience and adaptability.
The other B.C./Yukon nominees were Jeff and Carrie Hooge of Lepp Farm Market and Fraser Valley Hazelnuts at Greendale and Kerry McCann of Laughing Crow Organics at Pemberton.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 will be chosen at the national event in Lethbridge Nov. 27-30.
