Moving from big city life in Tehran to a cattle operation in central Alberta required Ala Hakim to make major adjustments
Moving from a city of eight million people to a town of 1,000 in 2016 had its challenges.Tag Archives on the farm
Irrigation guarantees a crop for this farm family
On the Farm: The Eliasons began irrigating in 1980 and moved to direct seeding and continuous cropping in 1984
OUTLOOK, Sask. — The Eliason family is well-established in this part of Saskatchewan. The family homesteaded land northeast of Broderick nearly 120 years ago and a look at the rural municipal map shows the name is still prominent in the region as the family grew and cousins established their own operations. Dale and Jan Eliason […] Read more
Garlic production provides year-round income
WETASKIWIN, Alta. — Hanging on the farm shop wall beside the combine and the seeder are thousands of bulbs of drying garlic. Using the existing farm equipment and buildings enables Kristin Graves to build her Fifth Gen Gardens farm business while working alongside her father, Richard Graves, on their Wetaskiwin-area farm. “It is so neat […] Read more
Couple uses mystique and romance
HANLEY, Sask. — Sell a bison burger and you’re selling a story. That’s how Les and Kathy Kroeger approach their business and their customers. “I’ve got my passion for talking about bison and the land. And I sell my story, whether it’s in a package of steak or a package of ground,” said Les. Kathy […] Read more
Environmental award winners cope with drought
On the Farm: Water is always a limiting factor for these Sask. ranchers, who recently received a stewardship award
ELROSE, Sask. — The third year of drought has Gerald and Patti Anhorn contemplating what more they could do to drought-proof their Saskatchewan ranch. The winners of the 2022 provincial TESA for environmental stewardship award have already done extensive work to cross-fence for rotational grazing and develop dugouts, wells, pipelines and springs. “There wasn’t a […] Read more
Success on the farm measured in diversity
BALGONIE, Sask. — In the gently rolling land not far northeast of Regina there are trees. Lots of trees, if one considers the lack of them on the nearby plains. On the Cayer farm, they call those trees the forest. And in the forest, there are pigs and cattle. Berkshires and Low Lines, to be […] Read more
Farm has multigenerational history
SPY HILL, Sask. — History has been repeating itself at the Decorby farm for 140 years. Generations of Decorbys have tilled and planted the rich heavy loam soils that line the Qu’Appelle River Valley southeast of Spy Hill, Sask., not far from where Fort Esperance, a North West Company’s fur trading and pemmican depot used […] Read more
Children play big role in family farm
On the Farm: 4-H keeps the Sprays busy as the parents learn about clipping, showing and judging along with their kids
HAZEL DELL, Sask. — Triple S Cattle was first registered to represent Brett Spray, his father and brother’s operation. But the name now works just as well for Brett and Krystal’s three daughters, who are living and loving the farm life in east-central Saskatchewan. “This is what I wanted — to raise my family on […] Read more
Variety is key on this small-scale organic farm
On the Farm: Family takes meandering journey to their prairie home, where they raise livestock and grow vegetables
LUMSDEN, Sask. — “We do a little bit of everything,” said Jo White, as she described the 160-acre organic farm she owns with her husband, Jim. “We’ve got 15 mixed cattle, 70 ewes and lambs, two dozen finishing pigs, 40 laying hens, four geese, six colonies of bees and a flower and vegetable garden.” A […] Read more
Pandemic experiment brings home the bacon
On the Farm: They decided to see if they could turn a pig into bacon and ended up with a larger diversification project
LOUGHEED, Alta. — Diversifying the farm doesn’t always mean switching crops or buying more land. Sometimes it is as simple as making your own bacon. When Dan and Shelly Skoberg tackled making bacon from their farm-raised pig, neither thought it would turn into a farm business. Making their own bacon was one of those mid-pandemic […] Read more
