On the Farm: Amber and Steve Kenyon plan to never give up learning, even if it means moving elsewhere in the future
BUSBY, Alta. — One of Amber and Steve Kenyon’s missions is to never stop learning. The couple has always looked to improve their custom grazing operation, Greener Pastures Ranching, by managing the soil, forage and through grazing concepts. Steve said it’s important that the business remains profitable and sustainable for future generations. “There is always […] Read moreTag Archives on the farm
Grandfather-inspired chicken project thrives
Two Saskatchewan youngsters turn Andi & Alex’s Farm Fresh Eggs into a booming business, gathering up to 10 dozen eggs a day
CREELMAN, Sask.— It all started with a chicken coop built by Grandpa. Last spring, Andi and Alex Ray’s grandfather, John Ray, decided his grandkids would benefit from having a chicken project in their shared farmyard. The grandkids embraced the idea, starting with one brand-new coop and 60 laying hens. One year later, nine-year-old Andi and […] Read more
Love of a lifetime starts with a gift of farming
On the Farm: The choice to farm came naturally for Danny and Diane Kotylak, but starting up wasn’t without obstacles
CANDIAC, Sask. — It all started with a birthday gift — a quarter of land. Danny Kotylak knew he’d be a farmer early in life. With his grandmother gifting him his first quarter section, one-half cultivated and one-half pasture, it was like destiny came calling. “After that, my parents gave me six Simmental heifers to […] Read more
Untimely deaths inspire acreage move
On the Farm: No Regrets Ranch features a chicken coop, greenhouse, woodworking and quilting shops, and a garden
MORNINGSIDE, Alta. — Don and Lynn Burdett dreamed for years that someday they’d have a home in the country. They’d grow a big garden, raise livestock, pursue their creative interests and provide a refuge for family and friends. “We always had the desire to live simple”, says Lynn. “To live off the land.” It’s not […] Read more
Outstanding young farmers focus on Holsteins
On the Farm: Producers say the national program provided them with an opportunity to take a fresh look at their operation
SPRUCE VIEW, Alta. — Farming at Benthemmer Holsteins is all about continuous improvement. Every year Roelof and Mary van Benthem make improvements to their dairy at Spruce View in central Alberta to make life better for their cows and ultimately for themselves. Named Alberta’s outstanding young farmers for 2020, they and their four boys — […] Read more
Young bison producer has deep roots
MELVILLE, Sask. — There was no question what Payton Molnar would do once she finished high school. Growing up in a family of bison ranchers, her career path was likely set before she was born. She bought her first 12 females in 2015 and now, at 21, she is one of the youngest bison producers […] Read more
WP “NoCOZone” stories
There’s a great deal of news coverage of the current #COVID-19 pandemic. You won’t find any of that here. For your enjoyment we’ve pulled together some of our favourite stories from past months and years that feature you, our readers. Stories of your life “on the farm.” It’s our hope these stories will distract you, […] Read more
Sask. farmer happy that flood years in past
On the Farm: Nearly a third of cultivated acres on farm near Peterson, Sask., lost over a five-year period
Slowly but surely, Saskatchewan farmer Jason Basset is reclaiming the farmland that he lost during “the wet years.” Between 2010 and 2014, Basset’s farm, located an hour’s drive east of Saskatoon, was swamped by excess rainfall. In 2010 alone, the area received more than 40 inches of rain, ranking it as the wettest year in […] Read more
Children inherit parents’ passion for livestock
On the Farm: Shelley Clark is the third generation of her family to live and work on this southwestern Alberta ranch
PINCHER CREEK, Alta. — There are bears in the Clark living room. Each has attempted a break-in of the ranch house at one time or another so each has met its demise. Shelley Clark recounts the incidents with a matter-of-fact attitude developed over years of co-existing with wildlife and livestock on the ranch in southern […] Read more
Early garden patch grows into vegetable farm
On the Farm: Spring Creek Market has grown to 245 acres and is the biggest mixed vegetable producer in the province
OUTLOOK, Sask. — Dan Erlandson remembers when he became a farmer. He was 16 and he started a small vegetable garden on his parent’s farm to earn a little money and feed his entrepreneurial dreams. Now at 34, it makes sense that farming was always in his blood. “I probably couldn’t articulate it back then […] Read more
