Celebrating Manitoba’s farm families

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This article was published 25/03/2021 (1627 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We are excited to be honouring the 2020 BMO Farm Family Award recipients. Unfortunately, when the 2020 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair was cancelled last March due to COVID-19, we were unable to move forward with our planned in-person celebrations. We are happy to be partnering with The Brandon Sun and BMO to finally acknowledge these families and celebrate their accomplishments and dedication to agriculture in Manitoba.

» The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba

Editor’s note: Look for stories about the Provincial Exhibition’s 2021 farm families in upcoming editions of Westman This Week.

Verwey Family —Verwey Farms

Historical background: This third-generation farm was started by Raymond’s parents. Ray and Jill encouraged their children to gain an education, then come back help grow the farm.

They work together as a family, as everybody has the ability to do “the job.”

Jill is the vice-president of Keystone Ag Producers (KAP).

Type of farming operation: Grain, cattle and dairy farm.

Family participation: Running a 6,000-acre farm requires the family all work together. They promote equality among cousins and siblings.

People involved include Ray and Jill, their children, and Ray’s brothers Gerry, Roger and Conrad.

Combining the past and the future: The family has maintained a mixed operation despite continued industry pressure to specialize. They encourage each other to get and stay educated with advances in agriculture. With Jill’s presence in KAP, they are now pursuing a voice in ag policy.

The family has not been afraid to try new crops and cropping methods to improve farm profitability.

Land stewardship: Crop rotations are maintained to improve soil health. Cattle husbandry is a priority.

Community involvement: In 2018, the family grew 40 acres of soybeans to support STARS, raising $22,350. They open their farm on Open Farm Day to promote ag education.

STEPPLER Family —STEPPLER FARMS

Historical background: Steppler Farms is a multi-generational farm and will celebrate its centennial in 2021.

The farm began as a grain and cream quote operation. When the farm was transferred to Dan and Pat Steppler, the grain farm continued, milk cows were sold, and a PB Charolais operation was created in 1973. Dan and Pat’s sons all attained a post-secondary education, and brought new ideas back to the farm. After Ian received his diploma at the University of Manitoba, he started the honeybee operation. This was integral to the expansion of the farm and allowed more family involvement.

Type of farming operation: The farm consists of 4,000 acres of grain, 600 PB Charolais cows, a commercial herd of 100 black cows and a 2,500-beehive operation. They grow cereals, oilseeds, pulses, grain corn, silage corn and sunflowers.

Family participation: Dan and Pat’s four sons are all involved in the farm. Ian is the president of the farm. He and his wife Sandy manage the bee operation. Geoff and Sarah are directors. Adam and Amber are managers of grain operation. Andre and Katie manage the cattle operation.

Combining the past and the future: Use of Facebook and YouTube provide the farm with a large audience. Andre and Katie travel across Canada to judge and evaluate cattle. They share their knowledge on cattle and help promote positive messaging through keynote speaking appearances at 4-H clubs. They were recently selected as the face of the Manitoba Beef Producers through the Great Tastes of Manitoba campaigns. Ian shares the Steppler Bee operation with his 25,000 YouTube channel subscribers and travels the world as a keynote speaker.

Land stewardship: The grain farm has implemented zero tile and minimal till practises to effectively manage soil health. Soils at risk are sowed down for rotational grazing with an increase of wild flowers and forages to increase the food needed for honey production and bee health. The cattle farm is committed to riparian preservation and water sheds. They fence off these areas and use the water and grazing sources responsibly.

Community involvement: The family recently raised more than $16,000 from a donation heifer for a national youth event in Brandon. Andre, Katie and Sandy are Miami 4-H beef club leaders. Andre, Katie and Pat are directors on the Miami Agricultural society. Andre and Katie are involved with the Miami Sports Complex and Miami Minor Baseball. Andre is also a past director of both the Manitoba Charolais Association and the National Charolais Association. He sits on the foundation board for the Canadian Charolais Association. Ian is vice-president of the Manitoba Bee Keeping Association.

Awards and highlights: Andre and Katie were recently selected for the Great Tastes of Manitoba. The farm was awarded Purebred Breeder of the Year in the past. Their cattle are shown at provincial and national shows and have won several championship awards. The farm was awarded with the 2018 Pembina Valley Conservation Award.

Grossart Family – Howpark Farms

Historical background: Howpark Farms is a fourth-generation farm, moving into a fifth-generation farm this year. Ian’s great-grandfather homesteaded the farm in 1879, naming it after his birthplace in Scotland. The farm has always operated with diverse mix of crops and cattle.

Type of farming operation: Organic mixed farm raising organic grains, grass-fed beef and pasture chickens.

Family participation: Ian and Linda, father Doug, and son Zach are currently active and directly involved with the farm, while children Andrew and Avery are indirectly involved. Doug, Ian, Andrew, Zach and Avery are all graduates of the University of Manitoba and Linda is a graduate of Brandon University. Avery will soon graduate from Life University in Marietta, Ga., and plans to return to Brandon to work.

Combining the past and the future: The Grossarts have adopted fully organic agronomy and husbandry to meet the growing consumer demand. Their regenerative and organic practices are aimed at building healthy soils, growing nutrient-dense foods, preserving the natural landscape and native prairie habitat.

Land stewardship: The family’s organically regenerative practices include long-term crop rotations, cover cropping and high stock density grazing. They purchased ecologically sensitive lands adjacent the farm to maintain the nature ecology and help maintain the local plant species. The Grossarts manage their land to build soil health and provide fully self-sufficient land for grazing and crop production. They have taken on land under Habitat Heritage agreements to preserve the land on and adjacent to the Brandon Hills. They have installed more than six miles of pasture pipeline. They have been a part of the Habitat Heritage-supported Twice Over Grazing Project aimed at improving the native pastures and protecting habitat for native species and species at risk.

Community involvement: The Grossarts have opened their farm to university and college tours over the years. They have also been a part of local film productions. Doug was a past-president of the Brandon Co-op, a volunteer with the Farm and Rural Stress line, chair of the local elevator and has been a part of various local committees. Doug, Ian and Linda have all been on various committees of the Brandon Hills Church and Community Club. Linda and Ian taught first aid and lifeguarding to area residents for several years and Linda is a past-president of the Manitoba Lifesaving Society. Ian served eight years as a municipal councillor for the then RM of Oakland and has served and continues to serve on several ag-related committees. The farm was a WWOOF host family for several years and hosted young people from several countries from around the world on their farm and more recently has hosted and provided internship training to ag students from France.

Awards and highlights: Previous Century Farm Award, designated a heritage farm.

Berry Family – Under the Hill Farms

Historical background: Grandpa Berry operated the grain and cattle farm north of Cypress River. When his sons Doug and Bruce took over, they expanded and changed the operation to handle two growing families. Looking to manage crop rotations by the mid-1990s, Doug and Bruce expanded the crop rotation to include edible beans, then potatoes. This brought the need to manage the light soils north of Cypress River to minimize soil erosion. The family has chosen to grow, diversify and evolve with every generation to maintain their rural way of life.

Type of farming operation: The farm grows 2,000 acres of potatoes along with corn, canola, sunflowers, oats, barley, wheat, fall rye, rye grass, flax, soybeans and edible beans.

Family participation: The farm is now managed by the third generation — cousins Chad Berry and Kevin Berry. Doug and Bruce continue to be active in management and day-to-day work.

Combining the past and the future: All crops are grown under irrigation. When Simplot facilitated condo storage for potatoes at the Portage la Prairie plant, the Berrys bought in, and recently commissioned a wash plant at their condo to improve the quality of product going into the Simplot Portage la Prairie potato plant. In 2018 and 2019, solar energy was brought in to power seven pivot sites. When not running a pivot, the solar sites feed renewable energy back into the grid for consumption by Manitobans. With potatoes as a key crop in the rotation, the Berrys are continually adopting techniques to maintain soil health. Row crops are now strip-tilled to minimize soil disturbance, and many row crops are grown with cover crops. Some acres are being transitioned to organic production for all crops.

Land stewardship: The Berrys were early adopters of the Ducks Unlimited projects. Their motto for crop production is “Keep all the dirt.” Managing row crops with strip tilling and cover crops minimizes soil loss. They use micronutrients and bio-additives to maximize soil health and productivity. Transition to organic production and incorporating solar energy into the operation demonstrates their commitment to maintaining soil health in a sustainable way.

Community involvement: Historically, the operation has supported local 4-H clubs. When the local Glenboro 4-H club recently renovated and built a new show ring, the Berrys donated and delivered all the sand. The farm is a previous winner of the McCain Environmental award. The family chose to branch out and bought the Pleasant Valley golf course to ensure there was a quality golf facility adjacent the Pleasant Valley Tri-Lake system.

Itzke Family – Itzke River Farm Ltd.

Historical background: The farm’s founder, Johannes Itzke, immigrated to Canada from Northern Germany in 1953. Along with his strong knowledge of plants and passion for growing, Johannes carried a resilient work ethic — all values which the family shares today. The tight-knit Itzke family takes pride in serving as role models and support systems for each other.

Type of farming operation: Produce.

Family participation: Hedwig Itzke, John D. Itzke, Uwe Itzke, Astrid Itzke-Meilleur, Gerry Meilleur, Mats Meilleur, Lars Meilleur, Jens Meilleur, Meike Meilleur and Drew Itzke are all involved.

Combining the past and the future: Itzke River Farm has shown outstanding sustainment and progressive agricultural management practices in the past few years. They have taken preliminary steps in the direction of regenerative farming, working alongside natural laws, rather than against them. As the climate and soil have changed, management practices and paradigms have been altered as well. The Itzkes’ goal is to one day pass their land along to others in better condition than it was primarily received.

Land stewardship: For many years, soil has been seen solely as a medium to hold plants upright when, in reality, it is a crucial, living and breathing organism. Itzke River Farm has chosen to nurture the life within the soil to promote healthy plants and high yields, rather than banking completely on synthetic inputs. Some of these practices include cover cropping, reduced tillage, fertilizer application efficiency, application of biological inoculants, soil and plant tissue analysis.

Community involvement: The family is very much part of their community. They donate many cases of vegetables annually to local fundraisers and events. They run tours to promote education in the vegetable industry from kindergarten classes to university students to government representatives. In past years, the family has been involved in coaching and playing with local sports teams. They donated funds and contributed to the planning of the artificial ice construction in the local hockey arena.

Awards and highlights: Itzke River Farm was the recipient of the Loblaw Vendor Development Partnership Award in recognition of leadership within the produce industry.

Hueging & Pylypjuk – Current Holsteins

Historical background: Darren Hueging and Allison Pylypjuk were both raised on dairy farms. When they married in 2011, they took over Current Holsteins, a farm branching off of Darren’s parents’ dairy farm. Darren and Allison milk 72 Holstein cows in a tie-stall facility and raise 125 beef cow-calf pairs. Allison and Darren are raising their three young children (Jocelyn, Myers and Madden) with the values their parents taught, including hard work and dedication.

Type of farming operation: Dairy farm.

Family participation: Darren runs the dairy full-time while Allison is also a licensed veterinarian, working both on and off the farm.

Combining the past and the future: Darren has been president of the Interlake Dairy Club for more than 10 years. Allison is vice-president of the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association and chairs the Food Animal Committee. Allison helped deliver producer presentations on behalf of the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba for ProAction Biosecurity.

Land stewardship: Land stewardship is very important to Current Holsteins, with their approximately 850 acres of hayland and 1,500 acres of pastureland. They leave bush pastures native and fence off areas for wildlife. They practise rotational grazing in an effort not to overgraze. A lot of forage crops are grown, and they try to improve alkaline areas with alfalfa and salt-tolerant grasses.

Community involvement: Darren and Allison volunteer with young children at their church during Sunday service. Allison coaches a local ringette team and gives presentations to both beef and dairy 4-H clubs. Darren sits as a panellist at the University of Manitoba for the agriculture diploma oral presentations.