Swansfleet stresses environmental stewardship

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This article was published 01/04/2021 (1899 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Now in its third generation, Swansfleet farm based in the Bruxelles-Swan Lake area is moving forward with an environmental eye on the horizon.

The Jonk family farm, founded in 1976, is one of six featured in this year’s 2021 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Farm Family Awards.

“Farming with your family can come with challenges, but it’s also uniquely rewarding to work with a group of people dedicated to the same cause,” third-generation farmer Russell Jonk said.

Although Russell spoke on behalf of the family, he clarified he’s far from alone in the effort, with two generations worth of Jonk family currently maintaining and building upon the farm alongside approximately 15 full-time employees outside the family they’re proud to have on staff.

The current family involvement consists of second-generation farmers/brothers Tim, Vince and Steve, and their respective spouses (Linda with Tim and Kristin with Steve).

Third-generation farmers include three of Tim’s children — Russell (and wife Megan), Samantha Devloo (and husband Andrew) and Hendrik.

The farm’s origins date back to 1954, when Henk Jonk immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands.

He started out his time in Manitoba running an alfalfa mill and working for other farmers in grain and some livestock.

Meeting and marrying wife Yvonne, the two established the family farm in 1976, specializing in seed potatoes, and the farm has grown substantially since that time. The farm was named Swansfleet after Henk’s family farm in Holland, which went by a slightly different spelling.

Yvonne, now in her early 80s, still resides on the family farm.

The operation now consists of approximately 11,000 acres of diversified crop. Originally limited to the Swan Lake area, they now have acreage across a much broader geographic area, from Treherne to Glenboro.

Approximately one-third of the land is irrigated, which is something they introduced in 2006 as a means of increasing yield production — at first in their potato crop and later expanding to some other crops. On the potato front, irrigation has increased yields by approximately 30 per cent.

“One really cool part of the job is, environmental, we can have such an impact because we farm such large acres,” Russell said, adding they’ve been using cover crops to try to increase soil health in recent years, which also help reduce erosion and increase water-holding capacity.

“I think if we can find sustainable ways to farm, then we can probably improve the environment for everyone … There’s a broader societal responsibility to manage this land that makes up so much of our environment in the Prairies.”

Improving soil health isn’t something that happens overnight, so they’re slowly easing away from their reliance on commercial fertilizer.

“I’m not saying we’re going to eliminate it … but we’re definitely going to have to reduce our reliance on it,” Russell said, adding they’re also striving toward a zero-till operation as much as possible.

The farm family has various other links to agricultural and environmental organizations.

Russell said the farm has always focused on quality production and the goal will be to continue that as the farm grows.

“We aim to continue to focus on quality in the future as we expand our range of crops and manage our farm sustainably,” Russell stated in an email.

“This is probably our biggest goal as we grow the farm, to maintain the same level of quality across our crops and land base.”

The farm has also completed projects with Ducks Unlimited to support waterfowl nesting and worked with local conservation districts to complete rehabilitation of abandoned gravel pits to provide natural habitat.

Russell also serves as president and research representative for the Seed Potato Growers Association of Manitoba and participates in the North American McCain Grower Advisory Board.

Linda carries a long history as a leader in the local 4-H club and Vince is a former Keystone Agricultural Producers director, with other family members joining them in maintaining deep roots in the community.

There’s great potential on the horizon for the farm, Russell said, not only for the third generation but potentially a fourth as well.

Between his two kids and his sister’s two kids, he said there are already four potential members of the farm’s fourth generation.

“They’re all still young, but definitely they’ve shown an interest in farming and growing crops, and I think it’s the type of business that can be really appealing to carry on as a family member,” he said, adding it’ll have to depend on their priorities in life and whether they find themselves a good fit for the work.

“It’d definitely a dedication in a way, but one really cool part of the job is that environmentally we can have such a big impact.”

» tclarke@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB