We're inspired by the stories of our members.
As a fifth-generation farmer, ag is in Nikki's blood. She loves it all: from the smell of soil during spring seeding, to the excitement of calving and watching them grow all summer, to the late-night autumn combine rides.
"After college, I spent just eight months in a traditional job before realizing it wasn't for me. I took a leap and started my own agronomy business, which opened an entirely new world," Nikki says. Today, she uses this know-how to shape her farm into a sustainable operation that balances profitability with strong values, so her daughters will be proud of what's been built once it's their turn to take it over. When Nikki isn't farming, she's still hard at work co-owning a sustainable kids' clothing company with her sister-in-law and running a truly unique business venture. "I rent out laying hens and incubators to urban families who want fresh eggs or the experience of hatching chicks. It's been a great way to connect people to farm life in a hands-on way!"
Farmers wear a bunch of different hats in a day, and Benjamin is no exception.
Benjamin is a 6th generation farmer in Lamont, AB, producing hay and raising a herd of Herefords. He also maintains a market-size garden for friends and family, is a full-time Mechanical Engineer, a hobbyist photographer and happens to be one of the top old time fiddlers in all of Alberta. ...
That's enough to keep most people busy for a lifetime, but not Benjamin. "The big goal is to purchase more land to expand and diversify." he says "I enjoy watching things grow and raising the food that ends up on my family's plate."
As for what drives him? "You really have to be an optimist to persevere. Every year you take a huge gamble and risk at the mercy of the weather and global markets, so you have to be strategic and look ahead. There's plenty of background work that needs to be done to maintain a successful operation. It's a busy life, but it's worth it."
The Wymengas are pretty well-known around these parts.
Rose sat on the Leslieville Hall board for 15 years, Dick was a county counsellor for 2 terms and serves on the Board of Directors for Alberta Grains, and they were active in the local 4H with Rose even leading it at one point. ...
You'd think after 40+ years giving their all to their community and farm, the Wymengas would want to slow down a bit…but you couldn't be more wrong. "We've got 150 mother cows in our cow/calf operation, we grow barley and canola, forage for the cattle, we also have a garden for ourselves, our kids and the grandkids…we will go for as long as we can," says Dick.
When they're not farming, the Wymengas love horseback riding, roping, and spending time with their grandkids. They also volunteer at a friend's cattle ranch each year to show groups of lucky schoolchildren where their food comes from. And for when they eventually decide to slow down, Rose has her eyes overseas. "We've been to Australia and New Zealand, I love laying on the beaches in Hawaii, we love Rome and Vatican City. Maybe we'll slow down... just a little bit."
Mike is a busy guy these days.
Aside from Mike's family obligations and tending to his goats, cows, pigs, and chickens, he's got his hands full with the latest addition to his farm: a "U-Pick" pumpkin operation with over 24 varieties of pumpkins ...
"We sell about 3,000 pumpkins per year to customers from all over Alberta" says Mike, who grew up on a dairy farm and has been heading his current operation for 14 years. "Farming is not a 9-5 job. My day doesn't end until the work is done."
And if you didn't think he was busy enough, Mike's also a full-time mechanic and runs his own engraving business. "This year I actually laser-engraved the ear tags for our new babies. It's one of my favourite parts of farming—all the new babies come spring time. It's better than Christmas for us!"
Brooke Vanderkley is a big believer in regenerative ag.
As a first-generation farmer, she makes it her goal to leave the land better than she found it. "Giving back to the soil, providing animals with the utmost care and attention, and producing a high-quality end product is extremely important to us." ...
You can see this philosophy at work in every inch of Brooke's 160 acre farm where she raises pastured broilers, laying hens and highland cattle along with offering breathtaking camping, glamping and vacation home accommodations to ag-curious guests. "We love sharing our farm with our guests and giving them a look into how food can be raised in a regenerative way."
There are no days off for Brooke. She's just entered the world of livestock sales and continues to scale the agritourism side of her operation, with hopes of her farm becoming a major player in Central Alberta's burgeoning agritourism sector.
"If you have the option to support a family farm—do it!"
