37 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | November/December 2023 FIELD TRIP Don is never far from the cab. Derek and Tricia. products that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. We have a vision to bring friends and family together through Canadian-grown ingredients.” Dery also notes the uniqueness of their farm, being located so close to a large urban centre. “We farm very close around Saskatoon, and within city limits. We unhook our headers for almost every field, and to get to fields on the east side of the city you need to be strategic to time bridge crossings. It’s a lot of coordination, but we try and reframe everything as something we simply need to work around, and encourage high-level communication to get it all completed.” The farm currently employs four full-time staff and brings in up to 12 during the busy seeding and harvest weeks. Dery appreciates the team’s dedication and works to ensure that equipment is streamlined to keep everyone on the same footing. “We work with a variety of brands, but really enjoy our Case IH sprayer and drills, and we run John Deere S680 combines because we appreciate their affordability, utility, and ease of use for the operators. “It’s exciting times now in the used-machinery market. Equipment is still in such incredible shape, and with very high-quality technology compared to what was offered almost 20 years ago when I started and you seemed to spend more time fixing the machine than running it.” Reflecting on the challenging growing conditions of recent years, Dery believes this consumer-driven focus will help build their dream of a generational farm brand. “The last good amount of moisture we saw was back in 2016, and since then we’ve set new records each year for the growing conditions being too dry or too hot. Working to overcome those challenges, and honing in on what we do well is the cornerstone of everything. “Because of our relation to city limits, we’re also conscious of land being acquired for urban development, so need to be strategic in our rotations to ensure we’re getting the most profitable return for each quarter. “We’ve taken our best crop – wheat – and focused on romanticizing it. It’s a resilient crop that produces a high-quality grain and is high in protein. We want to bring more education and awareness to consumers and connect them with Canadian growers.” BF
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