Winnipeg, MB – Craig & Jinel Ference of Double F Farms and Jordan & Alex McKay of Willow Tree Farms were chosen as National Winners from seven regional farmers at Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer(OYF) Program’s national event held last week in Winnipeg, MB.
What began as a wheat field in 1985 has grown into a 4000 cow herd, 8000 head feedlot with 13800 acres of crop and 41000 acres of grazing, and a custom farming business. The Ference's focus is to “work smarter and do more with less”. They feel diversity in many agriculture sectors is important to allow for success and part of their succession planning. They work to improve organic matter as they want to improve the land they will pass on to the next generation. Double F Farms wants to be a responsible caretaker of the land and feel incorporating corn into their operation has been one of their greatest successes. With the size of their operation, employees are key, so Craig & Jinel secure employees through the foreign worker program which is rewarding but not without a large learning curve.
What began as a dairy has now become a vertically integrated farm that focuses on farm fresh local food. In 2016 Willow Tree Farm Inc. opened a 4300 sq. ft. retail year round market complete with butcher shop and commercial kitchen. The farm goal is to create a one of kind “working farm” experience for customers while making the maximum use of the products it produces. Jordan focuses on the “big” picture which includes cash flow, profit, growth and staff. Alex’s passion for sustainable farming has helped to increase the farm to 650 acres which employs over 35 employees that produce 35 hand-picked crops, 65 sheep and 102 cows. The McKay Brothers with the help of their spouses, Alyson and Kelty are always changing their operation because they believe that is the nature of what they do.
Franck Groeneweg, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program 1st Vice Chair, who attended the event had this to say about the two winners: “Alex and Jordan, along with their families, have successfully harnessed their complementary skills resulting in a multiplier rarely seen. The Ference’s exemplify how previous family values continue to develop a culture of excellence, capturing opportunities that few others would dare to undertake.”