Falkdale Farms, a fourth-generation family operation near New Bothwell, continues to thrive thanks to the teamwork of Jason Falk, his mother, brother, wife, three children, and a hired hand.
Wanting to recognize the hard work of his family and team, Falk nominated them for Meals on the Farm, presented by Steinbach Credit Union.
He says the experience was a great way to share a meal with industry partners.
“We feel encouraged by that. We're grateful, but we don't do it for the encouragement. We love what we do. We'll keep doing it if no one ever says thank you. But it's really fun to be appreciated that way, and it just gives us a little bit of a bounce in our step and we're going to go out of here feeling full and feeling encouraged.”
@steinbach_online #MealsontheFarm visited Falkdale Farms! Read more about the farm on #SteinbachOnline ♬ Country - Evgeny
About Falkdale Farms
The family farm raises chickens and hogs and manages more than 3,000 acres of cropland.
“We are grateful for a generation ahead of us who was very wise in the way they built and structured this business. We have chickens on the yard here, we have some hogs. We also have a larger hog operation outside of this site. And we also have feed mill,” Falk says.
He explains how their farm cycle works efficiently from field to livestock.
“We grow the crops which we send to the feed mill, which feeds the animals, which then produces manure, which we put back on the field.”
Currently, the farm grows wheat, canola, corn, and soybeans, while also experimenting with rye this year. Falk says the season is off to a strong start.
“The harvest is going very nicely this summer. We've had moisture when we've needed it, not a lot, but just at the right times, and we're about 15 per cent in the bin so far, and we're very optimistic about what it's looking like in this area.”
Although it’s still early, he notes the crops are looking promising.
“I think it’s looking like it’s as good as last year, and quality wise too. I mean it's been pretty humid, so there may be the risk of some vomitoxin or things like that. But I think right now it's looking like that's pretty low in this area.”
While they had hoped to begin harvest sooner, Falk says the pace has still been good.
“It's been a little cooler in the last week or two, so the crops haven't been drying down quite as quickly as we'd like, but we also know when the crop is larger, it takes a little longer to dry down too. So, I keep that in the back of my head and going if it's not drying so quick, it's probably because there's a little more out there and that's ok.”
Community connection
For Falkdale Farms, Meals on the Farm was more than just a shared meal, it was a reminder of the strength of community.
“Often, we don't need to get off the farm for a lot of things. We do a lot of our work with each other, which is fantastic, we love to work with each other, but it's really neat to just have the community come to us, and to feel that support and to know that we're not alone in this. Sometimes it can be a little bit lonely. This certainly reminds us that we're all in this together.”
With files from Adi Loewen
It is your last chance to be part of this great initiative! Click here to nominate a hard-working farm family. It could be your own, it could be a neighbour. If they are making a difference, we want to hear about them.
Thank you to our amazing sponsors who make this possible:
Steinbach Credit Union
Marc Hutlet Seeds
Grunthal Auction Service
Hanover Doors
Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District
Premier Truck Group
Penfor Constuction
Tristar
Seine River Seeds
Masterfeeds
KK Penner
MNP
Al McVicar Farm Services
Denton Krentz
Steinbach Dodge
H&L Motors