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Churchill Land and Cattle
I grew up on a mixed farming operation in northeastern British Columbia where I developed a love for cattle ranching and the Angus breed. In my twenties, I worked as a medic in the mills and later in the oilfield where I met my husband, Bruce. I moved to southern Alberta and continued my education as an EMT. I worked for Associated Ambulance Services for several years. Bruce and I married in 1999 and decided to raise our family within the agricultural field.
Presently, I work alongside my husband Bruce on a commercial cow-calf operation. For the past 25 years, our ranch has been located just west of the small community of Rich Valley, Alberta. Like many ranching operations, Bruce has maintained a job in the oilfield leaving me to the day to day operations.
We have three children, Leah 22, Grace 20 and Beau 18, who loved being raise in an agricultural environment. They helped on our ranch with haying, cattle drives, brandings, roping and treating cows.
We are VBP+ certified and try to use regenerative farming practices with as little input cost as possible. We do this with hopes of get maximum production from our livestock and land. We are always looking for new ideas to bring our ranch into the future and Farming Forward has been a big part of that. We have adopted swath grazing, bale grazing and rotational grazing practices which have improved our soils.
What are some benefits to working with an organization such as Farming Forward?
I find networking with other producers and being involved with Farming Forward a vital way to keep up to date with what is new in the agriculture industry. My husband introduced me to our local forage association and I was hooked! Farming Forward is there with workshops and research to help you find the information you are looking for. I look forward to the many workshops and research they provide.
Why is it important to be on the Board of Directors for Farming Forward?
As a board member of 3 years, the most important part of being on the board is to contribute with ideas in the meetings, and show up for extension events. I believe organizations like Farming forward assist in building the partnerships with government and industry that a small farmer needs to survive. I have enjoyed my time as the treasurer, and have gained many skills and connections.
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