DJ Wassenaar and Matt Bergman of Haybury Farms Inc. in Jarvis have been named Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for 2024. Matt, who grew up on a dairy farm, started farming on his own at 23, balancing an off-farm job to pay the mortgage. DJ, raised on a beef farm, initially focused on livestock before shifting to crops.
In 2018, with 500 acres of rental land, the partners experimented with organic farming, trialing 25 acres of organic corn. This successful trial led to the creation of Claybank Organics, which expanded to 400 acres of organic corn and soybean rotation by 2019. They further grew in 2021, purchasing a farm in Algoma District to produce timothy hay for overseas customers.
Today, Claybank Organics farms 1000 acres of organic crops, while Haybury Farms covers 3200 acres. The duo now owns and maintains their own fleet of equipment, managing operations in Jarvis and Algoma.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program recognizes excellence in agriculture; open to participants aged 18-39. National winners will be chosen at the OYF event in Lethbridge, Alberta, at the end of November.
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