10 11 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca December 2025 TOP: FARM ONE FORTY | MIDDLE: GROVENLAND FARM TOP LEFT: DAVIN - ADOBE STOCK | NATALIAHUBBERT - ADOBE STOCK | CAT_ARCH_ANGEL - ADOBE STOCK | MAGR80 - ADOBE STOCK | BARON - ADOBE STOCK | AMIDCO - ADOBE STOCK TOP RIGHT: HIHATIMAGES - ADOBE STOCK | BOTTOM LEFT: 7 MEADOWS FARM CANADA’S BREAD AND BEAN BASKET Saskatchewan is a global leader in agriculture, producing over a third of the world’s durum wheat and leading the world in lentils and dry peas. The province is also a top producer of canola, with more than half of Canada’s canola land. SK exports a significant amount of canary seed and mustard seed. The provinces producers have also stepped-up sustainability through practices like no-till and cover-cropping. Saskatchewan farmers also grow unique crops like Saskatoon berries, sour cherries, and wild rice. New and unique oilseed crops like camelina are also gaining recognition. Unique crops that can be used for food ingredients, nutraceuticals, cooking oil, bio-lubricants, and jet fuel. More than $35 million in research is conducted annually in the province in support of the industry with the majority conducted at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) in Saskatoon. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research and Development Centres in Saskatoon and Swift Current are major agricultural technology hubs. SIDE NOTE: Camelina is exclusively grown under contract. At present camelina farmers are growing the crop for the Smart Earth Camelina Corporation. Due to high omega 3 of camelina, Smart Earth Camelina provides products for the pet (horses) market with cold-pressed camelina oil as a supplement to support overall pet health. Excess oil production has a place as biofuel and in aquaculture. Meal, a valuable co-product of crushing, is registered as a feed ingredient for both broilers and layers in Canada. SEVEN MEADOWS FARM ALL YEAR With ancestral roots in agriculture the Hepting family of Seven Meadows Farm near Regina Beach, SK stays close to that tradition. They grow greenhouse cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers using hydroponics and a high wire system. Their flavourful homemade products like cucumber and tomato salsa, sauces, relishes, and pickles are available year-round. Your can find their products at: https://sevenmeadows.ca/ where-to-buy/ FARMERS MARKETS AND “FOOD TRAILS” CONSUMER CONNECTIONS Saskatchewan food trails include Field to Fork: Saskatchewan Manitoba Agritourism Corridor focusing on farm-to-table experiences, breweries, and farmers’ markets. The Field to Shield Food Tour highlights Indigenous culture and local plants, and the Butter Tart Tour explores classic Canadian sweets. On-farm experiences also connect to consumers through u-picks and lavender farms. As well as those that offer livestock interaction like Grotto Gardens or tours and meals sourced and prepared on-farm like Farm One Forty. A LITE LOOK AT SASKATCHEWAN ARTICLE BY JULIE HARLOW SASKATCHEWAN OPEN FARM DAYS Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is a coalition linking thousands of farmers, government, businesses and advocates with a goal to help people understand food and farming. Saskatchewan Open Farm Days is a Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan open house event for people to discover local agriculture. It connects Saskatchewanians through education and in person agricultural experiences bringing awareness and understanding about how food is grown and raised in the province. Host sign up is open for 2026! HISTORY REPEATS IN SK Archives reveal settlers who built sod houses and cleared land with oxen. Today’s SK smallholders honor that legacy, adapting old practices to modern needs. Rainwater harvesting, solar panels, and permaculture design are common features of contemporary prairie homesteads. Small-scale agriculture and modern homesteading are gaining ground. Driven by a desire for sustainability, self-reliance, and a deeper connection to the land, they are also focused on “local.” GROVENLAND FOR GENERATIONS Three generations farm together at Grovenland Farm. In 2011, Lisa and Ben Martens Bartel, and their kids Jacob, Felix and Kaleb, moved from Winnipeg to rural Saskatchewan to begin a new farming story with Ben’s parents, John and Denise Bartel. After 20 years of conventional farming, John and Denise had grown weary of increasing dependence on chemicals as well as the capital required to produce grains and meat for the mainstream global food production system. Their goal was to research and gradually implement more sustainable methods for growing plants and raising animals on their land. Lisa and Ben were also ready for a change from city life. Partnering in a new farming venture with John and Denise was the perfect fit, thanks to their shared goals to supply the community with pastured meats and chemical-free produce. Grovenland Farm produces grass-finished beef, heritage breed pastured pork, pastured chickens (meat and eggs) and a full complement of veggies. No chemicals and holistic growing and animal husbandry techniques are practiced. @grovenland_farm on Instagram and Facebook. HOLISTIC FARM ONE FORTY Farm One Forty raises pasture pork, grass-fed beef and lamb plus healthy soil and so much more! Holistic management utilized at Farm One Forty restores the land by recreating the natural way animals have evolved with the environment. It offers long lasting benefits: • Soil becomes more biologically active. • Deep-rooted native plants tolerate drought, purify water, and sequester CO2 in soil. • Productive cropland and rangeland increase. • Livestock on pasture have fewer pathogens and require less medication. PRAIRIE HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATE (PHC) The Prairie Horticulture Certificate (PHC) is an online independent study horticulture program designed specifically for the prairies. It was developed for professionals and is collaboratively offered through a consortium of three Western Canadian educational institutions: Assiniboine College (Manitoba), Olds College of Agriculture & Technology (Alberta) and the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan).
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