Page 11 - Salute to Agriculture

THURSDAY MARCH 25 2021 n THE BRANDON SUN WESTMAN THIS WEEK B11
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Berry Family — Under the Hill Farms Itzke Family — Itzke River Farm Ltd.

Continued from Page B10 now managed by the third genera- Managing row crops with strip tilling work ethic — all values which the organism. Itzke River Farm has cho-
tion — cousins Chad Berry and Kev- and cover crops minimizes soil loss. family shares today. The tight-knit sen to nurture the life within the soil
Awards and highlights: Previous in Berry. Doug and Bruce continue to They use micronutrients and bio-ad- Itzke family takes pride in serving as to promote healthy plants and high
Century Farm Award, designated a be active in management and day- ditives to maximize soil health and role models and support systems for yields rather than banking complete-
heritage farm. to-day work. productivity. Transition to organic each other. ly on synthetic inputs. Some of these
Combining the past and the fu- production and incorporating solar Type of farming operation: Pro- practices include cover cropping,
BERRY FAMILY — ture: All crops are grown under irriga- energy into the operation demon- duce. reduced tillage, fertilizer application
tion. When Simplot facilitated condo strates their commitment to main-
Family participation: Hedwig Itz- efficiency, application of biological
UNDER THE HILL FARMS storage for potatoes at the Portage la taining soil health sustainably. ke, John D. Itzke, Uwe Itzke, Astrid inoculants, soil and plant tissue
Historical background: Grandpa Prairie plant, the Berrys bought in, Community involvement: His- Itzke-Meilleur, Gerry Meilleur, Mats analysis.
Berry operated the grain and cattle and recently commissioned a wash torically, the operation has support- Meilleur, Lars Meilleur, Jens Meilleur, Community involvement: The
farm north of Cypress River. When plant at their condo to improve the ed local 4-H clubs. When the local Meike Meilleur and Drew Itzke are all family is very much part of their
his sons Doug and Bruce took over, quality of product going into the Glenboro 4-H club recently reno- involved. community. They donate many
they expanded and changed the Simplot Portage la Prairie potato vated and built a new show ring, the Combining the past and the fu- cases of vegetables annually to lo-
operation to handle two growing plant. In 2018 and 2019, solar energy Berrys donated and delivered all the ture: Itzke River Farm has shown cal fundraisers and events. They run
families. Looking to manage crop was brought in to power seven pivot sand. The farm is a previous winner outstanding sustainment and pro- tours to promote education in the
rotations by the mid-1990s, Doug sites. When not running a pivot, the of the McCain Environmental award. gressive agricultural management vegetable industry from kindergar-
and Bruce expanded the crop rota- solar sites feed renewable energy The family chose to branch out and practices in the past few years. They ten classes to university students to
tion to include edible beans, then back into the grid for consumption bought the Pleasant Valley golf have taken preliminary steps in the government representatives. In past
potatoes. This brought the need to by Manitobans. With potatoes as a course to ensure there was a qual- direction of regenerative farming, years, the family has been involved
manage the light soils north of Cy- key crop in the rotation, the Berrys ity golf facility adjacent the Pleasant working alongside natural laws, rath- in coaching and playing with local
press River to minimize soil ero- are continually adopting techniques Valley Tri-Lake system. er than against them. As the climate sports teams. They donated funds
sion. The family has chosen to grow, to maintain soil health. Row crops and soil have changed, management and contributed to the planning of
diversify and evolve with every are now strip-tilled to minimize soil ITZKE FAMILY — practices and paradigms have been the artificial ice construction in the
generation to maintain their rural disturbance, and many row crops are altered as well. The Itzkes’ goal is to local hockey arena.
way of life. grown with cover crops. Some acres ITZKE RIVER FARM LTD. one day pass their land along to oth- Awards and highlights: Itzke River
Type of farming operation: The are being transitioned to organic Historical background: The farm’s ers in better condition than it was Farm was the recipient of the Loblaw
farm grows 2,000 acres of potatoes production for all crops. founder, Johannes Itzke, immigrat- primarily received. Vendor Development Partnership
along with corn, canola, sunflowers, Land stewardship: The Berrys ed to Canada from northern Ger- Land stewardship: For many years, Award in recognition of leadership
oats, barley, wheat, fall rye, rye grass, were early adopters of the Ducks many in 1953. Along with his strong soil has been seen solely as a medium within the produce industry.
flax, soybeans and edible beans. Unlimited projects. Their motto for knowledge of plants and passion for to hold plants upright when, in real-
Family participation: The farm is crop production is “Keep all the dirt.” growing, Johannes carried a resilient ity it’s a crucial, living and breathing » See Page B15