For Kyle Friesen, it’s a point of pride knowing that when he walks into his local Co-op, he may see the crops he’s grown on the store shelf.
“When we go to the local grocery store and see quinoa there, it’s nice to think that my family and friends and people in the community might be eating food grown on our farm,” said Friesen, who is part owner and manager of H&M Farms. “It’s a neat realization to see it coming full circle.”
That full circle begins with the multi-generational farm in southern Manitoba getting the seed in the ground every year with the support of Sun Valley Co-op. It’s a relationship that’s existed since 1978, just a few years after Hank and Melvin Penner started farming on 560 acres of cultivated land near Altona.
Both H&M Farms and Sun Valley Co-op grew over the decades that followed. With some oversight from Melvin, Friesen — Melvin’s son-in-law — and Kris Penner — Hank’s son — now farm 27,000 acres near Altona, Petersfield and Gladstone.
“Both our farm and our Co-op have experienced growth, and for as long as I can remember we’ve bought fuel through the Co-op system,” said Friesen. “Over the years they’ve adapted to our needs, supplying what we need and doing a good job of it.”
H&M Farms has also diversified their operation over the years. Currently, they grow everything from winter wheat, spring wheat and fall rye to oats, grain corn, sunflowers, quinoa, canola, soybeans and three kinds of beans.
Crops Come Full Circle
Co-op fuels the equipment moving through the fields at any of H&M Farms’ three locations. In some fields, the seed, fertilizer and pesticide being applied may come from their local Co-op too. While Co-op helps supply H&M Farms, they also purchase some of their harvested crops — albeit indirectly.
“It’s not necessarily a straight line, but some of the grains we produce do end up back on the shelf at a Co-op,” said Friesen.
H&M Farms grows 300 acres of quinoa, which may end up in packages at a Co-op Food Store. They also grow about 900 acres of sunflowers annually, with much of the harvested seeds being supplied to the manufacturer of the CO-OP® GOLD Birdseed sold at local Co-op Home Centres.
As much as 25 per cent of the 5,000 acres of corn they grow annually ends up at the Co-op Ethanol Complex near Belle Plaine, Sask. There it’s processed into ethanol, a renewable low-carbon fuel, which is used primarily in the production of gasoline at the Co-op Refinery Complex. The gasoline will make its way across Western Canada, including back to southern Manitoba completing the circle.
Focus on building relationships
Sun Valley Co-op in Altona has expanded its lumberyard, grocery store and fuel offerings over the years. In addition to its agro offering, Sun Valley Co-op has become one of H&M Farms’ main suppliers for food and home and building products.
“Our relationship has thrived for over 40 years because Sun Valley Co-op works hard to provide excellent service and meet the needs of H&M Farms, ensuring they have the products and services they need when they need it,” said Brad Iverson, Sun Valley Co-op’s General Manager. “It’s great to see the Co-operative Retailing System developing reciprocal relationships like this, where we rely on our producers both as customers and suppliers.”
And Co-op’s relationship with H&M Farms will continue to develop. According to Friesen, H&M Farms plans to continue to grow while adapting to changes in food production. With Friesen and Penner each having three children, Friesen hopes that some will eventually get involved in the operation to continue growing H&M Farms’ legacy into the future.
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