One hundred and 10 years after their farm was started as a homestead, the Gano family of Mountain View County has been recognized for their long-time contribution to the region's agriculture community.
The Larry and Joy Gano family, which owns and operates Chinook County Farm at the intersection of Highway 22 and Highway 587, was one of 20 Alberta farm owners to receive a 2014 BMO-Calgary Stampede Farm Family Award this year.
The family received the award at a ceremony at the Calgary Stampede grounds on July 7.
“It's quite an honour,” said Joy. “It's been a great place to have a farm. And it was a nice day for the whole family at the Stampede. The minister of agriculture was there to congratulate everyone. It is all very nice.”
Larry and Joy have been involved in 4-H, with Alberta Beef Producers, with minor hockey and baseball, Cremona ECS, Mountain View Credit Union, and many sporting organizations and school activities.
The farm was started by Larry's great-grandfather James Tyson as a homestead in 1904. It was then passed on through Larry's grandmother Eleanor van Haaften and her husband GZH van Haaften.
Larry purchased the farm in 1972. The couple were married in 1973 and moved onto the original quarter in 1975.
Today the farm covers about 2,600 acres of owned and leased land. It is a mixed farming operation with approximately 250 mainly Red Angus cows bred to Charolais bulls.
As well, they currently have about 700 acres of timothy and alfalfa, most of which goes to export to Japan and the USA. They family is currently experimenting with some fields of straight alfalfa.
About 600 additional acres are planted, half in peas and the rest in canola and feed barley.
All the spruce trees on the property were planted by hand by the various family generations who have lived on the property.
Today, their son Troy is the full-time farmer on the property, with son Tyson helping move cattle to rotational pasture cells in the Fallen Timber area, daughter Janine and husband helping out during haying season, and daughter Jessica also lending a hand.
The BMO farm families are chosen by the Alberta Agricultural Service Board in cooperation with local boards, including the Mountain View Ag Services Board. They are given to farm families who “demonstrate various environmental initiatives and skills that have changed farming communities around southern Alberta.”
During the July 7 ceremony at the Calgary Stampede, provincial agriculture minister Verlyn Olson, said: “Today's modern farm families are both savvy entrepreneurs and innovators, who continue to embrace new techniques to improve their day-to-day operations and put high quality food on our tables.”
BMO Bank of Montreal regional vice-president Mike Darling added: “These families have successfully melded the ideas and traditions of the past with modern agri-business practices. Further, these significant advancements in farm management highlight the impact these best practices have made on the Alberta economy.”
Calgary Stampede president and chairman Bob Thompson added: “The Stampede is pleased to recognize and honour the chosen families who make a difference in Alberta communities by demonstrating new agriculture innovations and practices.”
The Morison Family Farms of Rocky View County was also among the 20 recipients of this year's farm family awards.
Families receiving the award are presented with a permanent commemorative plaque marking the occasion.
