WESTLOCK – Robert and Darcie Steffler farm near Onoway with their children Logan, Lane, and Amanda. They were named the Farm Family Award recipients for Lac Ste. Anne County in 2020, but because of COVID-19 there was no Farmfair or Farm Family Awards in 2020.
This year, the awards committee played catch-up, holding the awards for 2020 early afternoon and the awards for 2021 later in the day Nov. 12, during this year’s Farmfair International held at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
The Steffler family story is typical of the hard work and adaptation to change, and the efforts it takes that keeps a family together on a farm that is about a century old — Darcie Steffler is still working on that bit of the family history.
The Steffler family live on the farm site previously owned by Robert’s great grandpa William, his grandpa Norman and father Clayton. Darcie and Robert’s children, “Logan, Lane and Amanda are the fifth generation of Steffler's on this quarter of land in this community,” she notes.
“This farming operation has survived dry years in the early 2000s and the BSE outbreak that followed. When cattle prices were not showing signs of improving, we purchased a used Gleaner combine and planted grain. With the help of our kids, we now harvest over 1,000 acres of annual crops each year, along with 400 acres of hay to feed our cattle,” she says. “Diversifying to include grain was necessary to help with cash flow, but our hearts are with the cows.”
Darcie says they calve out 200 cows each year.
“Seeing the newborn calves in January and watching the cows eating grass on pasture (hopefully up to their bellies!) are some of the rewards that make the hard times worth it. We also enjoy the feeling of all working together in the fall to get the crops off. Everyone has a job, and we work around each other’s schedules.”
She adds: “Farm life also instills in us a sense of responsibility, and this we are all proud of. Even at minus 40, the cows need to be fed!”
4-H has played a large role for the family for the past nine years. Lane and Amanda have both shown steers and female in their cub, and Darcie has volunteered in vet sciences and with the beef show committee. The farm has hosted 4-H beef weigh-ins, and Robert and Darcie have been involved in the beef show and sale day events.
“Our animals have won awards at 4-H, which makes us proud of the time and consideration we put into our bull buying and cattle management. Our kids use our home raised animals for 4-H, and we have had requests from other 4-H members to buy our animals,” Darcie adds. All family members continue to volunteer with 4-H.
On the farming side, Robert and sons Logan and Lane take pride in driving past their crops to see how they are growing. Weed control and a nice even germination is the goal each year, always trying for the bumper crop while keeping the expenses reasonable.
“Logan and Lane have taken a liking to the equipment and crop management,” Darcie says. Both work off the farm apprenticing for heavy equipment technician. Logan also has his mechanical equipment engineering diploma. He spends his spare time on the computer, crunching numbers for crop production and keeping up with equipment maintenance.
Meanwhile, Lane spends his spare time fixing equipment, and enjoys meeting people and building relationships for the farm. Both hold their Class One driver’s license to operate the farm’s Freightliner truck and grain trailer they purchased to haul their grain to market.
Amanda is not left out of the farm family operation either. A recent graduate of Olds College’s agriculture management (production major) program. She has used her 4-H money over the years to start her own purebred Simmental herd and has sold Simmental bulls with Beechinor Bros. now for a few years. She is starting to take over some of the cattle management while her brothers focus on crop production.
Meanwhile, their parents are also keeping very busy. Darcie works off the farm as an registered veterinary technologist and does the farm books and administration. She has served as a council member for the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and received numerous awards from the AVMA.
Robert started several years ago with his “Green Certificate” course and has been learning from crop companies and other local producers since.
Darcie notes, “The kids (funny how we all refer to our children as kids, even when they are grown adults) are now providing a refreshing source of information and perspective as they begin contributing to this ever-changing industry.”
Of the award day she noted: “We had a nice time and it is great to see farm families being recognized. I wish there were more left around.”
