Ostafie family farm recognized

The 2016 Farmer Recognition Award was presented Thursday to Gary and Ginette Ostafie and family.

The presentation, sponsored by Yorkton Auction Centre, was made to the Mikado-area couple was made during the Grain, Forage & Seed Show Awards Reception at the Grain Millers Harvest Showdown.

“It’s just a great honour to receive this award,” Gary Ostafie told those attending the reception after accepting the award. “It’s a real prestigious award.”

Later, in an interview with Yorkton This Week, he added the award has yet to sink in fully.

“I’m still in a bit of shock,” he said. “There are a lot of great farmers out there.

Ostafie is a third generation farmer, his grandfather John moving to the area in 1899. He had 10 children, including son Peter, Gary’s father, who would take over the farm.

Gary graduated high school in 1981, and began farming with father Peter and mother Ann. When his father died in 1994, he continued to work the farm in partnership with his mother, finally taking over the operation completely in 1999. He and his wife formed G&G Ostafie Farms in 2005.

At the time of taking over the farm the operation covered 3,500 acres, a land base the couple has steadily grown.

The Ostafie’s now farm 10,650-acres, growing predominantly canola, wheat, and malt barley, although over the years they have also grown field peas, oats, flax and canary seed.

“Canola would be the number one crop,” he said, a situation supported by having two crushing plants in Yorkton “30-miles away from the farm.”

In terms of acres Gary said they are likely at their limit given help, at least “until the next generation steps in.”

The couple have four children; Brianna, 27, Michelle, 19, Kaylee, 17, and Brayden, 13.

Gary said he has hopes at least one or two of the children will want to take over the farm one day “to keep the family farm alive and well.”

While further expansion may hinge on future family participation, Gary said he has never regretted adding acres to the farm. He said land “has been one of the best investments, the best decisions on our farm.”

Asked what the biggest change in farming has been since he started nearly two decades ago, Gary was quick to reply.

“Technology is one of the biggest changes, the move to precision farming,” he said, although his own adoption of the latest tech has slowed a little.

“Probably 10-years ago I was one of the first to try new technology and varieties,” he said, but now with a system that works he makes changes more cautiously.

In addition, Gary said he increasingly looks to others for help in terms of technology advancements, accessing their expertise in terms of agronomics and marketing.

“There are just waves of new information,” he said, so having experts in particular areas glean through and make recommendations simply makes sense.