b'GROWERSPOTLIGHT North Paddock FarmsFacing the Future with FamilyNorth Paddock Farms sees opportunities despite pandemic challenges. BY: SHEL ZOLKEWICHTHE GLOBAL COVID-19 pandemic has certainly caused its share of challenges for Canadian farmers. But Alison Davie is also seeing opportu-nities as questions about food security arise.I am hoping that this pushes consumers to learn more about where their food comes from and support Canadian farmers where possible, says the owner of North Paddock Farms south of Taber, Alta. I really enjoy educating people about food production because I think there is a lot of misinformation out there and as farmers. We need to share our story.Davie farms 2,500 acres alongside her hus-band Michael. The couple took over the farm from Davies parents seven years ago. They moved to Nicaragua to do agricul-ture-development work with farmers there through La Semilla Ministries, she explains. They still enjoy coming back to help with harvest each year. We also have four full-time staff plus seasonal workers.North Paddock Farms grows roughly 500 acresAlison and Michael Davie grow potatoes on North Paddock Farms south of Taber, Alta., while their children, of processing potatoes annually and primarilyPeyton and James, enjoy riding along in the tractor with them.PHOTO: ALISON DAVIEsells to McCain Foods and Lamb Weston. They also grow timothy hay, flax, wheat and seed canola. control on our farm and just hope that everyone onThe Davies are keen supporters of the Taber We are always looking for ways to improveour farm stays safe and healthy. Foodgrains Project, organized by the Canadian soil health and recently we have tried adding aHeavy rain in May and June were followed byFoodgrains Bank. legume as a part of our rotation, Davie says. Weexcessive heat in July, putting the potato cropIts a really great project that everyone in the work with some neighbours who grow beans onabout a week behind an average growing season.community can be involved with, Davie says. our land, and this year we are trying faba beans.The crop is still looking really good, consid- Throughout the growing season a number of So far they are looking good. ering, says Davie. Our plant canopy has beenbusinesses donate time and inputs into the crop, All the acreage is under irrigation and compostvery healthy this year and have seen very littlethen at harvest time there is always a line-up of is added regularly. disease throughout the majority of the growingcombines ready to harvest. It really shows our Davie admits the spring of 2020 wasseason. It was a slow start to irrigation this yearTaber Community Spirit! stressful with the pandemic causing plantingbut once the heat hit in July we were irrigatingThe harvest crop is sold proceeds are donated concerns.every few days. to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and used to I was very unsure about how it would impactNorth Paddock Farms is truly a family busi- fight world hunger.our ability to access inputs for the upcoming cropness with Peyton, 4, and James, 1, keeping theAs harvest wraps up, Davie is optimistic about year. But when it became clear that agricultureDavies busy.the future.would be deemed essential, it definitely easedBoth kids love to ride along with us in the There are still uncertainties heading into some concerns, she says. tractors or come field scouting. They are littlewinter, but all of this is new territory and everyone While the unknown still persist, the planningfarmers! Both Michael and I are full time on theis just doing their best to anticipate what market done early in the season appears to be paying off,farm, Davie says. I do most of the agronomychallenges and opportunities will arise, she says. Davie says. and irrigation scheduling, and he managesI feel fortunate to work in an industry that will Recently, french fry sales have picked upmore of the hands on day-to-day tasks andalways be needed, to know that no matter what, which is great news. I try to focus on what I canequipment. people need to eat. 64 SPUDSMART.COM FALL 2020'