Friday rewind: Dad's Wisdom, Ron Dykshoorn from Alberta, Canada

Shay

Foulk: Hey podcast, thanks for tuning in to another episode of our Dad's Wisdom series. We're always thrilled to have on the guests that we do and think that there's a lot to learn from the people out there in agriculture. With that being said, if you have someone that you think would be a great candidate for Dad's Wisdom, please, please reach out to us. There's so much knowledge. Uh, we always get great things out of these conversations and we want to make sure that we're passing that along. So if you know someone that has a great story someone that's instilled a lot of wisdom in your life, doesn't necessarily have to be a father, could be mother, brother, aunt, uncle, or just someone in the community that's had an impact on your life, please reach out to us. We would love to share their story and love to have them on. Thanks again for tuning in to the Ag View Pitch.

Welcome back everyone to another episode of the Ag View Pitch, and I'm really excited today, uh, to be jumping back into the Dad's Wisdom series. It's something that we've received a lot of positive feedback from you all. And, you know, the one thing that I want to outline before we jump into the conversation here is looking at the amount of wisdom that's in the community that we can learn not only from each other, but from those who have built the farm operations that we're a part of today. And that's really why we wanted to have this discussion on Dad's Wisdom, just to gain some good perspective on, on where we've come. So I'm joined with a special guest today. I'm going to let him introduce himself. And, you know, there's such a huge amount of information that I think can be learned.

The farming operation that this gentleman beside me has built and the work ethic that he has instilled in his sons in the operation is truly phenomenal. So with that being said, I'd like to introduce our special guest.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Uh, yeah, my name is Ron Dykshorn. I farm in southern Alberta, Canada, and farm with my two boys here. I'm at the age now where I get to kind of turn the reins over a bit to the guys, and I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying farming with with them, that's for sure.

Shay

Foulk: And you get to do the fun stuff. You don't have to do all this number stuff all day. We're up here working on numbers all day and he's like, I don't know how you guys do it, but you get to go and hop in a tractor and spend time with the grandkids. And it's probably been a pretty phenomenal transition there for you.

Ron

Dykshoorn: It has been, although myself and my wife have always paid close attention to numbers, and I think that's very important. So I'm glad to see my boys doing it with these guys too.

Shay

Foulk: Well, you definitely instilled that in them. So, you know, one thing that I was hoping we can go over here for a little bit is looking at the history of the farm operation. You know, where we sit today and how we got here, I think is a pretty phenomenal story. So I was wondering if you can just give the listeners a little background on that.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, my grandfather came over from the Netherlands as a young man, young single man in 1907, and he stood in line in Lethbridge to get his homestead quarter with a friend that he had met on the ship over here, and he came out and found his quarter, and that's where it all began. And then he raised a family on this— well, he kept adding to the homestead slowly through the years, but he raised a family on this homestead and my father took over in the '40s and we were— I was raised here along with my 3 sisters and then I raised a family also. So yeah, I'm third generation on this farm, and my boys are the fourth now.

Shay

Foulk: So, and that's very recent history relatively. You know, we think back 113 years ago, and sometimes in the United States, we lose sight of how quickly that change has happened in certain areas. Looking at some of the original colonies in the United States several hundred years ago, and to see that, you know, 113 years ago in 1907, this was expansive prairie, you know, and it was native vegetation. To this day, there's still native grasslands in the area. Pretty phenomenal, the amount of infrastructure and the change that has been realized over that time. When your grandfather came over, he was 21 years old, I believe you said, and, you know, happened to choose the— they chose the ground right next to each other, him and his friend that he had met on the ship and started families and been here ever since.

So I was hoping we could maybe talk a little bit, you know, about the history and some of the decisions that were made there. I know during the 1930s there was an endeavor into the dairy. Can you talk a little bit on that?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, being the '30s and things were tough, my grandfather decided that he should look elsewhere because he had 5 boys who wanted to farm. And so he went out to the Vancouver area and he bought a dairy farm. And for the first couple of years while they were kind of getting things figured out, my father and my aunt went out there. They were both single at the time and they ran the dairy there for a couple of years. And then 3 of the other brothers decided to to go out to that area and they bought dairy farms in that area too. And my father came back here along with my aunt. She came back also to this area.

Shay

Foulk: I think what's interesting about the story is, you know, your grandfather recognized the need that, you know, maybe something else needed to be done to provide for the family and looking at opportunities that were available there. It's pretty big to kind of uproot and make a decision to go farm elsewhere just based off of a hunch that it was the right decision.

Ron

Dykshoorn: That was huge in those days. That was a major shift for all of them to go that far away looking for opportunity. But that was the kind of man that he was. In the first place to come across the ocean to settle here. He was definitely a man with, who was adventurous and he could take whatever came to him in stride, I think, and that's how he ended up also going out there to Vancouver.

Shay

Foulk: So what would the operation have looked like and when was it that your father started with the farming, obviously went out there to the dairy. When would he have been back here at this location farming with your grandfather, and what would the size of the operation have been, been like at that point?

Ron

Dykshoorn: I believe it was in '41 that he came back from the dairy farm and started farming with my grandfather. The size of the farm probably at that time was fairly sizable because it was a fairly large family, and so my grandpa had done his best to, to add acres on. I think at that time it was around 1,200 acres, which at that time was— they were farming with horses yet in the '30s. They had gone to tractors earlier but couldn't afford the fuel So they had to go back to the horses. And that's a fair amount of land to farm with horses.

Shay

Foulk: Well, and to— for a little bit of perspective, we were driving into town last night and it was a 10 or 12 minute drive. And Chet made the comment that looking at the oats were hauled into town by horses, you know, your grandfather was telling that story about the oats being hauled into town there. And just the amount of work and effort that would have gone into that was truly incredible. It's hard to fathom, I think, for most people today.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, it was one trip a day with 80 bushels in the wagon kind of thing, you know. And so, yeah, it was a whole different time. And my dad, of course, was raised in that time. And but he farmed long enough also to see huge changes, probably, well, I shouldn't say bigger than what I've seen, but definitely from horses to GPS is what he saw, and he was amazed by that.

Shay

Foulk: Well, yeah, and who, you know, who wouldn't be? Yeah, truly phenomenal. So somewhere along the way there, about 1951, you came into the picture and would have joined the operation there about 1970 and were around your grandfather for a number of years. Is there anything that sticks in your mind that you would have learned from him? Any wisdom or just speaking to his character? Obviously an incredibly driven and adventurous person. What stands out to you about him?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Probably, I don't know. Humility, I guess.

Shay

Foulk: Yeah, and it's, uh, definitely an underrated, uh, attribute. I think humility is— I think a lot of successful people that demonstrate that, that trait are liked within the community. They raise good families and are ones that have allowed their operations to continue to survive and thrive through the generations. So looking at, you know, farming practices, we were talking a little bit here offline about some of the significant changes that were made in this area. I know originally changing from the native grasslands to then cropping and, you know, some livestock in the area, there was a pretty significant change going on through the '70s, '80s, and '90s, and even more so today. Can you give us a little history on how that developed in this area and why some of those decisions were being made?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Well, yeah, in the '70s, the '70s were generally very prosperous. We had, you know, generally pretty good years through the '70s. There was a couple of droughts in there. And then in the '80s, we started seeing the interest rates go up. It was very tough times for farms in the '80s with the high interest rates and there was a lot of foreclosures and that kind of stuff. And so, yeah, we had to start looking differently at how we farmed and definitely paying attention to the numbers.

Shay

Foulk: Is there anything in that time period You know, so you were married in 1980, difficult times going on in the '80s there. Is there anything that you wish, looking back, that you could have done differently? And what do you think, after having a number of years to evaluate that, what do you think were some of the best decisions that you would have made in that time frame?

Ron

Dykshoorn: To do things differently is— yeah, to look back and— It was a totally different time, so we talked about it a little bit earlier, just the two of us, that there wasn't the equipment available to do what we wanted. Some of the— I have some neighbors in this area that are very innovative when it comes to changing equipment to suit what they need, and they were They were trying a lot of different things at that time to build drills that would seed through a lot of COVID and all of that. And so to look back and say, what would I have done different? I think, I think with what we knew at that time, we were just struggling to do the best that we could. Yeah, it's I think that's as far as things that we did well was we tried to conserve moisture and we knew that being in this Palisade Triangle that there just isn't ever a real excess of moisture.

There might be for a very short period of time time, but it doesn't last very long and you're back looking for moisture for your crops. So you have to conserve every bit that you can. And so that's what we try to do. Mm-hmm.

Shay

Foulk: And there's no significant amount of subsurface moisture here to where wells can be dug in this area specifically as far as irrigation goes. And, you know, just that, that infrastructure was never really developed.

Ron

Dykshoorn: No, there's no opportunity for irrigation right in our area, even though there is a very extensive system just north of us. That water is being used up now in that system.

Shay

Foulk: So something that was interesting, we were talking about a gentleman, Orville Stovall, that was pretty progressive in the thoughts. He had lived through the 1930s and looked at the this huge impact, the environmental impact that the Dust Bowl and the era there in the 1930s had. You were talking that he vowed never to have bare soil again because there's so much to lose as a result of that. Can you just speak a little bit to some of the lessons that you learned from him and maybe some of the wisdom that was passed on just in his outlook on things?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, when I started farming, he was definitely unconventional compared to basically everybody else in the area. And he was my, well, my closest neighbor as far as land goes. And I kept watching him and wondering why he did it. And I got to know him. Really well before he passed, and he was a very wise man. And so I learned a lot about his thinking on why he did things, and he was a very, very smart man. He kept track. He had lots of data that he kept through his whole life. Which is not what most people did at that time. They didn't pay attention to numbers and he really did. And so I learned a lot from him.

Shay

Foulk: And he was maybe considered, you know, you said unconventional or maybe even crazy at the time for some of the things that he was doing, you know, looking at continuous cropping. That wasn't something that was done around here.

Ron

Dykshoorn: No, no. And he, you know, I think he was looked down upon a little bit. By people who didn't really know him. And, uh, yeah, it was— I really appreciated him.

Shay

Foulk: No, I think that's awesome. Um, so going back to, uh, the 1980s and that time period that you had been farming, um, with your father for a decade and started looking at some of the transition process, how did that process go within the operation? And, you know, what are some of the lessons that you learned going through that, that you might take into that period of your life as you move into the transition there?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, probably the biggest thing is that farming with my dad, he was always open to new ideas, even though it wasn't something he wanted to do. But he never ever stopped me from trying new farming practices or new crops or anything. He was, he was very supportive that way. And And I think it was a good lesson for me with my boys that you have to let them make decisions and make changes. Even though I'm always looking for changes myself, if their idea of doing something is different, then you have to allow them to go ahead with that.

Shay

Foulk: Well, and I think The majority of the time looking at the change that the next generation or the younger generation can make, just the familiarity with the technology, the expertise, the, you know, we spoke a little bit about education there. As good as the education is today or has been in development in the past, it's huge just to give them the capabilities and the opportunity to really put that into use on the farm.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Oh, it sure is. And Our farm has really, really benefited from all that they have learned and technologies have really improved the efficiencies, I think, on the farm.

Shay

Foulk: So as the tillage practices changed in the area, moving to less and less impact on the tillage, more continuous cropping, and pretty much fully moving to that in the 1990s. I was wondering if you can speak a little bit to how some new markets may be developed as far as crops and some different opportunities that arose as a result of having that continuous cropping.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, in the '90s, the lentils and the peas really became important, especially to our farm, but to a lot of farms in Western Canada, and a whole market. Well, the Indian market for lentils was huge for many years. India needed basically all the lentils that we could produce, is what they were telling us, and Well, Western Canada responded and definitely was the major supplier of lentils to India. And peas, they go to China and a lot of other countries. They also are a huge market, a new market for us, eh.

Shay

Foulk: And how has that changed in recent years here? Has there been new opportunities recently that have opened up, or do you see anything on the horizon on that end?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Our markets are becoming a lot more political now, and we've been struggling, especially the last couple of years. It seems like it's hard to predict markets because it is so political. These countries have become better marketers. They've become better at manipulating the market, I think. And so we do have some challenges there. And yet, I think that with all the information that's out there, that, you know, we can definitely be ready when there is opportunities.

Shay

Foulk: So shifting gears a little bit, I want to talk about how land growth opportunities might have risen over the years. And, you know, it's almost been a little bit of a, not an exponential growth, but definitely a significant increase. Looking at land in the operation here the last couple of decades, you know, how did those opportunities present themselves over time and how did you evaluate that decision? What did that look like and how does land kind of stand what you see today as an opportunity in agriculture?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Well, most of our opportunities, we've always had the philosophy, I guess, that you would, that you try and do better with what you have before you start looking for more. And so most of the opportunities that have come to us have come to us. Searching or trying to expand before we're ready. And we've had neighbours come to us and that— then we were ready to take the opportunity. I think that's the biggest part of it is that we weren't— we're not aggressively searching out more land, but if it comes, then it usually is— it comes at the right time.

Shay

Foulk: How have land prices changed in this area? What does that look like, and do you think there's still opportunity, good opportunity, to be investing in land at this time?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Actually, I think we've peaked. I think in the last Oh, in the last 4 or 5 years, land prices have gone very, very high. And just in our immediate area, especially, uh, Western Canada, they've gone up substantially also. But this area seems to be a fairly hot real estate market, and I think Yeah, I might be wrong. But I think it's peaked. And it's going to be a struggle for a while here to be able to afford these kind of prices.

Shay

Foulk: And just for some perspective, that's because in this area, there's been a pretty good run here for a number of years, maybe not the last couple of years, but pretty good run here in production and marketing as well, right?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, it's partially that because of the good years. It's also because there is a fair number of younger fellows wanting to farm in this area. And I think that has really driven the demand for land. Mm-hmm.

Shay

Foulk: Let's talk a little bit about that with young farmers coming back to the operation. You've looked at that here the last couple of decades and Bringing your boys on or into the farm operation. And with that, there came some necessity for expansion. And that's probably what some other people are seeing in the area. How did that look? You know, what was that process like for you? First of all, having the boys come back into the operation, and what were some of the challenges and the opportunities associated with that?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Well, the The challenge is when you have a young fella coming back and wants to farm is to know how to go about that, how to fit him into your operation and to sort of give him some responsibility as far as the running of the operation or buying into it or whatever. But for us, yeah, we— the opportunity to expand came about the time that my first son came back. And then again for my second son, Sam, when he came back, the opportunity arose too. And so I guess that kind of took the pressure off of me a little bit. The opportunity arose, so we were able to fit them in pretty nicely, actually.

Shay

Foulk: Mm-hmm. And how do you feel about how that process has been here in the last 20 years, you know, with them being part of the operation and that onboarding and working together? A lot of times family dynamics have a huge impact on the operation there. You know, what did that look like here?

Ron

Dykshoorn: No, it was— I know you hear a lot of horror stories and stuff, but I— for whatever reason, our operation has enjoyed, really enjoyed the expansion and the working together part of it. And so, yeah, as far as things I would do different, I wouldn't do anything different because it's worked out very well for us.

Shay

Foulk: Well, then maybe there's some advice there on what went well and why you think that went well. You know, what can you share with listeners out there about why it was a good integration and why you think that it was a successful addition to the operation?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Probably the biggest part of it is to slowly— when a young fella is involved in a operation with Dad at the helm kind of thing to start with, you have to start releasing some of the responsibilities. And it's important to increase that over the years until they actually take over. And then I think, like, I'm at the point now where I'm enjoying backing off and watching the decisions that they make. And yeah, they come to me yet for help or for a bit of advice once in a while, but for the most part, it's enjoyable. Excuse me. It's very enjoyable to see the next generation and what they want to do with agriculture.

Shay

Foulk: So if you had to think back to some lessons that you learned from, from your father, and we talked a little bit about how he was good with change, you know, accepted the— might not always liked it, but realized the necessity that went along with some of this change and innovation. Is there anything else that stands out in your mind that your father might have had as advice or wisdom that stuck with you to help you make the decisions that you've made along the way?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, he was that way for sure. He definitely allowed me to make my mistakes and to be supportive, even though maybe he didn't buy in totally to some of the new the no-till and that kind of stuff. He didn't buy in right away, but he was supportive in that he would give me the ability to do whatever I wanted, pretty much anyway. He also had advice, of course, and I think that's, that's what the older generation is there for, to give advice and then go ahead and let them make their decisions, make the make their own mistakes. And yeah, that's the way it goes from generation to generation.

Shay

Foulk: Is there anything besides that that you've tried to instill into your boys as part of the operation? Any other wisdom or advice that you would want to make sure that they know or to share with others out there?

Ron

Dykshoorn: I'd have to think about that a bit here. I'm not sure.

Shay

Foulk: Sometimes you just live it and don't think about what it is that you're doing, but you know, from our perspective looking at the operation, you've definitely given them the opportunities and given them the education and you know, education is something that we that we maybe haven't touched on here as much as what you and I talked offline, but I know through the years you and your wife were always going and educating yourselves in the wintertime to make sure that you knew what was going on. You were consistent in the numbers and keeping records, and, you know, definitely looks like something that has been passed on to the next generation.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Oh yes, definitely the education. You can't stop learning because There's, especially these days, there's so much information out there. And so it's important to, to keep yourself as informed as you can about, about anything you're doing and what you could do kind of thing.

Shay

Foulk: So. No, that's great. Well, it must be pretty rewarding. To watch your boys be a part of the farm operation. I'd imagine there's a lot of pride associated with that, as there should be. And, you know, for you to be able to continue to work with them today side by side, I think is a huge just accomplishment for everyone involved in the family. I think that's pretty big.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah. And our faith comes into it too. And I think that's why we don't have the worries. Maybe because of that, because we have a strong faith. And I think that's a big part of it.

Shay

Foulk: Maybe the ultimate dad's wisdom, learning from our Father. Yeah.

Ron

Dykshoorn: Yeah, I think so.

Shay

Foulk: Well, that's great. You know, anything else that you want to add here? I've really enjoyed the conversation and again, just providing some of this perspective. Anything else that you'd like to say about your operation or, you know, how things are today?

Ron

Dykshoorn: Not really. I just, yeah, I'm enjoying what I'm doing and hope to do it yet for quite a few years if that's what the future brings to us.

Shay

Foulk: Oh, that's great. Well, thank you very much for taking the time to discuss this today. Kind of sprung it on you here in Dad's Wisdom, but it's always important to, to share these stories and to share this perspective. So thank you very much.

Ron

Dykshoorn: You're very welcome.

Shay

Foulk: And thank you everyone for listening. We will catch you next time on the Ag View Pitch Podcast. If you haven't already, please go over to AgViewSolutions.com and check out the useful tools tab. We've uploaded 4 different tools that Chris has developed over the years that we think can bring tremendous value to your operation. Also, be sure to like our Facebook page. We're going to be doing a giveaway here soon, and you can't win unless you're following us and like us on Facebook. Thanks everyone for listening. We will catch you next time on the Ag View Pitch.