Farmer’s Blog

Farmer's Blog

Seeding Change: Polycultures at Work at Muddy Creek Ranch

At Muddy Creek Ranch in Fairview, Alberta, rancher Garth Shaw is blending generations of farming tradition with new regenerative approaches to create a more resilient future for his land, livestock and family.

Rooted in the rolling grasslands of the Peace Country, Garth’s operation is centred on cattle, community and a growing commitment to soil health. His journey into regenerative agriculture began with a healthy dose of skepticism and a nudge from his daughter to try something new: polycultures.

What started as a small trial turned into a game-changer. Diverse forage mixes not only kept Garth’s cattle grazing through the harsh Alberta winter, but helped reduce feed costs, improved soil structure and sparked curiosity among his neighbours.

This blog explores how Garth’s shift to polycultures is transforming more than just his fields. From balancing winter feeding strategies to building community resilience, Garth’s story highlights the power of staying open to learning and leading with care—for the land, the animals and the people connected to both.

Whether you’re a seasoned rancher, just starting your regenerative journey or simply curious about what’s possible when you plant diversity, this story offers insights and inspiration from the ground up.

Farmer's Blog

Stewarding the Land, Building the Future: The Story of Timber Ridge Ranch

Since well before regenerative agriculture became a buzzword, Glen and Kelly Hall have been quietly practicing its principles. At Timber Ridge ranch, near Stavely, Alberta the Halls are blending time-honoured traditions of ranching with forward thinking practices that put soil, water and biodiversity at the centre of the story.

Ranching in today’s agricultural climate come with its challenges – rising costs, extreme weather and difficulties with expansion and succession to name a few. That’s why the Halls, in partnership with conservation organizations and impact investors have embraced a bold alternative – steward ownership.

We spoke to the Halls about this innovate model, which flips conventional farm financing on its head. We discussed putting the stewards (producers) at the centre, how they set up collaborative agreements and how this is helping them plan for a successful future at Timber Ridge.

It’s clear from this conversation that connections underpin the whole system – connection to the land, the animals and their community. Glen and Kelly are living proof that when innovative thinking meets a deep rooted care for the land, anything is possible.

Farmer's Blog

The Healing Power of Collaboration – Timber Ridge, Stavely, Alberta

Glen and Kelly Hall have been managing Timber Ridge Ranch, a 480-acre farmland situated an hour south of Calgary near Stavely, Alberta, for over 40 years. Their approach to agriculture involves regenerative practices and the conversion of their land back to perennial coverage, including the cultivation of multi or polyculture crops for swath grazing. Their operations primarily consist of a cow-calf program with approximately 200 mother cows, and they also custom graze calves from fall to spring.

Since 2018, the Halls have been on a mission to collaborate with local organizations to rejuvenate their land, which was previously subjected to conventional farming methods involving fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Over the last four decades, they have seeded an impressive 5,000 acres, aiming to enhance biodiversity both above and below the soil.

We spoke to the Halls about the challenges of ranching in Alberta’s drought-prone “banana belt” and how they’re adapting their practices to “drought proof” against increasingly warming temperatures and extreme conditions.

Farmer's Blog

Regenerating Humility

Will widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture automatically lead to the rejuvenation of rural communities? Derek, Director of Rural Route to Climate Solutions, shares the insights he’s gained while travelling Canada, interviewing agricultural producers about regenerative agriculture.

Farmer's Blog

Regenerating Rural Opportunities

Farmer's Blog

Planting the ‘Prairie Berry’ — Solstice Berry Farm, Crossfield, Alberta

The Gelowitz’s kept a garden on their farm where they grew several saskatoon bushes. Rick, who grew up in Calgary, but spent quite a few summer vacations on his uncle’s farms in Saskatchewan, has had a lifelong love for the native prairie berry. “It was my wife’s suggestion that we try to grow Saskatoon berries,” he recalls. “And that’s how it started.”

Straight From The Farmer's Mouth

(Well, from the Farmer's laptop technically.) Here's what agricultural producers around Alberta are doing with climate solutions to build successful and resilient farms and ranches.

Seeding Change: Polycultures at Work at Muddy Creek Ranch

Stewarding the Land, Building the Future: The Story of Timber Ridge Ranch

The Healing Power of Collaboration – Timber Ridge, Stavely, Alberta

Regenerating Humility

Regenerating Rural Opportunities

Planting the ‘Prairie Berry’ — Solstice Berry Farm, Crossfield, Alberta

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